Simple Yogasana to Relieve Yourself From Stress – Makrasana – Part 2

In today’s post, I am going to discuss with you another stress-relieving, “Aaram Lakshi Asana” – Makarasana. As you must have read in my earlier posts, all the yogasanas are derived from some elements of nature be it the stars, trees or animals. This asana is consequential to the resting pose of a crocodile. Makrasana basically relieves you from the physical strain caused by other poses and it is an ideal asana for the beginners. This asana aids in spherical stretching of the body including rear body, thighs, calf muscles, buttocks, arms and neck. Additionally, it helps to release back stress and improved body posture to some extent.

How to go about doing Makarasana?

1. Lie down on the floor on your stomach with your hands folded and palms facing downward, stacked over each other under your forehead. Alternately, you may rest your head either on the left or right suitable to your comfort.
2. Bring both your legs at approx. 50-60 deg angle away from each other with the toes pointed outwards and heels placed inwards.
3. Close your eyes and relax the whole body.
4. Take normal slow breaths, sense your entire body touching the ground and feel the deep relaxation on your muscles.
5. Try to relax your entire body in this posture for -7 minutes.

Coming out of the Makarasana Posture:

1. Slowly bring both your legs together.
2. Raise your head and turn towards your left.
3. Taking the support of both your hands, take a normal sitting position.

What are the benefits of Makrasana?

• It is beneficial for all spine related issues; slip disc, cervical, sciatica and spondylitis.
• Helps in curing asthma and other lung related problems.
• Aids in stretching the legs and hip muscles and relieves the pain in the knee.
• It can be performed as a relaxation asana between any two poses.
• It releases physical and mental stress.

There are also some variations to Makrasana, one of which is Niralambasana. Let’s discuss it in detail.

How to perform Niralambasana?

1. Lie down on the floor on your stomach and place your legs together in a relaxed position with toes pointing outside.
2. Bring your elbows close to each other and raise your head and shoulders.
3. Rest your head in the palms of your hands. Do not let your head fall loose from its actual position, which usually happens when your arm length is short.
4. Close your eyes and relax for 5-7 minutes or until you are comfortable.

Releasing yourself from Niralambasana

1. Slowly take off the palms from your chin and rolling over to your left, lie down on your back.
2. If any tension is felt in your back muscles then lean slightly forward and backward without any strain.

All the benefits of Makrasana are included in Niralambasana.

Who should not perform these two asanas?

• Anyone can easily perform this asana except those who have serious knee and back injury.
• Those facing a neck injury are advised to place their heads in a neutral position and place a cushioned support below their neck while performing this asana.
• It is always recommended to perform simplest of the asana under the supervision of an expert to avoid undesired consequences.

If you have any queries related to this discussion or are looking for some advice on Yoga, do write to me 🙂

Your Friend,

Nazneen