Mayurasana: How to do it and its benefits
2 Aug 2022 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
“Mayurasana” the name comes from the Sanskrit words Mayura means peacock and asana means posture. It is a hand-balancing asana which is an advanced level associated with hatha yoga but is also part of other yoga types. It is one of the oldest non-seated asanas. The asana gives good stretch and strength to the muscles and upper limbs, back, and abdomen. It also helps in improving good posture and balancing skills. Though it looks simple and easy in photos and videos when someone is doing it, it may not be easy for complete beginners. Mayurasana should be the next challenge on your yoga list.
Preparations for this posture:
Get warmed up: Do not try this posture directly without some warm-up exercises. You must do enough exercises for your joints, especially the wrists. Your body should be activated before you try this. So, to activate and warm up your body you can start with a couple of Surya Namaskar series.
Do some easy asanas and postures: Perform some asanas that will activate your core strength, forearms, wrists, and all the upper body muscles. Also, increase your balancing stability. Here are some yoga asanas that can act as preparatory poses for Mayurasana.
- Cobra pose
- Table top pose
- High Plank, side plank variations
- Locust pose, superman pose
- Swan pose
How to do it:
You can perform Mayurasana on a Yoga mat, a carpeted floor, or a soft surface. Here is a step-by-step process for Mayurasana.
- Sit in the knees and heels spread wide apart. Lean your shoulders forward and place your hands on the ground in front of you. Make sure that your hands and elbows face inwards toward your heart
- As you press your palms into the floor, your torso will press against the back of your upper arms. Your head will come toward the mat.
- Unbend your knees and extend your legs behind you, toes facing the floor. Your hands and feet should bear the majority of your body weight.
- As you get ready to transfer the weight from your lower body to your upper body, engage the core.
- Squeeze your thighs together such that they form a single body part. Use your toes to shift the weight to your upper body.
- Lift up your feet individually. As you regain balance in your arms, lift your legs so that they are parallel to the ground.
- Raise your head and stare ahead. Hold the position for 15-20 seconds maintaining core, pelvis, and thigh strength.
- Exit the pose by lowering the feet to the ground and then knees to the ground. Take your hands off your wrists and lean back on your knees and heels to relieve the strain.
Benefits :
- Overall strength and balance
- Detoxification
- Improves the posture
- Helps reproductive system
- Improves overall health (physical and mental health)
- Improves and energizes organ functions
- Increases your concentration
- Improves sexual activity
During your yoga teacher training in Nepal from Himalayan Yoga Academy, you will learn various hatha yoga asanas which will totally make your body and mind strong. You will also learn this amazing pose step by step under the guidance of professional gurus. proper guidance will be given to all