English Name : Lying Thunderbolt Pose
Sanskrit Name : Supta Vajrasana
- Supta — Lying
- Vajra — Thunderbolt
- Asana — Pose
Step by Step Instruction :
1.Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose). Keep the back straight and flex the feet. Chin parallel to the floor and hands beside your hips.
2.Fold your right leg in, sit onto the right heel and followed by the left. Distribute your weight equally on both heels and feel that both sit bones are resting on the heels, thighs on the calf muscles. Keep the knees together or slightly apart, back straight and look forward. Gently place both palms onto the knees, Vajrasana (Thunderbolt pose).
3.To come into supta vajrasana, place both hands by your side, feel the sitting bones moving in towards the centre, lengthen the tailbone towards the pubic bone and slowly lower down the hand, followed by the forearms and the elbows onto the ground. Do not drop the head here yet, keep the chin tug in slightly. Hold on to your feet with your hands when you are able to place the elbows onto the floor.
4. Lower down the back torso more towards the ground if you can. Place the crown of the head on the floor first, followed by the back of the head and finally the shoulders. Continue to lengthen the tailbone towards the pubic bone and the pubis toward the navel and drawing the ribs slightly in and together. Try not to lift the knees off the ground here, keep them down on the mat.
5. Release the pose in the reverse order, tug in the head slightly and lift up the head from the ground first. Come up onto your elbows, then the forearms and with the support of the arms, sit up right. Shift the body to one side and release both legs forward.
Muscles Activated :
- Hip extensors (gluteus maximus and hamstrings)
- Psoas muscles
- Pectoral muscles (pectoris major and minor)
- Abdominal muscles (internal and external obliques)
- Latissimus dorsi muscle
Benefits
Physical : Stretches the shoulders, quadriceps (thighs), spleen, lower back, ankles, knees and abdomen. Works the arches and stretches the tops of the feet at the same time. Improves digestive system, enhances blood circulation in heart and head. Helps to boost the immune system through stimulation of the spleen.
Mental : This posture helps to release tension and irritation with the expansion on the chest area. As the front body is stretched there is also a surrender to vulnerability. Supta Virasana can also call up emotions and sensations that have been locked down by the rounding of the upper back and protective tension in the shoulders because of the extreme opening of the front body.
Spiritual : Activates the Visuddha, Anahata and Svadisthana chakras
Precautions & Contraindication: Should not practice in case of
- Very high blood pressure,
- slipped disc
- those who suffer from vertigo
- Pregnancy
- Bad back/tight sacroiliac joints
- Knee injuries or surgery
- Experiencing a sharp pain in the ankles
- Neck injuries or surgery
Counter Pose : Paschimottana (Seated forward bend) ; Sasangasana (Rabbit Pose)
Pei Gy (200hr Yoga TTC 07/14 weekend)
