Janu Sirsasana

The name comes from the Sanskrit words ‘janu’ meaning knee, ‘shirsha’ meaning head and ‘asana’ meaning posture.

Instructions: Sit up with the legs stretched out straight in front of you, keeping the feet together and the spine erect. Bend your right knee and press the sole of the right foot against the inner part of your left thigh close to the groin. Gently swing the right knee away from the left foot so that the thighs form an angle greater than 90 degrees and press it gently against the floor. Make sure that the chest and navel are in a straight line with the outstretched left leg. This will set your torso in the right position. Let your hands provide support as they rest beside the hips. Inhale deeply by pushing the belly and chest torso upwards. Then exhale and bend forward from the base of the hip keeping the torso straight. (avoid bending forward from the waist or rounding it). Reach for your ankles or toes, if you can, with your hands or stretch till you are comfortable. Hold the pose and breathe deep and slow. As you breathe, feel the breath filling the groin, the back of your left leg, and the entire area of your back. Inhale and release the pose. Repeat the asana with the right leg stretched out. Do three to four sets.

Benefits:

• It revitalizes the body and aids digestion.
• It strengthens the shoulders, spine, groins and the hamstrings.
• It stimulates the liver and kidneys.
• It relieves stress, anxiety, fatigue, headache and mild depression.
• It is very good for treating high blood pressure, insomnia and sinusitis.
• It stimulates the reproductive organs and therefore, menstrual and menopausal disorders are reduced.
• During pregnancy, this asana helps to strengthen the back muscles. However, this asana should be practiced only up to the second trimester.

Caution:

• Avoid this asana if you have diarrhoea, asthma or lumbar disc herniation or a serious lower back injury.