Dhanurasan (Bow Pose)

Procedure  

• Lie flat on your stomach, legs together and palms touching the sides of your thighs with your chin on the floor, i.e. Simple Prone Posture.
• Now bend your legs at knees; catch hold of the left ankle with the left hand and the right ankle with the right hand.
• While inhaling, gently pull your legs up by lifting the knees above the floor, and simultaneously raise the chest and look ahead.
• Raise your head and draw it backward—without any strain.
• Make sure your abdomen bears the body-weight.
• Let the knees be separated so that the body can be raised higher and also try to arch the back as much as possible.
• Stay in this pose for 15-20 seconds, with normal breathing.  
• With an exhalation, gradually lower your legs and trunk, and return to the floor.
• Repeat the process twice.
• Finally, come into either Balasan, or Matsya Kreedasan and relax.

Awareness

• On your bodily movements and the breaths synchronized with them
• On the stretch of the abdominal region and the back

Benefits

• Dhanurasan keeps the liver, kidneys, and abdominal organs and muscles healthy by massaging them well.
• It tones up the pancreas and adrenal glands to maintain the balance in their secretions. 
• It improves the functionality of the digestive and reproductive organs.
• It even assists in rooting out gastrointestinal disorders, dyspepsia, chronic constipation, and the poor functioning of the liver.
• Many Yog experts believe it as a very beneficial posture for the treatment of diabetes, incontinence, colitis, menstrual disorders, and even cervical spondylitis. 
• The spinal column is realigned properly.
• Besides, it alleviates urinary disorders, which are a common concern nowadays.

Contraindications

• People with a weak heart, high blood pressure, hernia, colitis, peptic or duodenal ulcers should avoid this asan.  One should not do it before sleeping as it activates the adrenal glands and the sympathetic nervous system.

Supt Udarakarshanasan (Sleeping Abdominal Stretch Pose)

Procedure 

• Lie flat on your back with both your legs together and touch the outer sides of the thighs with your palms, i.e. Simple Supine Pose.
• Spread your arms sidways at shoulder level, with the palms facing downward.
• Flex your legs at the knees and move the feet toward the buttocks, with both the soles on the floor and the heels nearly touching the buttocks.
• Make sure your knees and feet stay together throughout.
• Now inhale; exhaling twist rest of the body rightward, keeping the chest still, ensuring the right side of the leg touches the floor.
• Ensure your legs stay together and the arms stretched out throughout.
• Also, turn the head in the direction opposite (left side) to the legs’ direction and look at the left hand.
• Remain in this state for 15-20 seconds with normal breathing.
• Now, inhale and return back to the centre. 
• Likewise, perform the pose on the other side.
• Practice three times in either direction.
• Finally, come into Shavasan and relax.

Awareness

• On the breaths synchronized with the movements
• On the stretch of both—para-spinal and abdominal muscles
• On feeling relaxation in both—para-spinal and abdominal muscles

Benefits

• By Supt Udarakarshanasan, the abdominal muscles and organs are perfectly stretched, which results in the improvement of digestion and the removal of constipation.
• Also, it is an all-curing therapy for those suffering from strain and stiffness of the back as it stretches the spinal muscles and gently twists the vertebral joints.
• It tones up the legs.
• It assists in slimming the waist and hip portion, which also results in weight loss.