MAYURASANA

Explanation: 'Mayura' means peacock. The body stays stiff like a stick in the peacock pose.

Description:

Lie in the Sashtangasana position, keep the palms on the ground by the side of the chest with fingers pointing backwards and position the elbows on either side of the navel.

Hold your breath, balance the whole body on your two palms and slowly lengthen the legs back.

Keep the legs stiff like a stick and raise them up until they are horizontal.

Let your chest and neck also remain horizontally and keep the head extended so that you look up instead of looking down towards the ground.

Breathe normally and stay in this position as long as you can before returning slowly to the original Sashtangasana/ Vajrasana position.

You may repeat this asana 3 to 4 times a day.

Benefits: It controls the blood supply to the internal organs of the abdomen and stimulates the pancreas. It also alleviates constipation, flatulence, indigestion and dyspepsia.

Caution: Perform this asana towards the end instead of the beginning of the session. Do not jerk the body while rising up. Concentrate on the balance of your body.