Hatha Yoga Tip
AKARNA DHANURASANA – The Shooting Bow –
Akarna Dhanurasana stretches the legs hips, and lumbar region. Strengthens the hands and feet and invigorates the nerve impulses to these regions. This a also a balance posture.
Sit with legs stretched straight in dandasana. Feet are together with heels stretched, toes pointing back to head. Reach forward to the toes of both feet. Back is straight. Head and chest straight forward as possible. Wrap first two fingers around each big toe.
Without letting go of either foot, bend the right knee. Inhale and pull back right foot to shoulder. Bring right foot as close to right ear as possible. Keep chest up and firm hold onto left big toe. Hold the position and breathe. Repeat other side.
Benefits:
Helping relief of rheumatism in the limbs
Relive sciatica
Stretches legs, hips, and lumbar
Strengthens hands & feetBenefits:
Opening the front hip crease, legs, thighs and arm pits
An opening of the shoulders, middle back and front of throat
A balance posture
This yoga asana is an edited contribution for the Sivananda Gurugram partly sourced and edited from the Sivananda Publication: “Yoga: Your Home Practice Companion” – Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre – 2010.
The basis of body building and spiritual growth is Brahmacharya. – Sri Swami Sivananda
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Glossary
SIDDHIS: Psychic powers manifested as by products of spiritual advancement through personal Sadhana practice, such as meditation, mantra repetition and yoga.
Commentary:
Siddhis that are brought into the present life by birth indicate their attainment in a previous life, but it does not guarantee that the individual is making proper use of them in this life. Those gained through chemical means are not necessarily associated with any level of spirituality at all and can be easily governed by the ego. Siddhis achieved by Mantra repetition or tapas and austerities are generally of a very high order as long as they are performed for attaining God-Realization rather than personal or material gain. Powers that come from ‘Samadhi’ are the purest, for they come to the aspirant without being desired.
It must be remembered that siddhis are not the aim but a by-product of the path to God-Realization. Those who misuse Siddhi power for destroying others are themselves destroyed in the end.
The repetition of Gayatri Mantra, Pranava Mantra, OM Namah Sivaya, OM Namo Narayanaya, OM Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Mantras, done with Bhava, faith and devotion will bestow a Mantra Siddhi.
When the mind wanders, repeat some mantras, stotras (spiritual verses), hymns, verses from the Gita or the Upanishads. – Sri Swami Sivananda