Instructions: Sit on the floor with legs stretched out. Fold the left leg and tuck the left foot into the right thigh and then fold the right leg and tuck the right foot into the left thigh. Cross the legs right across the groin. Keep the hands on your knees or in chin mudra (as in image) if you are using the posture for meditating. Sit erect keeping the spine straight and elongated. Focus on your breathing pattern. You may alternate the crossing of the legs on alternate days when practicing yoga regularly. Stay in the asana for at least 2-3 minutes.

Benefits:

• It is a very good pose for performing breathing exercises and for meditation.

Caution:

• It should be avoided by people suffering from knee or leg injuries.

Instructions: Sit on the floor or on a mat with legs stretched out in front of you while keeping the spine erect. Bend the right knee and bring the right foot to rest on the left thigh with the sole of the feet facing upward and the heel placed close to the abdomen. Do the same with the left leg and foot. With both the legs crossed and feet placed on opposite thighs, place your hands on the knees in mudra position. Keep the head straight and spine erect. Stay in the posture calmly focussing on the breathing pattern as you inhale and exhale deeply. Stay in the posture for as long as you can.

Benefits:

• It calms the mind and reduces stress and anxiety.
• It improves digestion.
• It reduces muscular tension and brings blood pressure under control.

Caution:

• This asana should be avoided by those suffering from a knee or ankle injury.

Instructions: Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and the arms raised up. Tighten your front thigh muscles and keeping your legs completely straight, exhale and bend forward from your hip joints keeping your torso straight. Bend your torso and head as one unit and bring the arms down and bend the elbows out to the sides. Slide and hook the fingers under the feet and grip the big toes firmly. Press your toes down firmly against your fingers and press the your forehead into your shins. Keep the torso straight and do not curve the back while getting into the pose and while in it. Hold the pose for a minute breathing calmly. Inhale and lift the body to the original position making sure your torso and head comes back to a standing position as a single unit. Repeat 3-4 times.

Benefits:

• It massages the internal organs and improves the digestive system and elimination of wastes.
• It stimulates the liver and kidneys and helps in better removal of toxins.
• It helps in reducing stress and anxiety.
• It tones and strengthens the calves and hamstrings.
• It provides relief from menopause and menstrual disorders.
• It provides relief from headaches and insomnia.

Caution:

• It should be avoided by people suffering from lower back injuries.

Instructions: Lie flat on your back in a comfortable posture with the legs outstretched and the arms by your side. Place the hands underneath the hips, palms facing down. Bring the elbows closer toward the waist and each other. Cross your legs such that your feet cross each other close to the groin area with your thighs and knees pressed against the floor or keep them straight as in image. Inhale deeply and lift your chest and head up from in between the shoulder blades and then keeping the chest elevated lower the head backward and allow the crown to touch the floor gently. Make sure the weight of the body while lifting is borne by the shoulders and the elbows and no pressure is put on the neck and the head. You can bring the hands forward from below the hips to clasp the feet (if the legs are crossed) or else leave them under the hips as per your comfort level. Hold the position for as long as you can breathing calmly. Now lift the head up and gently lower the chest and the head back to the lying positon and untangle your legs without a jerk. Repeat the asana 2-3 times.

Benefits:

• It tones and stimulates the pituitary, parathyroid and pineal glands.
• It gives the throat and the digestive organs a good massage and aids in digestion and elimination.
• It tones and strengthens the spine, chest and the shoulder region.
• It expands the chest and gives relief from respiratory disorders.
• It strengthens the muscles of the upper back, the shoulders and neck.
• It calms the mind and provides relief from anxiety and stress.
• It is a good treatment for menstrual disorders.

Caution:

• It should be avoided by people suffering from lower back and neck injuries.

Instructions: Sit cross legged keeping the spine straight and the shoulders broad. Fold your hands in a traditional greeting posture pressing the palms together finger to finger and rest the thumbs close to the sternum. The fingers should be pointing upwards as in image. Raise your elbows to stay aligned with the wrists and bow your head slightly in reverence. Stay in this posture for as long as you want focusing on your breathing pattern.

Benefits :

• It is known to balance the right and the left hemispheres of the brain restoring peace and calm.
• It reduces stress and anxiety.
• It is a very good pose for meditation.

Caution:

• Persons with knee injuries can avoid the sitting posture and can perform this mudra while standing straight.

Instructions: Lie flat on your back. Inhale and lift your legs up, bringing both your knees above the chest close to the armpits. The ankles should be vertically stacked above the knees. Grasp your toes by stretching out your arms from the inner side of the legs. Gently nudge your hips apart and widen your legs to deepen the stretch along the inner thighs. Ensure that you press the torso, tailbone, sacrum, neck, head and shoulders down on the floor. Breathe calmly, consciously observing the inhalation and exhalation as you hold the pose. Stay in the pose for a minute. Exhale and release your arms and legs and bring them down without a jerk.

Benefits :

• It gives a good stretch to the groin, inner thighs and the hamstrings.
• It opens the hip and releases the tension in the spine.
• It gently massages the digestive system.
• It provides relief from anxiety and stress.

Caution:

• Should be avoided by persons suffering from a neck or knee injury.
• Should be avoided by women during pregnancy and menstruation.
• Should be avoided by persons with high blood pressure.

Instruction: Go on your fours into a tabletop position. Exhale and gently lift your hips straightening your elbows and knees and pushing the chest towards thighs and drawing the abdomen into the rib cage till such time the body forms an inverted ‘V’. Make sure your hands stay in line with your shoulders and your feet in live with your hips. The toes should point inwards. Press your hands firmly into the ground. The neck should be kept long between the stretched arms. Your ears should touch your inner side of the arms and gaze should be fixed on the navel. Hold the pose for 30 – 40 seconds. Make sure that the spine remains straight and does not curve while doing or holding the pose. Breathe calmly while holding the pose. Gently go back on their tabletop and repeat 3 – 4 times

Benefits:

• It improves circulation throughout the body.
• It strengthens and tones the abdominal muscles and improve the digestion and elimination.
• It massages internal organs.
• It provides relief from anxiety and stress.
   

Caution:

• Avoid this asana if you suffer from high blood pressure, eye ailments tunnel syndrome, shoulder and wrist injuries.

Instructions: Start by lying flat on your back, keeping your legs together and your arms by your side. With one swift but easy movement, lift your legs, buttocks, and back, such that your elbows support your lower body and you stand high on your shoulders. Use your hands to support your back. As you settle down in the pose, make sure you move your elbows closer to each other. Straighten your spine and legs. Your body weight should lie on your shoulders and upper arms. Do not support your body on your neck or head. Firm up your legs and point your toes out. Hold the posture for about 30 to 60 seconds. Breathe deeply while you do so. If you feel any strain on your neck, release immediately.To release, lower your knees, and bring your hands to the floor. Then, lie flat and relax.

Benefits:

• It helps calm the brain, cures mild depression and relieves stress.
• It stimulates the prostate and the thyroid glands and the abdominal organs.
• It increases the blood flow to the internal organs and is very good for the digestive and the respiratory system. It cures digestive ailments and respiratory ailments like asthma and bronchitis.
• This asana relieves the symptoms of menopause.
• It provides relief from chronic fatigue and insomnia.
• It improves reproductive functions and improves fertility.

Caution:

• This asana should be avoided by people suffering from high blood pressure and shoulder and neck injuries.

Instructions:    Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you and your arms resting at your sides Place your hands behind your hips with the tips of your fingers right behind your buttocks. Either point your fingers towards your body, which is more common or away from your body. If you point them towards your body, your shoulders will be less open, but it’s a great stretch for your wrist flexors. If you have limited range of motion of the wrist, this posture may hurt and is not recommended. If you point your fingers away from your body, your shoulders will be more open and will allow a greater stretch in your chest. Choose the option that is comfortable for you. Exhale and lift your bottom off the floor, pressing your hips upward and straighten your legs one at a time keeping your buttocks soft. Support the lift by keeping your shoulders firmly pushing back. Do not collapse into your shoulders. Lengthen your spine and your arms. Keep your shoulders away from your ears. As you move into posture, you should keep the neck elongated as you fight gravity. Once you are comfortable in the pose, you can lower the head gently towards the floor keeping the chin facing the ceiling. Relax and breathe steadily. Hold the posture for atleast 30 seconds. Ease out of the pose as you exhale.

Benefits:

• It strengthens your triceps, wrists, back and legs.
• It stretches your shoulders, chest and ankles.
• It relieves stress.

Caution:

• This asana should be avoided by people with shoulder, wrist or knee injury.

Instructions: Sit up with the legs stretched out straight in front of you, keeping the spine erect. Breathing in, raise both arms above your head and stretch/elongate your spine upwards. Breathing out, bend forward from the hip joints, chin moving toward the toes and the navel towards the knees. Keep the spine erect and do not curve it. Brings the arms forward over your head as you bend down. Place your hands on your knees or clasp the toes if possible without bending the knees. Rest your head down and breathe deeply for 20-60 seconds. Try and rest the elbows on the floor close to the knees. Hold the posture for at least 30-45 seconds or more. Repeat the asana 3-4 times.

Benefits:

• It massages the internal organs and aids digestion and elimination.
• It reduces fatty deposits in the abdomen.
• It reduces anxiety, anger and irritability and provides relief from stress.
• It stretches the spine and brings flexibility.
• Its regular practice cures impotency and enhances sexual power.
• It balances the menstrual cycles.
• It is recommended especially for women after delivery.

Caution:

• This asana should not be practiced by pregnant women or by those suffering from slip disc or sciatica problem. It should also be avoided by ulcer patients and people suffering from asthma.