The Sanskrit word anjaneya means salutation or praise from the root anj which means to honor, to celebrate, to anoint. The anjaneya-asana combines several postures and mudras (gestures) in a fluid, evolving flow that combines motion, stretching and holds. It delivers great benefits for the back, arms, chest, legs and hips. Regular practice will strengthen concentration and improve balance. Perform this posture with a sense of reverence and praise. Take a moment to reside in silence and peace as your hands are held at the heart in the gesture (mudra) of salutation (anjali-mudra). Keep the intention of praise in mind as you extend your arms skyward. Feel your entire body-mind-heart extending outward in recognition of the sacredness of life.
Anjaneyasana - Detailed Description
"As inumerable cups full of water, many reflections of the sun are seen, but the sun is the same; similarly individuals, like cups, are inumerable, but spirit, like the sun, is one." The Shiva-samhita I.35 II.42-43.
Steps:
- Sit comfortably in the vajra-asana (thunderbolt pose).
- Kneel up on your knees until your back, buttocks and thighs are aligned.
- Extend your left foot foward bending your left knee at about a 90 degree angle.
- Place the palms of your hands together at the heart in the anjali-mudra.
- Raise your arms stright up keeping the palms together while bending the head backward and looking up.
- Slowly bend backward stretching the arms backward and straightening out the right leg. Hold this position for as long as comfortable while breathing gently through the nostrils.
- Come back to the vajara-asana (thunderbolt pose) then reverse the posture by alternating legs.
Benefits:
- Anjaneyasana is a very good pose for legs. It strengthens the upper and lower thigh muscles.
- This yoga pose is also good for sciatica pain, as stretches and soothes the hamstrings and leg muscles.
- It opens hips and gives a nice stretch to back, neck and shoulders and as well to front. Abdominal organs get a lot of space.
- It open chest, give lungs room to expand and heart space to beat and pump blood through body.
- This pose is specially good and recommended for athletes and runners as it gives a beneficial stretch and stimulation to the lower body. The quadriceps muscles and hamstrings of runners often get sore and hard and become inflexible. In this sitution this pose is very good and provides positive stimulation, stretch and flexibility.
- As a heart-opening exercise, this pose is of course also beneficial for the heart chakra and stimulates the Anahat energy.
Tips and Help:
Repeat twice on each side.
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