Bharadvajasana

The asana dedicated to sage Bharadvaja who was one of the Saptarshis (seven greatest sages) Bharadvaja was also the father of Drona who was a master of advanced military arts and the royal guru to Kauravas, Pandavas and the Devastras, the princes who fought the epic battle of the Mahabharata.

Instructions: Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Place your arms in a resting position at your sides. Bend your knees and bring them toward your left hip, such that the weight of your body is now resting on your right buttock.You may rest the inner side of your right ankle on the inner left thigh. Inhale slowly and stretch your spine to lengthen it as much as possible. Then, exhale slowly and twist your upper trunk to the maximum extent possible towards the right. You may keep your right hand on the floor and your left hand will rest on the outer part of the thigh of your right leg. Ensure that the hip on your left side presses down the weight of the body on the floor and is not raised while twisting. Try to apply a lengthening force to your spine with each breath, and twist your body further with each exhalation.Turning your head, look out over the shoulder on your right. Remain in this pose for a minute. Exhale slowly and gently untwist your trunk to revert to come back to the centre twisted position. Repeat on the other side.

Benefits:

• It gives the hips, spine, and shoulders a good stretch and strengthens the muscles.
• It tones and reduces the fat from the waist and the abdomen.
• It massages the internal organs, improves digestion and metabolism.
• It provides relief from neck pain, sciatica and lower back pain.
• It reduces stress and anxiety.
• It provides relief from carpal tunnel syndrome.

Caution:

• This asana should be avoided by persons suffering from spinal and hip injuries.
• Women should avoid this asana during mensuration.
• Avoid this asana if you have low or high blood pressure.