In the traditional practice of Hatha Yoga, the postures and exercises are of utmost importance.
They are even named yoga techniques in pure form, because in order to perform these asanas correctly one needs a perfect mental concentration, relaxation, and a good control of the nervous system and musculature, which needs to function properly.
In the following, we will study a special exercise, which besides its own qualities also has all the qualities characteristic to the balance postural techniques.
THE LEFT SIDE EXECUTION
STARTING POSITION
Keep your trunk as straight as possible. Place your left heel under your perineum. This detail is very important: the heel has to be placed exactly under the perineum. If you should place the heel under the buttocks, this will result in an incorrect position of the pelvis, as well as of the spine, and the balance will be immediately lost.
THE FIRST STAGE
Stretch the right foot in front, placing the heel on the ground. You may touch the ground with the fingers, to support your weight.
THE SECOND STAGE
Raise the right heel and bend your leg and then place it on the opposite hip. At this time, the hands supporting the weight on the ground ensure the balance.
THE FINAL POSE
Take your hands from the ground and bring them together in front of your chest. Now the whole body is keeping on its balance solely on the left foot.
If you still find it very difficult to maintain the balance, you can perform the asana next to a wall.
THE RIGHT SIDE EXECUTION
Keep your trunk as straight as possible. Place your righ heel under your perineum. Stretch the left foot in front, placing the heel on the ground. You may touch the ground with the fingers, to support your weight. Raise the left heel and bend your leg and then place it on the opposite hip. At this time, the hands supporting the weight on the ground ensure the balance.
Look at a point on the ground, at approximately one meter in the front, and breathe calmly. Keep the posture for as long as possible. In the beginning the posture cannot be maintained for too long, because the balance is difficult to maintain, and the supporting leg will become tired quickly.
BREATHING
There are two ways of breathing in this posture:
You either breathe normally during the whole performance of the asana (this is obviously the simplest solution), or breathe freely until you get in the final posture and then hold your breath with the lungs filled with air (this method helps mental focus).
FOCUS
During this asana, try to relax all the muscles of the face, keeping a neutral and relaxed poise. There is sometimes the tendency to frown or to clench the jaw. Paying attention not to become tensed, you train yourself into a difficult discipline, that of relaxed attention, one of the fundamental states that in yoga are the premises of spiritual development.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
This posture has none.
EFFECTS
- This asana strengthens the musculature of the soles and stimulates the blood circulation in the whole body. The sole is the location of several acupuncture points and connected to numerous nervous centers and various organs.
- Along with the special state of inner balance, the mental concentration gradually increases and improves, and the overall state of vitality is exceptional. Even if apparently performing this asana is difficult, the result is not tiredness, but revitalization.
- We recommend practising this asana after a long day when the feet are tired and hurt. If you perform this asana before going to bed, it will help the awakening of out-of-body experiences into astral worlds, grants states of lucidity during sleep and allows the appearance of conscious dreams.
