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Ushtra stands for camel in the Sanskrit language. During this asana, the body bends, and assumes the shape of the camel. The normal tendency of human body is to bend forward. Everyone walks forward, and nobody walks backward. Due to this habitual forward movement, there is a lot of strain on the spine in one particular area. The Ushtrasana balances the particular problem of the spine.
How to do the Camel Pose?
* Sit in Vajrasana , take a few short breaths.
* Stand up on the knees. Let the distance between the knees be in alignment with the distance between the shoulders. Both the feet should be parallel to each other.
* Your feet are on the ground with soles upturned. Bring both the hands on the back, and let their thumbs touch/meet each other on the spine. All the four fingers of both the hands point toward your navel.
* Inhale slowly and bend backward, take the hands off the waist and put them on the soles of the feet. This should be done very carefully, lest you lose your balance of the body.
* Breathe normally and stay in this position to the best of your ability. Don't strain yourself.
The most important thing about Ushtrasana is to maintain the correct position of the various parts of the body. Deviation from the prescribed positions will not give you optimum benefits.
Benefits of Ushtrasana
The prime benefit of the camel pose is on the abdomen. It tones up the human viscera consisting of the liver, pancreas, bladder and the kidney. It provides strength to the chest and the ribs. It corrects sluggishness of the liver and improves the metabolism of this organ.
It is also supposed to be a good asana for spinal problems such as displacement of the vertebrae, slip disc, spondylitis or minor deformity. It is helpful in removing excessive fat from hips and the abdomen. If you practice Ushtrasana regularly, you actually increase upon your capacity to hold your breath. It is also helpful in enhancing your height.
For women, it cures the various problems related to the menstrual cycle. It also has a therapeutic effect on the heart. A number of heart related ailments can be naturally cured by performing this asana regularly.
Be cautious about…
Hernia and ulcer patients should not perform this asana. After performing this asana, return to the normal pose very slowly and carefully or you may experience giddiness. Persons with acute spine and backache problems should not practice this asana without consulting a trained yoga teacher or a physiotherapist.
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