Halasana

Position : Supine posture

Practice :

• Lie don on your back with the legs together. Keep the arms beside the body and the palms facing down. Relax the whole body.
• While inhaling raise the legs together slowly without bending the knees until 45 degree to the ground. Continue to inhle and raise the legs further to 90 degree position.
• While exhaling, raise the buttocks and the trunk without lifting the head. Support the back by the palms. Keep the elbow on the ground firmly to support the back.
• Maintaining the legs parallel to the ground  straighten the trunk by pushing it up with the hand. Inhale in this position.
• Lower the legs over the head. Try to touch the toes to the floor behind the head. Do not force the toes to touch the floor, try as much as you can.
• Release both the hands and rest the arms straight on the ground parallel to each other with palms pressing on the ground.
• Maintain this position about a minute or as long as you can with normal breathing.
• While inhaling, come back slowly step by step to rest the trunk on the floor.
• While exhaling, slowly lower the legs to the ground.
• Relax in savasana.

Note :

• Make sure that you have achieved perfect balance before you release the hands supporting the trunk. 

Benefits :

• Massage the internal organs, activates the digestive system.
• Strengthens the abdominal muscles and tones the spinal nerves.
• Regulates the activities of the thyroid gland which balances the body's metabolic rate.
• Improves the functions of liver and kidney.
• Recommended in yoga therapy for the management of thyroid, asthma, constipation and menstrual disorders.

Contra-indications :

• Avoid this asana who is suffering from slipped disc, high blood pressure, serious back problem, neck pain, sciatica and hernia.