Pawanmuktasana - Part III

Concept:

The third series of Pawanamuktasana helps in maintaining the equilibrium of

unbalanced energy in the body. These asanas sustain the energy flows and break down

neuro-muscular knots. They eliminate the stiffness of the shoulder muscles and the

spinal cord by removing the energy blockages. Further they charge the lungs and heart

and revitalize the endocrine functions. Those persons who have trouble with their

genital organs or those who suffer with problems like early ejaculation or weakness are

also benefited. For females these asanas are particularly helpful in regulating their

menstruation. Even pregnant women can resume the practice just after two months of

delivery that helps toning up their flaccid muscles around girdle zone after childbirth.

Thus we can easily surmise that people who are conscious of maintaining their youthful

energy should work vigorously upon these asanas.

Pawanmuktasana - Part III

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Rope Pulling (Rajju Karshanasana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary position - Sit on yoga mat or floor and keep your legs
stretched together.
 Maintain your toes ceiling ward and the heel on the floor.
 Place both hands on the floor alongside the waist.
 Keep your spinal cord and the neck straight.
 Breathe easy and keep your eyes closed.
 Remain conscious towards your body balance.
 Now contemplate about pulling a hanging rope with alternate hands.
 Open your eyes with ease.
 Clench the fingers to form a fist.
 Inhale and reach up with the right hand as if to grasp the rope at a higher end.
 Do not allow the elbows to bend.
 Look upwards.
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

 Exhale deep and act as if pulling the rope downwards.

 Follow the downward movement with the eyes.
 Repeat this with the left hand and complete the cycle.
 Practice this with both the hands ten times.
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Breathing Pattern:

 Inhale when you raise the arm.

 Exhale when you lower the arm.

Consciousness:

 On the breath and the movement of hands upward and downward.

 On the shoulder muscles and the back.

Benefits:

 Works up the arms muscles taut and strong.

 Firms up the breast among women and develops chest muscles for men.
 Loosens the shoulder joints and stretches the upper back muscles.
 Also beneficial for long hour computer operator.

Pawanmuktasana - Part III

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Mill Churning (Chakki Chalasana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary position - Sit down with legs stretched apart.
 Keep the neck and the spinal cord straight.
 Close the eyes.
 Place the hands on the thighs.
 Remain conscious towards the body balance.
 Breathe slow and rhythmic.
 Just contemplate about churning a village flourmill.
 Now open the eyes.
 Interlock the fingers of both hands and hold them in straight to your shoulder height.
 Maintain the hand straight and erect.
 Now inhale deep and bend the torso backward.
 Exhale while bending the body forward.
 Move the interlocked hands towards the right to touch the right toe.
 Swing the torso and bring the arms and hands to the left side.
 Touch the left toe while swiveling the torso to the left.
 Then lean back as far as possible on the backward swing.
 Now slowly come back to the center position.
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

 This signifies that you are forming a circle with your hand.
 This is the first cycle of exercise.
 Repeat this ten times clockwise and then anticlockwise.
 Maintain the hands straight and interlocked during the entire exercise.
 Recline in Shavasana pose for a while when the exercise gets over.
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Breathing Pattern:

 Inhale when you lean back.

 Exhale when you move forward.

Consciousness:

 On the breath.
 The body balance.
 Hips.
 Pelvic area.

Benefits:

 Tones up the nerves and pelvic organs.

 Regulates the menstrual cycle.
 Improves the postnatal recuperation.

Contraindications:

 High blood pressure.

 Hernia.
 Post 2nd trimester pregnancy.
 Abdominal surgery

Pawanmuktasana - Part III

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Wood Chopping (Kashtha Takshanasana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary position - Squat holding legs somewhat apart.

 Keep the spinal cord and the neck straight
 Maintain some distance between the knees.
 Interlock the fingers of both hands and straighten your elbows.
 Holding both the hands between the knees place the fist on the floor.
 Do not allow the elbows to bend during the entire exercise.
 This is the initial position.
 Just contemplate about axing a tree.
 Inhale deep and stretch your hands above the head.
 Fix the eyes on the raised and interlocked hands.
 Exhale with 'haa' sound to expel all the air from lungs.
 Simultaneously bring back both the hands quick on the floor as if to chop a tree.
 This is the first cycle.
 Repeat this for fifteen times.
 Recline in Sukhasna pose when the exercise gets over.
 One may perform this in Vajrasana or standing pose if squatting down is
uncomfortable.
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

Breathing Pattern:

 Inhale when you raise the arms.

 Exhale when you bring the arms down.
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Consciousness:

 On the breath.
 Hands movement.
 Shoulder stretch.
 Upper back muscles.

Benefits:

 Firms up the breast among women and develops chest muscles for men.
 Relax the pelvic girdle and tones up the pelvic muscles.
 Pretty useful for shoulder blade muscles, shoulder joints and upper back muscles..
 Quite beneficial for women in the 1st trimester of pregnancy.
 Valuable for an asthmatic patient provided 'haa' sound, one keeps mouth shut and
exhales out from the nose.
 Psychologically quite useful exercise for a depressed person.

Contraindications:

 High blood pressure.

 Epilepsy.

Pawanmuktasana - Part III

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Wind Releasing Pose (Vayunishkasana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary pose - Squat down with the legs wide apart.
 Press the knees slowly with your arms.
 Keep the elbows slightly bent.
 Now place both the elbows below the foot.
 Keep the four fingers under the soles with the thumbs above.
 Keep your eyes open during the entire exercise.
 This is the initial position of exercise.
 Breathe easy and bend your neck forward.
 Hold your breath for a while.
 Slowly raise your buttocks and straighten your knees.
 Allow the neck to remain downward.
 If possible try to touch both the knees with your nose.
 Hold out the position for 3 seconds, accentuating the spinal bend.
 However do not strain.
 Exhale out and get back in the initial position.
 This is the final moment and first cycle of exercise.
 Initially repeat this for 8-10 times.
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

Breathing Pattern:

 Inhale when you squat and retain.

 Exhale when you raise the buttocks and retain.
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Consciousness:

 On the breath.
 Movement.
 Neck stretch in the starting position.
 Spinal bend in the standing position.
 Synchronization of body movement with the breathing.

Benefits:

 Provides flexibility in the thigh muscles and spinal cord.

 Prepares the body for higher stages asanas.
 Eradicates the spinal stiffness developed due to the wrong sitting posture.
 Balances the pressure between all the vertebrae and joints.
 Stretches and tones up all the spinal nerves and dural sheaths.
 Relieves flatulence.

Contraindications:

 High blood pressure.

 Waist related pain.
 Sciatica.
 Cervical spondylitis.
 Hernia.
 Post 2nd trimester pregnancy.
 Menstruation.

Pawanmuktasana - Part III

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Abdominal Stretch (Udarakarshanasana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary position - Squat down holding the legs apart.
 Maintain the body balance on the soles of legs.
 Place the palms on the knees.
 This is the initial position of the exercise.
 Remain conscious towards the body balance.
 Inhale deep and then exhale out.
 Place the right knee on the floor near the left toe.
 This is possible that the right heel may get raised.
 Turn the right knee right ward and the left knee towards the left.
 Maintain the palm pressure on the left knee.
 Attempt to squeeze the lower abdomen with the combined pressure of both thighs.
 Now look over the left shoulder.
 Hold the breath for 3 to 5 seconds in this final position.
 Inhale and get back in the initial position.
 Repeat this exercise from the other side and complete the cycle.
 Practice at least ten times.
 When the right knee touches the floor then keep the hind paw loose so that most of
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

the thigh area touches the floor.

 Practiced also during Shankha Prakshalana, in which breathing is reversed to
increase the pressure of the thigh against the abdomen.
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Breathing Pattern:

 Body balance.
 Synchronization of the body movement with the breathing.
 Alternate stretch and compression of the lower abdomen.

Consciousness:

 Body balance.
 Smoothness of the movement.
 Heart beat and breathe when reclining in Shavasana pose.
 Effects of the asana on the lower back, hips, knees and the ankles.

Benefits:

 Cures abdominal ailments.

 Relieves the constipation.

Contraindications:

 Surgery.
 Hernia.
 Post 2nd trimester pregnancy.
 Menstruation.

Pawanmuktasana - Part III

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Dynamic Spinal Twist (Gatyatmaka Meru Vakrasana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary position - Sit down with outstretched legs.

 Stretch your legs apart as much as possible.
 Keep your shoulder and neck straight.
 Keep your eyes open during entire exercise.
 Place both hands on the floor or the mat alongside the waist.
 This is the initial position of exercise.
 Remain conscious towards the body balance and the breath.
 Do not allow the body to kneel forward during the exercise.
 Inhale deep and stretch the arms sideways to the shoulder level.
 Exhale slowly and twist the body.
 Try to touch the left toe with the right hand, without bending the knee.
 Simultaneously move the left hand towards back.
 Turning the neck left wards cast an eye towards the outstretched hand.
 If possible pause for a while.
 Inhale slowly and move the torso back at the initial position.
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

 Do the same with left hand also.

 This is the first cycle.
 Repeat this twenty times with both hands at comparatively fast pace.
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Breathing Pattern:

 To apply pressure on the abdomen, inhale while twisting and exhale while returning
to the initial position.
 To apply maximum flexion to the spine, exhale while twisting and inhale while
returning to the initial position.

Consciousness:

 On the breathing.
 The twisting movement.
 On the body balance.
 On the spinal cord.
 And the creeping sensation of the waist back.

Benefits:

 Loosens up the vertebrae and eradicates the stiffness of the back.

 Gets rid of every spinal cord related problems.
 Shapes up the shoulder.
 Removes the unnecessary fat around the girdle.

Contraindications:

 Post 2nd trimester pregnancy.

 Sciatica.
 Slip disc.
 Spinal cord problem.

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Boat Rowing (Nauka Sanchalana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary position - Sit down with the legs stretched together.
 Keep the neck and the spinal chrd straight.
 Place both the palms on the thighs.
 Close the eyes and relax.
 Breathe slow and rhythmic.
 Just contemplate rowing all alone a boat.
 Inhale deep and open your eyes.
 Stretch the hands parallel to the shoulder and form a clenched fist.
 Bend the elbows place them alongside the breast as if holding down an oar.
 Exhale and move the torso forward to the possible extent.
 Allow the forehead to touch the knee and the hands to the sole of legs.
 Do not allow the knee to get raised when you move forward.
 Inhale and lean back to the possible extent.
 Withdraw the hands back to the shoulders.
 This is the first cycle.
 Make out a complete circle with the hands moving up the leg sides and the torso.
 Keep the legs straight thorough out the exercise.
 Practice this for 5 to 10 rounds
 Reverse the rowing direction and practice again for 5 to 10 rounds.
 Recline in Shavasana pose when the exercise gets over.
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

Breathing Pattern:

 Inhale when you lean back.

 Exhale when you move forward.
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Consciousness:

 On the breath.
 Body balance.
 Buttocks.
 Pelvic area.

Benefits:

 Positive impact on the pelvis and abdominal area.

 Alleviates the constipation with abdominal massage.
 Beneficial for gynecological disorders.
 Shoulder, arms and buttocks gets attractive and taut look.

Contraindications:

 High Blood Pressure.

 Spinal cord problem.
 Post 2nd trimester pregnancy.
 Menstruation.

Pawanmuktasana - Part III

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Salutation (Namaskarasana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary position - Squat down with the legs and knees wide apart.
 Place the elbows against the inside of the knees.
 Maintain the body balance.
 Keep the spinal cord and the neck straight.
 Now place both the hands to the chest in salutation pose.
 Breathe easy and natural.
 Inhale and move the head backwards.
 At the same time press the knees apart with the elbows as wide as possible.
 This is the initial position.
 Hold the position while retaining the breath.
 Exhale out.
 Lessen the pressure on the elbow joints.
 Straighten the neck.
 Apply pressure on the elbows and straighten the hand
 Push in with the knees pressing the arms inward.
 Move the neck forward and allow the chin to touch the collarbone.
 Exhale out and pause for a while.
 This is the first cycle of exercise.
 Repeat this for ten times.
 Recline in the Sukhasana pose when the exercise gets over.
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

Breathing Pattern:

 Inhale when you bring the palms together in front of the chest.
 Exhale when you extend the arms forward and retain.
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Consciousness:

 On the breath.
 Movement.
 Back of the neck stretch.
 Chest in the initial position.
 Shoulder muscles in the forward position.

Benefits:

 Profound effect on the nerves and thigh muscles.

 Proper massage of the shoulder, arms and neck muscles.
 Enhances the flexibility of hips.
 Quite useful for normal delivery if done under a qualified Yoga instructor.

Contraindications:

 High blood pressure.

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Crow Walking (Kaua Chalasana)

Routine:

 Get in the primary position - Squat down with the legs held apart and the buttocks
above the heels.
 Remain conscious towards the body balance.
 Place the hands on the knees.
 Mentally contemplate about the crow movement.
 This is the initial position.
 Move in small steps while still squatting.
 Do not tumble forward.
 Hold the knees flexed so the buttock remains on the right heel.
 Move either on the toes or the soles of the feet whichever is difficult.
 Step forward and move the opposite knee on the floor.
 Practice only to your capacity.
Pawanmuktasana - Part III

 Then relax and recline in Shavasana pose.

Breathing Pattern:

 Breathe naturally and with ease throughout.

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Consciousness:

 Body balance.
 Smoothness of the movement.
 Heart beat and breathe when reclining in Shavasana pose.
 Effects of the asana on the lower back, hips, knees and the ankles.

Benefits:

 Regulates the blood circulation in the leg muscles.

 Helps in sitting for a long duration during the meditation.
 Regular practice allays the constipation.

Contraindications:

 Knee or joint pain.

 Toe or ankle sprain.
 Disc slip.

Pawanmuktasana - Part III

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