Supta = Reclining, Pawan = wind, Mukt = Release.
Steps:
Variation 1
- Lie down on your back with your hands by the side of the body.
- Bend your right knee, interlock your fingers around the right shin bone and try to pull the knee as close to the chest as possible. (Its important to start with right leg first because it presses the ascending colon and then the left leg which presses the left colon and hence relieving from gas and constipation)
- Take a deep inhale and exhale lifting your head and shoulder up bringing the nose to the knee.
- Keep the left leg straight (pulling the left toe back will help to achieve it).
- Remain in this final position for 30 seconds breathing normally and come back down slowly with an inhale.
- Repeat for the same length of time with the left leg.
Variation 2
- Lie down on your back with your hands by the side of the body.
- Bend both your knee and bring the knees closer to the chest.
- Interlock your fingers around the shin bones just below the knee.
- Take a deep inhale and exhale lifting your head and shoulder up to bring the nose close to the knees.
- Remain in this final position for 30 seconds breathing normally and come back down slowly with an inhale.
Benefits:
- As explained before starting this posture first with right leg presses the ascending colon and then the left leg which presses the left colon and hence relieving from gas and constipation. It massages the abdomen and the digestive organs hence helps to get relief from indigestion and acidity problems.
- It massages the pelvic muscles and the reproductive organs and hence is a good posture for impotence, sterility and menstrual problems
- It strengths the lower back and loosens the spinal vertebrae.
Contraindications:
- High blood pressure, sciatica and slip disc.