Wind-Removing Pose: Pavanamuktasana
Purposes and Benefits:
- Cures and prevents flatulence
- Enhances body’s nutrient absorption by massaging ascending, descending, and transverse colon
- Regulates and normalizes levels of hydrochloric acid in stomach
- Alleviates most chronic abdominal discomforts
- Relieves lower back pain
- Boosts functions of immune system and metabolism by compressing thyroid gland
- Stretches shoulders and entire back side of spine
- Improves flexibility of hip joints
- Firms and tones muscles of thighs, hips, and abdominal wall
- Strengthens biceps and hand muscles
How to Do:
- Fully interlace all 10 fingers and take hold of right leg 2 inches below knee
- Draw right knee out and down toward chest
- Pull right knee to right shoulder
- Keep elbows in close to body and relax shoulders flatly on floor
- Tuck chin into chest and keep left leg firmly on floor; if left calf muscle lifts, flex foot
- Hold pose for 10 seconds and remember to breathe
- While holding pose, allow pose to work into right hip
- Lower right leg
- Repeat above steps using left leg and then relax into left hip
- Raise knees toward chest and grab onto opposite elbows, hooking arms just under knees
- If grabbing elbows isn’t possible, grab forearms, wrists or fingers
- When pulling in knees, look down through diamond shape created between arms and legs
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Work toward getting every vertebra of spine on floor by doing these: Tuck chin to chest to lengthen neck; Flatten shoulders against ground to extend upper spine; Push hips and tailbone down to work lower spine
- Remember to breathe and hold pose for 20 seconds
- Lower both legs slowly
