Bhadrasana - Yoga Posture and Pose

Bhadrasana Benefits: This asana is very good for respiratory system, digestive system, skeletal system especially the vertebral column, nervous system because it involves stretching of the spine. It also benefits and the muscle tissues of the large muscle groups of legs.

Bhadrasana Description and Technique:

1. The word Bhadra means auspicious. It is good to begin yoga with this asana. It is a sitting posture and for the people who are not used to sitting on the ground it may be difficult to achieve as it requires considerable stretching.
   
   
2. Sitting on the seat the feet are placed in front with heels near the body and the toes pointing forward. The soles of the feet should touch each other from toes to heels.
   
   
3. Then the toes are held with the hands and brought as close to the body as possible so that the heels touch the perineum, which is the soft portion between the anus and the genital organs.
   
   
4. Care is taken to keep the knees touching the ground. Initially it may be very difficult owing to the stretching of muscles felt in the legs. One can relax a bit keeping one knee touching the ground. But complete posture should be achieved in some time.
   
   
5. The back and head should be kept straight with the eyes closed. But some texts say that the chin should be set below the throat and one should fix the gaze at the tip of the nose.
   
   
6. This asana has to be held tightly and exhaled totally and this position is to be held without letting the air enter the system again. The anus should be contracted. The thorax and abdomen should be sucked in tightly. This forms a part of pranayama called bahya-kumbhaka with three bandhas. The process is repeated for a few times but the body should not be over exerted. Generally all yogic exercises have to be repeated in sets of multiples of seven or nine, starting with three or five sets and increasing gradually.

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