Bhujangasana: Encyclopedia - Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana (cobra position) is a hatha yoga position which strengthens the spine; stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen; firms the buttocks; stimulates abdominal organs; helps relieve stress and fatigue; opens the heart and lungs.

Traditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, and awakens kundalini.

Step by step:

1. Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, tops of the feet on the floor. Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Hug the elbows back into your body.
2. Press the tops of the feet and thighs and the pubis firmly into the floor.
3. On an inhalation, begin to straighten the arms to lift the chest off the floor, going only to the height at which you can maintain a connection through your pubis to your legs. Press the tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel. Narrow the hip points. Firm but don't harden the buttocks.
4. Firm the shoulder blades against the back, puffing the side ribs forward. Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back. Distribute the backbend evenly throughout the entire spine.

Categories: Articles lacking sources | Yoga positions

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Bhujangasana", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki