Bhardvajasana (Therapy)

Introduction to the Asana: The sanskrit name is derived from Bhardvaja (भरद्वाज) means bringing about nourishment and asana (आसन) meaning posture or seat.

• Begin by sitting on the yoga mat with your legs extended in front of you.

• Place the folded blanket behind you horizontally, aligning it with your spine.

• Sit on the blanket and gently swing your legs to one side, coming into a seated position with your knees bent and feet on the floor.

• Centre your spine along the length of the blanket, ensuring it provides support and comfort.

• Ground down through your sitting bones and lengthen upwards through your spine.

• Engage your core muscles to stabilize your torso.

• Bend your knees and bring your feet toward your hips, ensuring they are parallel to each other and your knees are stacked over your ankles.

• On an inhalation, raise your arms out to the sides at shoulder height, keeping them parallel to the floor.

• Exhale and sweep your arms toward the right side, bringing your hands to rest on the floor.

• Inhale and lengthen through your spine, creating space between each vertebra.

• Exhale and begin to twist your torso to the right, leading with your chest and shoulders.

• Bring your left hand to rest on your right knee or thigh, using it to deepen the twist if comfortable.

• Turn your head to look over your right shoulder, keeping your neck aligned with your spine.

• Hold the pose for 40-50 seconds, breathing deeply and evenly as you relax into the pose.

• Gently return to a neutral seated position.

• Repeat the pose on the opposite side.

• Lengthen upward through the crown of your head, maintaining a straight and elongated spine.

• Pelvis not keeping in level

• Keeping knees wider than the hips

• Avoid during injury at the hips

• Avoid in case of diarrhoea and cardiac condition

• Avoid if suffering from a hamstring injury, slipped disc, sciatica pain and backache