Bhujangasana (Serpent posture)

 
*Sthiti: Lie prone on the blanket, keeping the legs together, chin touching the ground, and the soles facing up. Stretch the hands straight forward alongside the head resting the palms on the ground.
 

1. Bring the arms back to the level for the last rib bone. Keep the hands bent at elbows; least pressure to be exerted on the hands. Maintain the elbows touching the body; let in not spread out.

2. Raise the head first and then the upper portion of the trunk slowly, just as the cobra raises its hood, till the navel portion is about to leave the ground. Arch the boreal spine well. Keep the body below navel straight in tough with the ground.

BENEFITS:Helps in keeping the dorsal spine elastic and strong. Backache due to overstrain can be relieved. Helps in considerable reduction of the abdominal fat. Useful Asana for Bronchitis, Asthma and Cervical spondylosis.

Salabhasana (Locust Posture)

 
*Start with Sthiti.

1. From a first with the thumb inside and place it under the abdomen.

2. Inhale and hold the breath. Rise the legs up together from the waist without bending the knees.
   *Maintain for some time. Slowly being down the legs with exhalation.
   
   

BENEFITS: Relieves constipation and tones up the kidneys. Muscles of the hips and the lumbar region and toned up

Dhanurasana (Bow Posture)

*Come to Sthiti position.

1. Bend the knees and hold the feet by the hands.

2. Raise the hand, chest and also thighs by tugging the hands and legs, so that the spine is arched backwards like a bow. Stabilize (Rest) on the abdomen. Elbows must be kept unbent. Look up. Initially the knees will spread out, but with practice they can be brought very near, almost touching each other. Maintain for about half a minute. Normal breathing.
   *Slowly come down through 3 to 4.
   
   BENEFITS: Removes gastro-intestinal disorders. Digestion improves. Helps in slimming the body and abdomen. A good stimulating posture for the back limbs.             

Makarasana (Crocodile Posture)

*Come to Sthiti position.

1. Widen the feet; heels inwards touching the ground; fingers out wards.

2. Bending the right hand, place the right palm on the left shoulder. Keep the left palm on the right shoulder, the chin in front of the hands such that the neck is supported at the point where the two arms cross. Rest and relax in this position.
   *Come back through 3 to 4.

BENEFITS: This relaxation posture is useful for many ailments caused by tensions like high B. P., insomnia etc.

Sarvangasana (Stand-on-Shoulder Posture)

*Sthiti: Lie supine on the ground over a blanket, keeping the arms stretched above the head.

1. Raise the legs together very slowly and gracefully (without bending at the knees) till it forms about 45 degrees to the ground.

2. Raise the legs further to 90 degrees.   

3. Now raise the buttocks and the trunk also, taking support of the arms and the elbows, without lifting the hand. Rest the elbows on the ground firmly and support the back with both the palms. Straighten the trunk with the hands till the chin is well set in the suprasternal hollow. Bring the legs parallel to the ground.   

4. Keep the body, erect stretching it up vertically supporting on the shoulders but relaxingly. Maintain for about 2 minutes. Carefully avoid all jerks and keep the head on the ground.
   *Slowly come back to Sthiti thorough 5 to 8.
    
   BENEFITS: Maintains the thyroid healthy which in turn keeps the body active and healthy. Beneficially influences the Pelvic organs, both active and healthy. Beneficially influences the various veins, piles, hernia and menstrual disorders. Persons with cervical spondylosis should not do this asana.
   

Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

    
The final position can be reached in two ways either starting from the sitting position or from lying down position.
 
A. Sthiti: Sit on the blanket with legs stretched out.

1. Bend the right leg and place it on the left thigh.

2. Place the left leg on the right thigh thus assuming Padmasana.

3. Bend backwards; support the body first by the right elbow and then the left elbow and rest the head on the ground. Place the palms above the shoulders, the shoulders on either side of the head, fingers pointing to the shoulders.

4. Taking the weight on the palms, lift the head and chest off the ground. Bring the centre of the crown of the head to the ground by bending the dorsal and cervical spine backwards. Remove the hands after the weight is balanced on the head. Catch hold of the big toes by hooking the index fingers around them. Maintain about 1/3 the time of maintenance of Sarvangasana about ½ meter.
   *Return to Sthiti through 5 to 8.

B. Sthiti: Lie supine on the blanket with hands stretched above the head.

1. Take the right leg and place it on the left thigh.

2. Place the left leg over the right leg on the right thigh. Take the hands on either side of the head.
   *Other numbers 3, 4, 5 and 6 are same. Counts 7 and 8 correspond to 1 and Sthiti of the lying-down position.
   *Matsyasana is a complementary asana to Sarvangasana and is normally maintained for about 1/3 the duration of Sarvangasana.

 
BENEFITS: The benefits of Sarvanganasana are enhanced when it is followed by Matsyasana. Specially good for Diabetes, Asthma patients and people threatened with other lung diseases.

Halasana (Plough Posture)

*Steps are the same as in Sarvangasana except the final position 4 where the legs are stretched further to tough the ground.
    
BENEFITS: The muscles of the back, the spinal joints and the lumbar nerves are fully stretched, thus promoting their health. Neck region receives plenty of blood supply and the nerves are toned up. Also contributes to the health of the thyroid glands. Spine becomes elastic.

Cakrasana (Wheel Posture)

*Sthiti: Lie supine on the ground with legs together and arms along with the body.

1. Take the hands back; place the palms on the ground and above the shoulders on either side of the head. The fingers face the shoulders. Bend the knees and fold the legs.

2. With palms and soles as 4 points of support, raise the trunk making an arch convex upwards to look like a wheel.
   *Return to Sthiti slowly.
   
   BENEFITS: Builds a flexible back. Stimulates the nerves of the spine; one of the powerful back-bending postures.
   

Sirsasana (Stand-on-Hand Posture)

*Sthiti: Place a fourfold blanket on the ground and sit on the knees.

1. Interlock the fingers, make a convenient angle (say 60 degrees) with your forearms, forming an equilateral triangle on the ground. Place the centre of the head (Vide note) on the blanket in between the fingers locks. Support the back of the head by the interlocked fingers.

2. Now raise the knees, keeping the toes on the ground. Bring the thighs near the chest and when it touches the chest, lift the toes off the ground slowly. Bring the trunk perpendicular to the flood, Fold the leg so that the feet touch the buttocks.

3. Raise the bent knees up, till the thigh come parallel to the ground.

4. Now straighten the legs, so that the body stands perpendicular to the ground. Maintain the posture for a minute in a very relaxed way; normal breathing.
   *Return to Sthiti through 5 to 8.

BENEFITS: Due to improved circulation to the brain the whole nervous system becomes healthy. Memory power gets improved. Endocrine glands such as the pituitary, and the thyroid get revitalized. Helpful in hernia. Seminar weakness can be cured. Improves concentration power remarkably.
  
Caution: Those having running ears, heart trouble, high blood pressure and weak eye capillaries should not practice Sirsasana.
  
Note: Some 'School of Yoga' are of the opinion that the front part of the head is preferable.

Savasana (Corpse Pose)

 
*Sthiti: Lie supine on the ground with hands and feet apart.

1. Slightly stretch the body and allow the whole body to relax completely.

2. By concentrating the mind on different parts of the body starting from the toes and the head, a feeling of relaxation is propagated. This auto-suggestion can be learnt or the teacher who gives the instruction. Gradually one learns to suggest oneself to relax part by part.

*As one gets the control, the art of relaxation will be natural and spontaneous. Then the whole body is relaxed to the extent one forgets the body and the mind experiences alterful rest.

BENEFITS: One of the most powerful tools in controlling large number of diseases caused by tension such as high B.P., Insomnia etc. It is very helpful for calming down the mind leading to meditation.

Pavana Muktasana:

A. Type 1
  
Sthit: Lie supine on the ground over the blanket, heels together, arms stretched above the head .

1. Raise the right leg keeping it straight to about 45 degrees from the ground. Keep the left leg firmly on the ground. Inhale partially.
2. Place the right led perpendicular to the founds; complete inhalation.
3. Bend the right leg and press the knees over the chest by holding the legs by interlocked fingers of the head. Exhale. Continue the movement keeping the knee straight and bring the leg perpendicular to the ground.

4. Take the chin above the knees. Rotate the left leg in an elliptical fashion 5 times in the clockwise direction and 5 times in the anti-clockwise direction. Normally breathing * Returns to Sthiti position through 5 to 8. * Repeat with the left leg.