Chakrasana
The Wheel Pose
Return to
Hatha Yoga
Instructions.
- Lie on the back with knees bent and
the heels touching the buttocks.
- The feet should be about one foot
apart.
- Place the palms on the ground beside
the temples, with fingers pointing towards the shoulders.
- Slowly raise the trunk.
- Let the head rotate slightly and
allow the crown to support the weight of the upper body.
- The legs will form right angles at
the knees.
- Straighten the arms and legs, lift
the head off the ground and raise the body so that it is fully arched.
- You can straighten the knees almost
completely by moving the trunk upward.
- Slowly lower yourself back to the
ground and then the relaxation posture -
shavasana.
Breath.
- Initially practice chakrasana with
the breath retained inside.
- After some regular practice,
chakrasana may be maintained for long periods by breathing normally in the
fully raised position.
Duration.
- Practice chakrasana once, per yoga
session, for as long as you can comfortably maintain it.
Concentration.
Sequence.
Limitations.
- Chakrasana should not be practiced by
sufferers of high blood pressure, coronary ailments, stomach ulcers, toxic
intestines, partial deafness, or dilated eye capillaries, or by anyone who
has recently fractured bones or undergone abdominal operation.
- It is not to be attempted until the
practitioner is able to do the preliminary backward bending poses.
Benefits.
- This asana is beneficial to the
entire nervous and glandular system.
- It influences all hormonal secretions
and relieves varied ailments of the female
reproductive system.
- It fully stretches the back and
abdominal muscles.
- It powerfully compresses and massages
the abdominal organs.
Variations.
- Those adepts who can do this asana
without even the slightest difficulty can improve its effect by moving the
hands and feet closer together in the final position.
- They may also try raising first one
leg and then the other in the final pose.
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