The Cobra Pose (Sanskrit: Bhujangasana)
1. Lie down on your front (crocodile pose) with legs pointing back and the tops of the feet flat to the floor. Place arms back and parallel with the body.
2. Place hands palm down on the floor level with your shoulders.
3. Slowly push down with your arms and at the same time lift up your head and shoulders as well as your chest.
4. Arch the head backwards and slowly, allowing the spine to gently arch backwards.
5. Initially keep the naval area on the ground but as your competence improves the body can be arched further back lifting the lower tummy area off the ground.
6. Hold the pose for 5 breaths and then slowly return to the starting position while exhaling.
Benefits:
- Improves flexibility of the spine and back muscles
- Helps to relieve backache
- Can be therapeutic for spinal problems
- Massages abdominal muscles
- Relieves trapped gas in the stomach and upper intestinal area
- Helps to tone the ovaries and uterus
