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The Paschimottan Asana or West Facing Stretch aims at giving good stretch from the heels to the top of the spine, messaging the internal organ, reducing fat and activating the nervous system, enhances concentration ability and establishes perennial youth.
TECHNIQUE
Start by sitting in Danda Asana.
Stretch your arms up towards head.
Keep on stretching up to your capacity.
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| Paschimottan Asana |
With exhalation bend down from lower back towards the feet pulling the ankles towards self, trying to catch hold of the feet or ankles.
Drop the head down to knees.
Keep the legs straight and together, shoulders relaxed
Stay for some time, trying to leave the body loose to gravity and allow every exhalation to stretch you a little more and bend down a little more.
Slowly come up from the position back to Danda Asana.
Beginners, obese people or people with rigid spine may start by practicing the Ardha Paschimottasana Asana or Janushir Asana.
Practice of Ardha Matseydra Asana, Paschimottan Asana, Ustra Asana one after another is very beneficial as the spine gets twist, forward bend and backward bend in continuity.
Make sure you do not tense the shoulder and the abdominal muscles are relaxed.
Do not overdo or use any prop to reach toes.
Bend from lower back first and avoid rounding of spine keeping the legs together through out.
Gradually increase the time period and compliment with Kona Asana.
Duration is 10 seconds to 15 minutes.
You may try different variation here as beginners may perform Ardha Paschimottan Asana by folding one leg and forward bending and advanced students may join the hands in namaskar or cross hands around foot or hold the big toe trying to touch the elbows to floor. Cervical students are warned not to drop head down but keep looking up.
Poorna Paschimottan Asana is performed by touching the elbows to floor, joining the palms in Namaskar, cross the hand around ankles.
Sitting on chair or while traveling incase try to stretch the arms up and then try to reach the foot down and head to knee.
Standing pose, by stretching arms up and bending down to touch the feet.
Avoid in pregnancy, cervical, slip disc, lumbago, menstruation, spinal injury, stiff neck, full stomach.
BENEFITS
It tones the muscles of posterior side of the body from ankle to neck.
It strengthens the arms and pectoral girdle (shoulder blade).
It is excellent for people who wants to reduce around the waist line, hip and thighs.
It massages and increases the blood supply to the abdominal organs i.e. stomach, liver, pancreas, ovaries, reproductive system, spleen, kidneys and excretory organs.
It reduces the stiffness of calf muscles, thighs and relax the spasm of the back muscles.
It give natural traction to the back vertebrae.
It increase flexibility of the spine and loosen up the spinal ligament.
It stretches the ribcage and enforces the expansion of lungs.
It increases the supply of oxygen and blood to the brain.
It brings clarity of mind by reducing mental sluggishness.
It allows the prana to flow from Ida and Pingala into Sushmana.
It activates the solar, sacral and coccygeal psychic centers and thereby improving the overall personality of human beings.
It is one of the Asanas for Asananjaya or victory of Asanas.
With this Asana Vyan Vaayu is activated and blockage of prana in the posterior side of the body is removed.
It cures diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, hormonal imbalance, poor flexibility, prolapsed abdomen, constipation, gastric complaints, muscular rheumatism of back, flatulence, enlargement or sluggishness of liver/ spleen, increases vitality and enhances the power of sex drive control, menstrual disorders.
