MRITASANA – CORPSE POSTURE (SHAVASANA)

Mritasana, ‘Mrit’ – Corpse/dead body; Asana – Pose; Corpse Pose, or is an asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, often used for relaxation at the end of a session. It is the usual pose for the practice of yoga nidra meditation as well.

Mritasana, or shavasana, is the Sanskrit name for an important restorative asana. It is a key component of asana practice in almost every yoga tradition. It is most commonly used at the end of a sequence as a means of relaxation and integration.

This pose gets its name from the recumbent posture of a dead body. It is a position of rest, and is usually practiced towards the end of a yoga session. A session that typically begins with activity and ends in rest; a space or pause when deep healing can take place.

Mritasana in Core levels

Mritasana / Shavasana is believed to stimulate the muladhara (root) chakra, since the entire length of the body is connected with the earth. Energizing this chakra through shavasana is deeply grounding, and cultivates the inner stillness and stability necessary for personal growth.

While giving a class, the teacher can also chant a mantra and ask the students to focus on the sound and the vibrations it produces in the body. This is particularly helpful for beginner students who find it difficult to calm their minds.

Mritasana is particularly useful for a full body reset. If you are able to enter into 5 minutes of proper mritasana/savasana, you can remove the fatigue and stress from the body,  get back up energized ready to carry on.

How to do the Mritasana / Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

There are three phases while doing Mritasana:
1. Deha Dharana (Body Preparation / Relaxation Phase)
2. Prana Dharana (Breath & Energy Relaxation Phase)
3. Mano Dharana (Mind Relaxation Phase)

• Lie flat on your back in supine pose, preferably without any props or cushions. Use a small pillow below your neck if absolutely required. Keep feet apart, hands beside the body, upward facing. Keep the back, neck, and head in a straight line. Close your eyes.
• Keep your legs comfortably apart and let your feet and knees relax completely, toes facing to the sides.
• Taking your attention to different body parts one by one, slowly relax your entire body.
• Begin by bringing your awareness to the right foot, move on to the right knee (as you complete one leg, move your attention onto the other leg), and so on, and slowly move upwards to your head, relaxing each part of the body.
• Keep breathing slowly, gently, deeply, and allow your breath to relax you more and more. The incoming breath energizes the body while the outgoing breath brings relaxation.
• Drop all sense of hurry or urgency or any need to attend to anything else. Just be with the body and the breath. Surrender the whole body to the floor and let go. Make sure you don’t fall asleep!
• After some time, about 2 to 12 minutes, when you feel fully relaxed, keeping your eyes closed, slowly roll onto your right side. Lie in that position for a minute or so.
• Then, taking the support of your left hand, gently sit up into a seated pose such as Sukhasana (Easy Pose) or Sahajasana (Comfort Pose).
• Keep your eyes closed and take a few deep breaths in and out as you gradually become aware of your environment and your body. When you feel complete, slowly and gently open your eyes.

Although Savasana aims to give rest to the body and mind. It is, in fact, considered to be a somewhat active pose in which the practitioner should remain fully conscious and not fall asleep.

Various techniques during the Mritasana

1. Improving memory, focus and concentration
2. Providing deep relaxation
3. Rotation of consciousness around the body parts just like in Yoga nindra
4. Focusing on internal sounds of the body
5. Chanting a mantra in the mind with complete focus on the mantra
6. Fixing your gaze at the third eye or any other energetic point/chakra on the body

Benefits of the Corpse Pose – Savasana

1. This posture brings a deep, meditative state of rest, which may help in the repair of tissues and cells, and in releasing stress.
2. It also gives time for the yoga workout to sink in at a deeper level.
3. Increasing energy and productivity.
4. Savasana relieves physical and mental stress that builds during a workout.
5. Lowering blood pressure.
6. Relief from stress, headache, fatigue, and insomnia.
7. This posture leaves you in a state of rejuvenation.
8. It is the perfect way to end a yoga session, particularly if it has been a fast-paced one.
9. It helps reduce blood pressure, anxiety, and insomnia.
10. This is an excellent way to ground the body and reduce the Vata dosha (imbalance of the air element) in the body.

Note: 1 minute to 7 minutes practice is normally called Shavasana, and more than 10 minutes to more normally 90 minutes will be Yoga nidra Practice.

Veerasana, widely famous as Hero’s Pose, is derived from two Sanskrit words: Veera, meaning Hero, and Asana, meaning Posture. It is also known as balancing posture, and it helps to increase awareness and concentration. If you plan to sit still for more than a few minutes, as you would for a meditation session, give it a try. If you wanna practice this asana and become a yoga teacher, contact the yoga teacher training in Nepal.

Steps for Veerasana

1. First Sit on Vajrasana.
2. Then, raise the right knee upright, placing the right foot on the ground by the side of left knee.
3. The right elbow at the top of the right knee, rest the chin on the right hand’s palm, and place the left palm at the top of the left knee.
4. Keep the spine erect and the head fully straight. Gently close the eyes and relax the whole body.
5. Let the body remain fully relaxed and motionless. Hold this position for a minute or two.
6. Release the position and come back to Vajrasana to relax.
7. Repeat  the same practice from the opposite side by placing the left foot at the side of the right knee.

Benefits of Veerasana

1. Balances the mind and improves concentration.
2. Helpful in stabilizing the functioning of the entire nervous system.
3. Highly beneficial for the liver, kidneys, and every other abdominal organ.
4. Practicing the second variation of this asana improves the functioning of the reproductive organs.
5. Extremely beneficial for people having a disturbed mind because of the regular practice of this asana clears up the thought process and helps in getting rid of the habit of overthinking.

Precautions for Veerasana (Hero’s Pose)

• People having knee weakness or knee injury should not practice this asana.
• People having arthritis, spinal disorders, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, respiratory diseases, or any heart disease should not practice this asana.

Gomukhasana is a seated yoga posture that stretches several parts of the body simultaneously, including the ankles, hips, thighs, shoulders, underarms, triceps, and chest. The name comes from the Sanskrit, ‘Go ’ means “cow,” mukha means “face,” and asana, meaning “pose.” It gives good cross-stretch in chest muscles.

Gomukhasana is one of the classical yoga poses explained in Hatha Pradipika. The concept of static stretching in the practice of asanas in the Curriculum of Classical Hatha Yoga is helpful for the stabilization of the muscles without creating strong forces of resistance by the joints in the body because of the use of isometric contractions. 

The asana, whose name literally translates into Cow Face Pose, has helped a lot of people who are fighting a variety of conditions such as diabetes, back and shoulder issues, and sexual disorders. This is one of the best asanas to restore symmetry and postural health. It is wise to have this in your practical Yoga Training Session. The final position of the pose assumes the shape of the face of the cow, hence it is called as Cow face pose.

How To Do Gomukhasana

1. Sit in Samasthithi. Even though Gomukhasana is a beginner’s and easy yoga pose, it’s better to do it step by step. So, the steps of Gomukhasana are: Exhaling, bend the right knee and place it on the left knee so that the right sole touches the left hip, Inhale. Exhaling bend the left knee so that, left sole touches the right hip.
2. Inhaling raises the right arm and interlocks the fingers with the left hand from a backside.
3. Sit straight and keep your back straight, and legs forward.
4. Now bend your left leg gently and place it under your right hip.
5. Then gently bend your right leg and cross it over your left leg. Your knees should be placed close and on top of each other.
6. Keep your head and back straight while practicing it.
7. Now bend your left hand and slowly place it behind your back from downwards.
8. Then bend your right hand and also place it at your back from upwards (over your right shoulder).
9. Then stretch your right hand downwards until it reaches your left hand. This might not be easy for people who are not flexible, but you’ll learn to do it gradually.
10. Now hold this pose for 30 to 60 seconds.

Anatomy

Gomukhasana benefits the following muscles and hence can be included in yoga sequences with the corresponding muscle(s) focus: Arms and Shoulders, Middle Back, Upper Back, Biceps and Triceps, Hamstrings, Hips, Knees, Pelvic Quadriceps.

Benefits of Gomukhasana

1. Gomukhasana can relieve your anxiety and stress and make you a better, healthy person. The rhythmic breathing patterns that are associated with this asana can offer you great mental and emotional benefits.
2. Stretches your shoulders, thorax, ankles, triceps, and thighs.
3. Makes your back flexible.
4. Relaxes your body and mind.
5. Helps people with diabetes by enhancing your kidneys.
6. Reduces anxiety and stress if practiced regularly.
7. Helps in pressure relief. Performing Gomukhasana regularly can help the practitioner attain the perfect posture. This asana can stimulate the spine, chest muscles, and shoulders to improve the body’s natural posture.
8. Gomukhasana can prove to be extremely helpful in curing sexual ailments by stimulating blood flow and easing stiffness from lower parts of the body. It also helps in relieving stress.
9. Makes your shoulders loosen up, cures stiff shoulders. This asana induces a deep state of relaxation.
10. Brings the peace of mind and serenity, concentration.
11. Helps in relieving the stress and the tendencies of the anxiety.
12. Good for improving the strength and flexibility of the shoulder joints through the actions of deltoids and rotator cuffs. This helps in preventing the drooping and frozen shoulders.
13. Strengthens the spinal column and relieves back and neck pain.
14. Expansion of the chest enhances the lung capacity.
15. Stimulates the peristalsis and relieves the digestive disorders. Promotes the range of motion of the hips joints and the flexibility of the muscles in the pelvic girdle.
16. Promotes the health of the reproductive organs.
17. Brings good postural health.
18. The neck and the lower back are the prominent sites of the parasympathetic nervous system. This pose particularly brings the elasticity in these two regions, which helps bring the deep state of relaxation, and hence it is helpful in the reduction of blood pressure. It makes the preparation of the mind for the practice of meditation.

Contraindications and limitations

• It is not advised for people with chronic injuries of the knees and shoulder joints.
• Release your hands, and unfold and straighten your legs to come back to the starting position.

Preparatory poses for Gomukhasana

Try practicing these yoga poses before doing Gomukhasana to prepare your body for Gomukhasana.

• Virasana
• Baddha Konasana
• Supta Baddha Konasana
• Supta Virasana
• Upavistha Konasana
• Supta Padangusthasana
• Badha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
• Upvistha Konasana (Wide-angle seated forward bend)
• Supta Virasana (Reclining hero pose)
• Virasana (Hero Pose)
• Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined Big Toe Pose)
• Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose)

Gomukhasana Precautions

Please take care of these things before and while doing Gomukhasana.

1. Avoid practicing Gomukhasana if you’ve back injury.
2. You should always practice yoga on an empty stomach only.
3. If you’ve knee pain, neck pain, or shoulder pain, then don’t practice it.
4. If you can’t clasp your fingers then just stretch your hands at the back. With time, you’ll become flexible enough to practice Gomukhasana perfectly.
5. You should practice this yoga pose under the guidance of a yoga instructor.

So, guys, this was all you needed to know about Gomukhasana. It is very beneficial and a great yoga pose for everyone if practiced daily.

Here we present an insightful article on DISTANCE REIKI HEALING FOR COVID-19. Reiki is a universal healing system initiated with the existence. This healing system is now a world-renowned Japanese healing technique that promotes the body’s relaxation response and natural healing ability, and is accepted globally. Reiki practitioners use a technique called palm healing or hands-on healing through which a “universal energy” is said to be transferred through the palms of the practitioner to the patient to encourage emotional or physical healing, and also distance reiki healing through symbols, mantras, vibes, and aura energy to far away as well.

Reiki channels positive energy into a person, pet, place, relationship, or situation. It can be directed to the past, present, and future: surgery, test, meeting, interview, audition, court case, etc. Reiki doesn’t depend on belief and will work whether you believe in it or not. Many people have connected with us for their long withstanding health, financial, emotional issues, and have got immense relief.

A spiritual check-in might include releasing old energy, realigning with your purpose, or just taking a beat to be instead of do. If you need some spiritual support, many of our favorite intuitive and energy healers are currently offering distant sessions by phone. And there’s no need to worry that you’re getting a truncated version of their abilities; most good healers can connect without being with you in person and are used to working virtually with their clients. But always ask questions if you need more clarity.

An unseen power in the universe is working for universal existence. As the appearance or creation of the world, something energetic is working around us. Each creature or being is directly or indirectly, this way or that way, less or more connected to universal power.  The application of this supreme power or universal power was considered as spiritual saadhanaa (Practice) in ancient times, latterly was also used for spiritual healing and Pranic Healing. They used this power to save righteousness and to destroy the devils or unrighteousness. It was also used for blessing and empowering devotees.

Reiki system: Second level for Distance Healing

Second Degree: This Distance Reiki Healing technique includes practicing telepathy, third eye activation, hypnosis, and advanced mind technologies. It also involves working with lights, colors, visions, and auras, as well as chanting mantras, using psychic symbols, and engaging with Vajra-van. All physical, mental, and emotional forces are actively harnessed and developed throughout the practice.

Healing Health & Spiritual Benefits of Distance Reiki Healing      

1. Increase energy flow throughout the body, enhancing personal health and aliveness
2. Promote one’s ability to be present in the moment
3. Strengthen energetic, psychic, and intuitive awareness while facilitating spiritual growth
4. Handle stress better
5. Improve relationships
6. Heal faster, relieve side effects
7. Build a deeper understanding of communication and connection by means of touch
8. Facilitate energetic healing on a physical, emotional, psychological, and karmic level
9. Receive powerful, healing Reiki energy continuously, 24 hours/day
10. Feel better physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, energetically
11. Weight loss, Build Confidence, Improve relaxation, and Sleep Quality
12. Aids in coping with grief, trauma
13. Assist with peaceful passing for someone dying
14. Feelings of peace, security, well-being
15. Increase clarity, purpose, joy, health, happiness, abundance
16. Relieves pain and discomfort
17. Reduces Stress and anxiety and Overcome depression/emotional healing
18. Strengthens the immune system and Balances energy and chakras
19. Relationship healing and financial healing

Nothing needs to be “wrong” for you to receive Reiki. It can help you feel good and stay well when you’re already fit and healthy.

You may make the session your own, consult Swami Yog Subodh, an advanced Source Point Therapy practitioner. It is an approach to healing that uses a body-scanning technique to release energetic blockages found in our field. Swami does energy work using her blueprint for human health. He works on releasing blocks in your system to restore order and balance, and helps you create more space for yourself. Be as interactive as you want—ask questions, or let you sit back and enjoy the experience. (You can even take a nap, if that’s what your body craves.) At this time, Guru’s sessions are pro bono for anyone working on the front lines and for people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

During this pandemic, COVID-19 has affected everyone, forcing people into lockdown at home. As a result, they feel mentally weak and fearful of the situation. They lose their immunity moment by moment and struggle to find effective solutions or ways to get relief. In these difficult times, people actively seek emotional, mental, spiritual, and even physical support to overcome this global crisis.

Send full name of person who’ll receive Reiki. I’ll send Reiki as general, overall healing to any/all areas requiring healing; OR to a specific issue or area of concern, if you request.

Day time, evening and weekend sessions available

NOTE: Your order delivery will be when the Reiki starts, not when it ends.

Here is a useful blog on Psychological and Yogic Counseling for COVID-19 Infected Ones. Corona viruses are a large family of respiratory viruses, appears as seasonal flu, known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe illnesses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and also Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) mostly suffer to those who have poor immunity, poor mentality, poor activity, and chronic illness one.

What is COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented health crisis on a global scale. Since early 2020, it has put tremendous strain on healthcare systems, disrupted economies, and halted large parts of social life in many countries around the world. In a race against the fast spreading virus and rapidly increasing patient numbers seems like swine flu.

Symptoms of the Coronavirus

The common human coronavirus causes symptoms similar to the common cold. Coronavirus symptoms (very common flu-like) are:

• Coughing/Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Headache, sometimes vomiting, sensation of tastelessness
• A general feeling of being unwell and tiredness
• High temperature, body ache
• Breathing difficulties, heaviness

Human coronaviruses can sometimes cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. This is more common in people with cardiopulmonary disease, people with weakened immune systems, infants, and older adults. Symptoms usually appear between 2 and 10 days after contracting the virus.

COVID-19: Transmission Mode

Human coronavirus is most commonly spread from an infected person to others through:

• The air is spread by coughing and sneezing
• Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
• Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands
• Rarely, fecal contamination

Most people will get infected with one or more of the common human coronaviruses in their lifetime. It is a kind of seasonal flu, but sometimes it will be dangerous to the people who have no natural immunity, i.e. immune. Young children are most likely to get infected. However, people can have multiple infections in their lifetime.

COVID-19 Protective Measures

There are currently no vaccines available to help protect against human corona virus infection. But remember everybody has most powerful vaccine within the body that is the natural immune.

Measures to Apply

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and also wash your face, including your ears.
2. Cough or sneeze into your bent elbow, not your hands.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
4. Limit social gatherings and time spent in crowded places.
5. Avoid close contact with someone who is sick.
6. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
7. If you have cold-like symptoms, you should stay home while you are sick.
8. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. Reduce your Mask wearing duration if possible, don’t use in house and when you walking in nature, while playing, or doing exercises.
9. Be especially careful in busy public transport systems about touching things and then touching your face.
10. Do not share snacks from packets or bowls that others are dipping their fingers into.
11. Avoid shaking hands or cheek kissing.
12. Regularly clean commonly used surfaces/devices you use (cell phone/keyboard).
13. Do regular exercises, especially Yogic means and kriyas. Once break, sweat if possible, 12 minutes to 48 minutes walk. If possible 12 minutes ladder or steps up-down like in hills.
14. Do Yogasana, Pranayama and Dhyana.

Recovery time for the coronavirus disease

Using available preliminary data, the median time from onset to clinical recovery for mild cases is approximately 1- 2 weeks. However, it depends on their immunity, activity, and food rules, and it is 3-6 weeks for patients with severe or critical disease.

Does heat kill the coronavirus?

Heat at 56°C kills the SARS corona virus at around 10000 units per 15 min (quick reduction).

Does drinking lots of water help flush out COVID-19?

No evidence that drinking lots of water flushes out the new coronavirus, or that Stomach acid kills the virus. However, for good health in general, it is recommended that people should have adequate water every day for good health and to prevent dehydration.

How to keep healthy while in isolation or quarantine (COVID-19)?

Whether you are in quarantine or self-isolation due to COVID-19, you will inevitably be spending more time at home. Following general healthy living advice, such as eating a balanced diet, staying hydrated, being physically active, getting enough sleep, and managing stress, is the best recommendation for staying healthy during quarantine or self-isolation. If you are interested in food-related issues with COVID-19, read Food and coronavirus (COVID-19):

What you should know

1. Eat a balanced diet and a varied diet – a healthy diet and healthy eating
2. Establish a routine and practice mindful eating
3. Stay hydrated
4. Practice safe food hygiene and a balanced diet
5. Stay active and safe at home – Ideas for physical activity during self-isolation
6. Get information from trustworthy sources

Good nutrition is crucial for health, particularly in times when the immune system might need to fight back. Limited access to fresh foods may compromise opportunities to continue eating a healthy and varied diet. It can also potentially lead to an increased consumption of highly processed foods, which tend to be high in fats, sugars and salt. Nonetheless, even with few and limited ingredients, one can continue eating a diet that supports good health.

Prepare home-cooked meals

During regular daily life, many individuals often do not have the time to prepare home-cooked meals. Spending longer periods of time at home may now offer the possibility to make those recipes you previously did not have time to make. Many healthy and delicious recipes can be found online. Take advantage of the wealth of freely available information, and experiment with the ingredients you can access, but remember to keep in mind the principles for healthy eating offered in this guidance. Some examples of healthy recipes with accessible ingredients may also be found below.

Treatment and Healing of COVID-19

There are no specific treatments for illnesses caused by the human coronavirus. Most people with common coronavirus will recover on their own. However, medical protocol says you can:

1. Take pain and fever medications. (Caution: do not give Aspirin to children)
2. Use a room humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough.
3. Drink warm water on every half an hour. Gargle few times in morning, day time when coming back from outsides and before beds.
4. Do Jala Neti (Nasal Cleansing ) with salty warm water and then Kapalbhati Kriya under guidance.
5. Do Vaman Dhauti twice a week under guidance.
6. Perform specific Yogasanas and Breathing Kriyas, and Pranayama as well, under guidance.
7. If you are mildly sick, you should drink plenty of liquids, Soups.
8. Natural and satvik foods, herbal tea like Tulsi, lemon grass, and lemon water.
9. Eat natural spices like white pepper, Turmeric powder, cinnamon, garlic, chilly,
10. Take Ayurvedic Medications under the guidance.
11. Reiki Healing, Guided relaxation practice, and meditation.
12. Take sauna and steam alone.
13. Get enough quality sleep and rest.
14. Stay home and rest.

Please Consult our Guru for counseling and practice and take an online appointment few days to few weeks.

Also you may appoint for Pranayama session (4 sessions-6 hours) and Meditation session (6 sessions – 9 hours)

In Sanskrit, ‘Bhadra’ means ‘auspicious’ and ‘asana’ means ‘pose’; thus, Bhadrasana means the destroyer of diseases. It also says that the yogi can get rid of fatigue by sitting in this asana. It is an excellent meditative pose. This pose helps to activate the mooladhara chakra. This pose is also described by Sage Gheranda. This is a physical culture asana – a sitting posture that especially improves the lumbar region strength. It also helps in opening out the hip flexors and stretching the muscles in your thighs/hamstrings.

Method of Bhadrasana

1. Sit on the ground with legs stretched.
2. Fold both the legs and convey them on the brink of one another. Feet must touch one another .
3. Use the hands to carry the toes of the feet. Pull the legs towards the groin. The legs should rest on the bottom, touching the ground. This may require an honest amount of flexibility at the beginning.
4. Keep the spine straight and relax the shoulders.
5. Maintain this final pose for as long as comfortable. The breathing is often slow and rhythmic.

Breathing: The breath should be slow and rhythmic, with awareness of the breath at the nose tip.

Awareness: For physical practice, awareness of the natural breath at the nose tip. For spiritual benefits, awareness of mooladhara chakra is practiced.

Bhadrasana Benefits

1. Knees, Ankles, hip joints become flexible, helps in preventing arthritis and Sciatica.
2. Cures general problems like white discharge in women and also helps the problem of discharge in men.
3. It helps in calming the brain and reducing mental excitement.
4. On the pranic level, the practice of bhadrasana controls and balances the flow.
5. Helps to soothe menstrual discomfort.
6. It brings to normal the internal activity of the ovaries.
7. It may be included in the training programme of pregnant women, preparing them for a painless delivery.
8. This pose stimulates and facilitates digestion, also increasing appetite to a healthy level.

Bhadrasana Contraindications

1. People suffering from sciatica should not practice this pose.

Here is A view on Nepal as a Perfect Yoga Destination. Nepal, the land of the Himalayas, is the original birthplace of yoga, and also many Eastern philosophers and deep wisdom. For a long time, thousands of yogis and Rishis (sages) have meditated and practiced yoga in this beautiful country for their attainment of samadhi. Nepal is considered a yoga destination because Nepal comprises mountains filled with lush green forest and many more natural gifts that make it a country with a positive and joyful aura. Several Western people come to Nepal to get their yogic training, as Nepal is known as a yoga destination.

Nepal is the land of an exquisite combination of Hindu and Buddhist philosophies, yoga, and meditation, and offers a mix of those practices. A mountainous country filled with lakes, forests, jungles, caves, rivers, waterfalls, and other natural wonders that are suitable for yoga and meditation. A culture and history of yogic meditation has been established here by thousands of Yoga Rishis that reflected nature with their asanas, since time out of mind.

Nepal is one among the few countries within the world, which supply 1, 2 & 3 month visas upon arrival! Thus offering a non stress long stay opportunity to actually deepen your practice and learning.

Nepal as a perfect yoga destination Reasons

1. Vyas Rishi was born and meditated within the caves of the Himalayas who further developed Eastern philosophy by writing The Puranas, and achieved the very best level of wisdom.
   
2. The yogic disciplines of Hatha, Mantra, Tantra, Shiva, and more are said to be the outcomes of conversations held within the lap of the Himalayas between Lord Shiva (the true ‘Transformer’) and Parvati, the Hindu Goddess of fertility, love, and devotion.
   
3. Lumbini in Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, who preached of world peace through his meditation and dissemination of wisdom.
   
4. Nepal was the middle of meditation for Pāṇini, the best Grammatical scholar of the Sanskrit language (Dev Vasha), which is that the oldest known language on Earth.
   
5. King Janak, who achieved salvation before death and was referred to as the King of Sages, practiced meditation and spiritual politics in Nepal.
   
6. Guru Gorakhnath, an excellent Vaishnavik practitioner/preacher and therefore the modern exponent of Hatha, Tantra, Mantra traditions, was born and lived in Nepal. His followers are called yogis.
   
7. Nepal is the country with thousands temples, which represents the country with most spiritual auras, this particular reason makes it place for a perfect location for meditation practices.

Maha is a Sanskrit word meaning “great.” As such, this final bandha may also be called the “supreme bandha” or Tribandha (“triple lock).” Maha bandha is a kriya in Hatha Yoga, providing the health benefits of all three previous bandhas. Jalandhara Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha, and Mula Bandha are applied together to formulate Maha Bandha. Since it combines all three locks, it is recognized as ‘the great lock’.

Importance of Maha Bandha

Maha Bandha demands a great deal of physical strength, as it involves an advanced practice. You must master (or at least become sufficiently good at) all three bandhas separately before you commence the ‘great lock.’Practicing Maha Bandha awakens Kundalini Shakti, a form of primal energy.

In bandhas, we actually contract some specific body muscles. This is done by holding the breath for a while, to bind prana energy within us. There are three major Bandhas, Jalandhara, Uddiyana and Mula Bandha, that lock the energy in the throat, abdomen, and pelvis.

When we combine the three major bandhas, we form Maha bandha to get the maximum benefits of these three bandhas. Ones these all practices are mastered, we perform all these practices together in Maha Bandha as the last step of Bandhas.

Maha Bandha Technique

Sit in a meditative posture to begin your practice. Padmasana or Siddhasana is the ideal posture for practicing any of the three bandhas. But one must be completely comfortable in either of them. Sukhasana is a good pose for such people for whom Padmasana or Siddhasana is uncomfortable.

Sit straight keeping the spine erect. Put both of your palms on your knees. Relax the whole body and be aware of your breaths.

Now take slow and deep breaths. After an inhalation, exhale forcefully, moving all the breath out completely. Hold your breath outside.

Apply Jalandhara, Uddiyana and Mula bandha one after the another in the same order as mentioned. There must be no pause in between, the bandhas must be applied back to back.

Retain the breath or locks for as long as it feels comfortable. Do not strain. Even 3 seconds are sufficient for a beginner.

To release the three locks, start with Mula Bandha, then Uddiyana Bandha and in the end Jalandhara Bandha.

Take a slow inhalation after bringing the head into an upright position. One round completes here.

Relax the whole body taking easy breaths. Let the eyes remain closed. Once the breath comes back to its normal rhythm, you are ready to practice again.

Practice 2 times initially. As you begin to feel more efficient in your practice, gradually add one more round till you reach 5 rounds. 

Benefits of Bandhas

1. Maintains cardiovascular health.
2. Activates all the organs of the area, where Bandha is applied.
3. Gives relief from a variety of headaches, mood disorders, and sleep disorders.
4. Strengthens the immune system and metabolism and Stimulates all glands of the endocrine system
5. Helps in better digestion, respiration, and extraction of waste from the body.
6. Makes us more concentrated and alert and Calms the brain and strengthens our emotions
7. Helps in Kundalini awakening by stimulating Mooladhara (root), Manipura (heart), and Vishuddhi (throat) Chakra.
8. Strengthens the autonomic nervous system 2 and parasympathetic nervous system 3.
9. It helps to purify the body and mind.

Sequence of Bandha

When we talk about the bandha, one thing where we stuck commonly is the sequence of bandha. In other words, which bandha should we practice first?

Maha bandha is practiced by performing the first three bandhas simultaneously, beginning with jalandhara bandha, uddiyana bandha, and ending with mula bandha. These bandhas are released in the reverse order, with mula bandha first, Uddiyana bandha, and jalandhara bandha last.

Contradictions

1. You must not practice Maha Bandha if you suffer from any of these conditions: heart disorder, high or low blood pressure, hernia, stroke, intestinal or stomach ulcer, in case you are recovering from a visceral ailment.
2. Maha Bandha must be avoided by pregnant women as well as during menstruation.

Vrishasana is the sitting follow asana. ‘Vrusha’ means a bull. An aspirant performs this asana resembles the image of manliness. He is believed to be a ‘man-bull’ and so this asana is called vrushasana. Physical flaccidity in a young body is a sign of old age. It indicates physical weakness. This asana helps to preserve youth.

Bull Pose is like one form of the foundation position of Gomukhasana, but not the Gomukhasana. It seems like the Dhyana-Virasana (Horse-meditation Pose). But this is a bit different in the leg and hand positions.  I noticed that many people are confused about Vrishasana (Bull Pose) and Vrikshasana (Tree Pose).

“Yaamyagulphe paadamoole vaamabhaage padetaram;
Vipareetam sprished bhoomim-vrishasana-midam bhavet”-Ghe. Sa. 38;
याम्यगुल्फे पादमूले वामभागे पदेतर।  विपरीतम स्प्रिशेद भूमिम-वृषासन-मिदम भवेत।।  घे.स. । ३८। –

Place the anus on the right foot. The upturned left foot touches the ground on the right side with the left heel to the left side of the anus. The top of the feet should remain on the floor. This is called Vrishasana.

Procedure for Bull Pose

• Sit with the legs stretched out in front of the body.
• Bend the right leg at the knee and place the right heel under the anus and sit on right foot.
• Place the left knee on the right knee in such a way that the left heel touches the right thigh or left foot close to buttock.
• Sit erect and place the palm of the right hand on the knee.
• Then place the palm of the left hand on it. And the weight of the body can be adjusted on top of the right foot.
• Breathe in the normal way.
• Direct your sight and attention to the navel.

Precautions

This asana requires extremely flexible ankles and feet and is not suitable for the generation practitioners.

Advantages of Vrishasana (Bull Pose)

1. Mooladhaara chakra is automatically stimulated and increasing the energy levels.
2. It awakens Kundalini Shakti, which enters the mouth of the Sushumna.
3. Stimulates blood circulation, making the body energetic and the mind peaceful.
4. It makes the respiratory system function in a proper order.
5. It cures diseases such as waste of semen, gas-trouble, nocturnal discharges, indigestion, lumbago, insomnia, cardiac trouble, asthma and dysentery.
6. Strengthens all the muscles of the body.
7. Vrishasana provides a nice opening in the groin.