Four Ãsana

This set is prepared for over all benefits and deriving flexibility of the spine.

1. Dwikonãsana (Reverse angled posture)

Dwikonasana Start Back Dwikonasana Start Side
  • Stand with feet parallel and spine erect.
  • Clasp your hands in the back. Pointing your thumbs towards you, flip the clasped palms inward and downward so that elbows face each other and thumbs come out.
  • Keep your eyes open. Breathing in look up, let go your head and let it go as upward and backward as possible till you feel the stretch at the sternum.
  • Inhaling to the fullest, come to starting position.
Dwikonasana Step 2
  • Gently close your eyes. Breathe in slowly and fully. While exhaling through the center of your lips, bend forward and downward from your waist. Let the hands hang up in the air as forward as possible.
  • Let your head hang free and loose. Do shallow respirations in this position.
  • Exhale fully. Slowly breathing in, lift uper body up and return to the starting position.
  • Enjoy the blood flowing back into the system. Enjoy rejuvenation of the brain.
  • Slowly open your eyes.
Dwikonasana Step 3
  Dwikonasana  

2. Trikonãsana (Triangular posture)

Trikonasana Step 1
  • Stand with your feet parallel and spine erect. Let both the palms rest in front of your upper thighs.
  • While inhaling stand on your toes bringing your palms at the shoulder level and breathing to 50% of your capacity.
  • Complete your inhalation turning your upper body to your left, from waist up only.
  • Bring your heels down.
  • Slowly while exhaling, start lowering your right palm along the inside of your right leg with the left palm going up. Try to keep both your palms in one plane. Eventually your right palm will rest on right foot with no bend in your knees. You can try putting it on the floor between your feet.
Trikonasana Step 2
  • There should be no tension, especially in your left palm.
  • Let the head hang freely. Keep your eyes closed but as if looking at your left palm.
  • Enjoy the blood gushing to your head. Enjoy the stretching and twisting of your spinal column.
  • Please carry out shallow respirations. Try not to move at all.
  • Exhale fully. Gracefully inhaling, start gliding your right palm along the right leg and come to start position.
  • Once in the upright position, keep your eyes closed and enjoy the blood gushing back to the system.
  • Enjoy the wave of relaxation going down the spine.
  Trikonasana  

3. Bhujangãsana (Cobra Posture)

Bhujangasana
  • Aspirants with glasses, please take the glasses off and put by the side.
  • Lay down on your tummy keeping palms under your shoulder. Keep your eyes closed.
  • Feel the center of your eyebrows resting on the floor. Be ready to relocate your nostrils as suggested during the course of the asana.
  • To energize Ajna chakra, located behind the center of your eyebrows in the pineal gland area, please massage once with very delicate pressure, the center of your eyebrows. This action develops a nerve impulse leading to the location of the center.
  • Inhale gracefully. Mentally relocate your nostrils at the center of your eyebrows. Mentally chant AUM.
  • Slowly glide your head forward and upward so that your nose comes in contact with the floor. Glide it further so that the chin comes in contact with the floor. Stretch the chin as forward as possible.
  • Inhale gracefully. Mentally relocate your nostrils at front of your throat to energize the Vishuddhi Chakra, located behind the throat at the center of your spine. Mentally chant HM.
  • Slowly glide your head forward and upward till your chest comes in contact with the floor.
  • Inhale gracefully. Mentally relocate your nostrils at the center of your chest to energize the Anãhat chakra, located behind the lower right corner of your heart. Mentally chant YM.
  • Slowly glide your head forward and upward, still keeping slight bend at the elbows. Let the belly button come in contact with the floor.
  • Inhale gracefully. Mentally relocate your nostrils at the center of your belly button to energize the Manipur chakra, located behind the belly button at the center of your spine. Mentally chant RM.
  • Slowly straighten out your elbows and feel the end of your spine.
  • Inhale gracefully. Mentally relocate your nostrils at the end of your spine to energize the Swãdisthãn chakra at the end of your spine. Mentally chant VM.
  • If possible, balance your body on toes and palms, bringing groin region closer to the floor.
  • Inhale gracefully. Mentally relocate your nostrils in the groin region to energize the Moolãdhãr chakra, located at the groin region. Mentally chant LM.
  • Very slowly and gently start coming down one vertebra at a time, being aware of the chakras in the reverse order. Stay there and mentally repeat the posture. Enjoy.
  Bhujangasana  

4. Ardha Matsyendrãsana (Spinal twist)

  • Sit with your spine erect. Extend both of your legs in front of you. Keep your neck vertical and relaxed. Close your eyes gently and keep them closed.
  • Slowly take your left foot over the right leg. Closer you bring the foot towards your body, the harder the posture will be. Beginners are advised to keep the foot between the knee and right foot.
  • Raise your right palm up. Slowly twist your upper body.
  • Bring your right palm down and around the left knee. Hold on to your left foot.
  • Make sure that your spine is still erect.
Ardha-Matsyendrasana-Side
  • Slowly exhaling turn around and keep your left palm on the floor away from your body, still keeping your pine erect and eyes closed.
  • Enjoy the twisting and turning of your spine.
  • Inhale slowly and feel the energy going up the spine.
  • Exhale slowly and feel the energy going down the spine.
  • Slowly let go your left palm; let go your left leg and come to the starting position.
  • Enjoy the strengthening of your spine.
  Ardha Matsendrasana  

Hari AUM