(^372) Light on Yoga
- Release the grip on the feet. Extend the arms and bring the body
forward until you are again standing on the knees. Then rest on the
floor and relax.
Effects
The pose tones up the entire spinal region as the blood is made to
circulate well round the spinal column. Since the pelvic region is
stretched, the genital organs keep healthy. The diaphragm is lifted up
and this massages the heart gently and helps to strengthen it. The chest
expands fully. It is essential to master Kapotasana before practising the
more difficult back-bending poses, which cannot be done until you have
perfected Kapotasana and Vipar!ta Dan9asana (Plate 5I6) to Man-
9-alasana. (Plates 525 and 535)
I 76. Laghu Vajriisana Twenty-three* (Plate 5 I 3)
Laghu means little, small, easy as well as lovely, handsome, beautiful.
Vajra means a thunderbolt, the weapon of I ndra, the king of gods.
Te chnique
I. Kneel on the floor with the knees and feet together. Rest the palms
on the sides of the waist. (Plate 40)- Exhale, arch the spine back and at the same time tighten the muscles
of the thighs. (Plates 508 and 509)
3· Push the hips forward and keep bending the spine back until the
crown of the head rests on the feet. It requires great practice to achieve
the necessary spinal elasticity. The weight of the body is borne only on
the knees.
4· When the. above position is achieved, remove the hands from the
waist, stretch the arms straight from the shoulders and grip each knee
with the respective hand. (Plate 5 I 3)
5· Due to the spine being stretched and the pressure against the
abdomen, breathing will be fast and laboured. Try to hold the pose from
IO to I 5 seconds while breathing normally.- Exhale, keep the knees firm, raise the head and trunk until you are
kneeling again. Then sit on the floor and rest.
Effects
This asana tones the spinal nerves and exercises the coccyx (the terminal
triangular bone of the vertebral column). The pose, if practised
regularly, relieves pain and disc displacements in the lower region of the
spine. Due to the arch, the abdominal muscles and chest are fully
extended.