Asana of the Week: Ushtrasana.

Photo courtesy: Franz Andrini.

Ushtrasana, the camel pose is one of the classics in yoga asana practices.

The pose resembles the hunch of a camel. It is one of the back bending postures that really helps the spine to recover from the host of problems like sciatica, herniated and slipped disc as well scoliosis.

Ushtrasana invigorates the spine thoroughly with its intensive stretch.

The benefit of the pull is also felt in the thighs, which really bring calmness to the mind.

The pose has been panacea to many who suffer the above mentioned spine problems.

It helps to push jelly of the disc back to the space between vertebras and it is, therefore, considered as one of the most useful poses against Vata, or airy disorders.

Vata disorders manifest when the bodily air, the concomitant air of the five major Pranas becomes cold. This usually happens due to severe trauma associated with injuries or due to liver weakness or colon malfunctioning, which can have its root in the wrong diet or severe emotional disorders.

Once the air is cold, it does not move. The cold air as we know is stagnant and the only resting place it has are the joints.

Over the prolonged dwelling in the joints, the air, lets say in the vertebrae, wants to leave the body, but it can’t. The push to get liberated, results in pushing the jelly disc out. Here we encounter problems like sciatica and slipped disc. On the more medium term we are dealing with herniated discs, and on the longer range with severely herniated discs, scoliosis and pelvic pains. Naturally, the other joints suffer, too. The result is rheumatism and joint distortion and also mental.

Once the Vata disorder is so great and the cold air can’t leave the joints it starts to push up into the brain. The results are mental disorders.

Ushtrasana comes in as a natural cure.

At first Ushtrasana ignites the metabolic fire, Jatharagni in the liver, cleanses kidneys and allows the heath to move to the vertabrea, where it converts cold air in the spine to a warm one. Warm air, unlike the cold one, does move and it moves out of spine and joints.

Herewith, we feel great relief from the aches and pains in the spine. With prolonged practice of Ushtrasana we can diminish the aches totally, or to a good extend. It depends on the nature of the illness.

The life airs that are affected the most are Prana, which opens our heart and destroys sentimentalism and ignorance in 4th, Anahata chakra;

Samana air, which activates our digestive power and removes emotional imbalances as well as fear from the the 3rd , Manipuraka chakra;

Uddana, the upward moving air that brings Divine thought into out minds and is activated in the 5thchakra, Vishuddhi.

On a lesser scale Vyana, the all-pervading air increases, as well as Apana, the downward pushing air that subsequently helps to expel the toxic waste purged by the practice of Ushtrasana.

It is best to do Ushtrasana few times in a raw for deeper effect.

Many won’t be able to practice it successfully as it requires some flexibility in the spine. Those who suffer form scoliosis and other back problems and all those who are generally stiff, will find the practice of other light back bending prior to Ushtrasana the right thing to do.

People who suffer from increase Pitta, heat, should preferably skip Ushtrasana or reduce its practice.

Needless to say, Ushtrasana is an ideal pose for those who are bent on losing weight and shape the body. The fire of Ushtrasana verily destroys the phlegmatic disorders and fat content.

On the spiritual side, Ushtrasana increases Tejas, the great rush of energy along the spine, which stirs the dormant Shakti (pranas) into the motion, penetrating all three grantis (dilemas) – Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra grantis, granting us liberation from mundane.

Ushtrasana is a great boon to those who wish to control sexual urges.

It really opens the 2ndchakra for the Prana to flow.

However, the opening of the energy is strong and if you are not able to keep it up by the power of compassion and Divine though, it will descend down by the force of gravity and make you more engrossed in the service of the senses.

It is good to take guidance from a well-trained teacher to become proficient in Ushtarasana.