SHAVASANA

Explanation: 'Shava' means a corpse and this asana resembles the position of a dead person. This posture is basically meant for relaxation after doing any other difficult asanas.

Description:

All the parts of the body are completely relaxed in this position.

The legs are to be kept at 300, and the arms at 15o away from the body.

Keep the elbows in prone position with fingers half-bent.

The feet are kept 18 inches apart.

The hands should be about 6 inches away from the body.

Keep the eyelids closed, but the eyeballs should move freely within.

Breathing should be slow, rhythmic and abdominal. The mind should concentrate only on breathing. This kind of breathing is called "Praanaadhaarana".

Benefits: Headache, dizziness, mental weakness, hot flushes, insomnia, high blood pressure and sciatica are relieved.