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What is Adhomukha Swastikasana (downward facing cross legged yoga pose)
- In this asana, you sit cross-legged and rest your head, chest, and shoulders on a bench, bolster, and blanket. this is an extremely relaxing pose and relieves strain in your back, neck, and heart.
- It also alleviates the symptoms of premenstrual stress.
- Regular practice of the asana helps people who are prone to anxiety, tension, and frequent mood swings.
Benefits of Adhomukha Swastikasana
- Soothes the sympathetic nervous system, relieving stress and fatigue
- Relieves migraines and stress-related headaches
- Relieves palpitations and breathlessness
- Helps prevent nausea and vomiting
- Relieves pain in the hip joints
- Rests tired legs and improves blood circulation in the knees
Contraindications and Cautions
If you cannot sit in Virasana due to aching feet, you can practice this yoga pose instead.
If you have stress-related headaches or a migraine, wrap a bandage
around your eyes.
How to do Adhomukha Swastikasana – Step by step Instructions
Step 1
- Place a bolster on the floor at right angles to the bench.
- Place a mat and a bolster along the length of the bench.
- Place a folded blanket between the front end of the bolster and the front edge of the bench.
Step 2
- Sit cross-legged as in Swastikasana on a bolster.
- Ensure that you are sitting on the inner sides of your buttock bones.
Step 3
- Exhale, bend forward, and rest your chest on the folded blanket.
- Place your forehead on the bolster.
- Bring your arms forward and bend your elbows.
- Place your right palm on your left forearm, and your left palm on your right forearm.
- Exhale slowly, and feel the tension in the head and neck dissipate.
- Keep your neck muscles soft and elongated.
- Hold the pose for 2 minutes.
- Breathe evenly.
Props
- Two Bolsters
- A long bench
- A mat and
- A blanket
The bolster to sit on gives the torso height for the forward stretch.
The bench, mat, bolster, and blanket between the chest and the bench, support the head and prevent neck strain.
Sources
1.Cohen DL, Bloedon LT, Rothman RL, Farrar JT, Galantino ML, Volger S, Mayor C, Szapary PO, Townsend RR. Iyengar Yoga versus Enhanced Usual Care on Blood Pressure in Patients with Prehypertension to Stage I Hypertension: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:546428. doi: 10.1093/ecam/nep130. Epub 2011 Feb 14. PMID: 19734256; PMCID: PMC3145370.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3145370/
