Yogasana: Ustrasana or ‘The Camel Pose’
Yoga is the fitness mantra that the world is getting obsessed with today. Yoga combines the strength in body and mind and helps heal the body from within. It transforms the mind and body into a healthier, lighter and calmed-down state. People, who practice yoga regularly, preach yoga and its benefits, and have been influencing people to adopt more of it for a healthy and peaceful living. Yoga does not involve any excessive outside weight or training. It is the simplest of practice that makes natural changes in the body to make you more happy, peaceful, fit and calm. There are a lot of poses that work for different aspects of your body in Yoga. Today we are going to know about Ustrasana or The Camel Pose.
What is Ustrasana or ‘The Camel Pose’?
“Ustra” means camel and “asana’ means pose and hence the English name ‘The Camel Pose’. Ustrasana is a intermediate level Yogic pose known to open the heart chakra or the Anahata. It is counted in the intermediate pose because it is sometimes unachievable by beginner level practitioners of Yoga. So even if you have been doing Yoga since a month now, you can try doing Ustrasana. Ustrasana is known to be strengthening the body, adding flexibility to the body and improves digestion.
What are the benefits of Ustrasana or the camel pose?
The benefit of Yoga in itself is unlimited and vast. When we talk about a Yoga pose it should be understood that it has got dual benefits- One for the physical fitness and the other for the inner peace and healing. Ustrasana is beneficial for a lot of reasons:
- Stretches the body
- Improves digestion
- Helps heal the lower back pain
- Strengthens the body
- Improves body posture
- Helps to heal and balance the chakras
- Helps fight the tension during menstrual periods
- Cures constipation
What you should know before doing the asana
Yoga is one of the self-healing arts and Ustrasana is a highly practiced pose. Ustrasana works subtly towards healing and releasing body tensions. It helps loosen up the tight muscles and cures ailments like bad respiration, constipation, body ache, body fat etc. It has to be remembered that Ustrasana does not do a one day wonder and has to be practiced regularly for good results seen overtime.
Who should do Ustrasana?
Although Yoga is highly recommended for all age groups and kinds of people, but there are certain poses which are specifically beneficial to heal some diseases or fight against some specific pain. Ustrasana is recommended for people having asthma, spondylitis, diabetes, and digestive problems, overweight etc. It is also proven beneficial for constipation, menstrual problems, reducing fat in thighs and arms, peace and restoration of mind.
How to do the Ustrasana or The Camel Pose?
Doing Yoga poses needs quiet and peaceful place. It also requires a Yoga mat to protect you from the hard scratch from the floor and give a comfortable resting. Just relax your senses and start with the method below:
- Kneel on the Yoga mat and put your hands on your hips
- Make sure your shoulder and knees are in line and the soul of the foot is facing upwards.
- Inhale and pull your tailbone towards your pubis. And along with it raise your body up with your hands holding the soul of your feet. Raise the body till the arc is formed making you feel like the heart has been raise very high.
- Do not strain on your body, try to keep it neutral and feel a stretch.
- Stay in the posture for 20 seconds.
- Breathe out and slowly come down to the starting position.
Make sure the whole process is done really slowly, relaxed and does not harm you in any way.
Breathing methods while performing the Asana
While performing yogic asanas it is very essential to breathe right to achieve maximum benefits. In Ustrasana you need to Inhale deeply and then start with the pose. You can hold your breathing while holding the pose for twenty seconds or you can breathe once or twice while on hold. When you are returning to the relaxation mode, you need to exhale slowly until you end the pose. Keep your breath deep and slow.
Precautions
Yogic asanas require certain comfortable and calm environment to practice them. They are:
- Wear comfortable clothes! Yogic asanas should be done in proper comfortable clothes that help your body breathe and stretch and are not attracting glances.
- On a soft surface. Use that yoga mat or buy one or if you are comfortable use a bed-sheet. Never do yoga asanas on bed or sofa.
- Quiet and calm place: Yoga needs concentration, peace and relaxed mind and so try to stay at bay with noise and repercussions.
On a proper time. Morning is the best time to practice yoga but if you are not a morning person you can choose to do it in evenings during sunset.
Under a trainer. If you are a beginner, it is highly advised that you take guidance of a trainer and learn Yoga before practicing daily.
Yog Guru Dhakaram
