World is embracing yoga in a big way. Although it is still associated with the ascetics, its usefulness is being rediscovered by everybody. Yoga can benefit us all and any one from the age of 7 to 70 can do it.
Why the World is adopting Yoga:
Yoga is a great need of our time. Yoga means the Union of individual consciousness with cosmic consciousness. Yoga is preventive rather than curative and in no way is limited to race, religion, sex, age, caste or creed. Its practice prevents illness and hence it should be regarded more as a health programme.
For a working woman, yoga is a great remedy to remove her tensions which definitely affects her health because she has to nurture the home, fulfill a demanding career, and take care of the family. Yoga help working women by giving her emotional strength so that she can easily manage all pressure, all roles they juggle: wife, sister, daughter, mother-in-law, etc.
Yoga for the Working Woman:
Yoga helps her to nurture her physical fitness as well as mental keenness so that she can give her best intellectual abilities according to situation. Yoga helps her to be out of nagging aches, low energy levels and inconsistent enthusiasm. Doing yoga is a kind of investment for body. Even it is proven that with Yoga, you can lose your weight while striking a balance between your body and mind.
1) SHAMBHAVI MUDRA:
Sit in any comfortable meditation pose and keep the head, shoulder and spine upright and straight. And place the hands on the knees in Jyana Mudra. Close the eyes and relax the whole body. Now look up word and in ward, focusing the eyes at the eyebrow centre. Hold the gaze as long as you are comfortable. Release if the slightest sensation or strain. Close the eyes and relax them. Try to do 5 minutes daily.
Benefits: This Mudra strengthen they eyes muscles and release accumulated tension in the area. It develops concentration, mental stability and the state of thoughtlessness. All ailments headache, sleeplessness, excessive sleep and eyes complications are cured.
Caution: People suffering from cataract surgery, glaucoma and eye operations, should not perform Shambhavi mudra. For advance Practitioners it is a powerful technique for awakening Agya Chakra.
2) VAJRASANA:
Vajra means “Adamant” or “thunderbolt” in Sanskrit. This asana makes the body as strong as the thunderbolt.
Method: Kneel down on the floor. Bring toes to join at back. Heals apart and big toes pointed towards each other. Lower the buttocks on to the inside surface of the feet with heal touching the side of the hips. Adjust hands on respective thighs, spine erect, hand and neck straight, close the eyes, and relax the arms and whole body.
Rhythm: Normal breathing.
Duration: Do it 5 to 10 minutes daily. This is the only Asana in yoga, which can be performed directly after meal.
Benefits: This Asana stimulates the Vajra Nada, activates prana in
sushamana nadi and redirects sexual energy to the brain for spiritual purposes. It increases the efficiency of the entire digestive system and stomach ailments. And it is preventative measure against Piles and hernia. Vajrasana increases the efficiency of the entire digestive system, relieving stomach ailments such as hyper acidity and peptic ulcer. It helps to strengthen the hips, thighs, knees, calves and toes. Vajrasana strengthens spine and tones up sexual organs of both male and female. This asana is Ram Baan for sleeplessness.
Caution: If there is pain in the thighs while performing asana then release the posture.
3) CHAKRASANA (wheel pose)
Lie down on your back with legs straight on the floor. Bend your legs at the knees and with the help of the hands, bring the heels as close to the hips as possible. Slowly raise the body and arch the back, allowing the crown on the head to support the weight of the upper body. Putting pressure on the palms, raise your body from the floor arching the back straight then the knees further by moving the trunk towards the head. Hold the final position for as long as is comfortable .Slowly lower the body so the head rests on the floor and then lower the rest of the body. This is one round repeat 3 times.
Benefits: This asana tones up the nervous, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular and glandular systems. This asana dislodged navel at its right position.
Caution: While lifting the body leave the neck loose or else there is fear of a sprain in the neck. People with any illness, during pregnancy and weak wrists should not practice this asana.
4) BRAHMARI PRANAYAMA:
Sit in Padmasana or sukh asana the spinal cord should be erect. The word Bhramari means bee. Because a sound is produced this imitates black bee. Keep your eyes gently closed. Now plugging your ears with thumbs, covering the eyes with the index and middle fingers the ring finger below the nostrils and the little fingers on the chin near the lips now breathe in through the nose.
Exhale slowly and in a controlled manner while making a deep study humming sound like that of the black bee. Try to prolong the exhalation and humming sound as much as possible. This is one round to practice 10 rounds in the beginning and then increase the practice according to the time.
Benefits: Brahmari pranayam are Ram ban for snoring. It relieves stress and cerebral tension, alleviating anger, anxiety and insomnia. And excellent for alleviating diseases of throat, neck, nose, ears, eyes and mouth.
5) SHAVASANA:
Lie down on your back with arms about 15cm away from the body. And you’re Palms facing upwards. Let the fingers of both hands curl up slightly. Close the eyes. The head and spine should be on a straight line. Relax the whole body and stop all the physical movements. Become aware of your natural breathing, now with every inhalation chant the word SO and with every exhalation think of the word HUM .Repeat the mantra for five to 10 minutes. Duration should be according to time available. Physically think first on relaxing the whole body then on the breath. And spiritually think about AJNA CHAKRA (Eye brow center gazing is called Ajna chakra).
Benefits: This asana relax the whole psycho -physiological system. It should be practiced before sleep. And also tries not to move body at all during practice of this asana, because slightest movement will create muscular contraction. This asana works as Ram Barn for High Blood pressure patients, Heart patients, depression and stress.
