Practise Dandasana
Dandasana
Seated Pose
Danda Asana means stick / staff pose.
In this asana, you have to keep your feet and back straight at a right angle to each other in a sitting position. This is the simplest Asana to do for all age groups.
Sit on the ground with your back straight and legs extended out in front of you. Sit on the mat and lengthen and straighten the spine. Flex your feet, press out the heels and point the toes towards you. Press the thighs down against the yoga mat and rotate them slightly toward each other.
Place your palms on the ground next to your hips, square out your shoulders yet let them be relaxed and not hunched, and expand the chest out. Sit slightly leaning forward on your sitting bones and widen them by taking hold of the flesh of each buttock and moving it out of the way.
Elongate the spine and the neck. Keep lifting from the crown of your head in an attempt to lift freely the spine towards the ceiling. If you your torso is leaning backwards, sit on a blanket or a bolster to lift the pelvis.
Press the palms firmly into the ground this will raise the hips very slightly but the spine is straight, the legs are straight, thighs engaged and knees are pressed into the ground. Broaden across the collarbones and lift the chest while rolling shoulders back and down. Draw your belly button in toward the spine.
Contraindications:
Injury to wrist or back.
Benefits:
- Increase the flexibility of the hips and pelvis
stretches the hamstrings and calves while at the same time improving spinal alignment. Especially for runners (who generally have tight hamstrings). - Strengthens back muscles
- Lengthens and stretches the spine
- Helps considerably with back pain as it creates space and expansion between vertebra and relief from the inflammation related pain
- Improves the posture
- Helps blood circulation to reproductive organs
- Stretches shoulders and chest
- Nourishes your body’s resistance to back and hip injuries
- Helps to calm the brain
- With regular and consistent practice, you will gain postural alignment and awareness which in turn brings to every area of your life a fine grace and balance.