Pre-Meditative & Meditative Asanas (Postures)

Pre-Meditative & Meditative Asanas (Postures)
 
Relaxation and Pre-meditative asanas may be done for relaxation and loosening up the legs respectively. Meditative asanas are the body positions usually sitting but also sometimes standing or reclining, used to facilitate meditation.
 
Relaxation Asanas: -
A few relaxation practices are

1. Naukasana (boat pose) – In lying position, raising legs, arms & shoulders off the ground and pointing arms towards feet,
2. Saithalyasana (animal relaxation pose) – In sitting position, folding the legs & stretching the hands in front and resting head between hands,
3. Marjari-Asana (cat stretch pose) – standing on knees & hands and stretching spine upwards & downwards periodically,
4. Shavasana (corpse pose – lying like corpse) etc. The practices give maximum benefit if attention is totally involved into practice. The practices are required to be done for minimum around ten minutes.
5. Gomukhasana (Cow’s face pose) – Sit in hero’s pose (right leg folded above left leg or vice versa), knees one over the other, spine upright, head facing forward, raise the right arm & place the hand over the shoulder, place left hand behind the back & try to grasp both hands, close the eyes, final pose, stay for a few minutes, reverse the process with other leg & hand. Practice for ten minutes. It greatly helps in easing tension and to relieve ailments such as diabetes, high BP and sexual malfunctioning.
6. Gupta padmasana (Hidden lotus pose) – this asana loosens up the legs, so that one is able to sit in padmasana for longer time. Process – sit in padmasana, using the arms, raise the body supported by knees, then slowly lean forward & rest the chest flat on the ground, place the palms together behind the back, rest the chin on the ground final pose, breath normally.

 
Pre-Meditative Asanas: -

1. Poorna Titali Asana (full butterfly pose) – Sit on the floor, bend the knees, place the soles of both feet touching each other, try to keep the feet as near as possible towards the perineum, hold the feet with both hands, then gently move knees upwards & downwards, later hold & push the knees upwards & downwards (20 to 40 times).
2. Kashtha Takshanasana (Chopping wood) – sit on the soles with knees separated apart, clasp the hands together & keep straight in the front, while inhaling raise the clasped & straightened hands upward, exhale while lowering the hands (10 to 20 times).
3. Vayu Nishkasana (Wind releasing pose) – sit on the soles with knees separated apart, stand straight, while exhaling bend forward and grasp the feet with legs completely straight, while inhaling return to the standing position, hold the breath for short period, return to sitting position (10 times).
4. Paschimottanasana (Back Stretching Pose) - This asana expands awareness by unleashing pranic energy currents which flows upwards within the Sushumna nadi. As such it is very useful for helping to bring about states of meditation. It tones up spinal & hamstring muscles and associated nerves. The asana tones up all abdominal organs, including the liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys and adrenal glands. As such it helps to remove diabetes, flatulence, constipation, sexual maladies etc. People suffering from slipped disc or sciatica should not practice.

Sit on the floor, legs stretched out from the body, inhale deeply, place the hands on the knees, palms facing downwards, while exhaling, slowly bend head & trunk forwards, slide the hands along the legs towards the feet, aim to hold the big toes with the fingers & to touch the forehead to the knees (don’t strain), keep the legs perfectly straight, breathe in while holding the position, exhale while pull further forwards, repeat the procedure three or four times. Paschimottanasana should be followed by a backward bending such as bhujangasana or shalabhasana.

1. Janu Sirhasana (Head to knee pose) – In Sanskrit, janu means ‘knee’ and sirsha means ‘head’. This asana has similar benefits as Paschimottnasana.

Sit on the floor, legs stretched out from the body, bend the left leg and place the sole of the foot against the inside surface of the right thigh & presses the perineum, left knee of the bent leg be on the ground, hold the spine straight, place both hands on the right thigh, inhale deeply, then breath out while leaning forwards and simultaneously sliding the hands along the top of the right leg stretching towards the right foot as far as possible, try to touch the forehead on the right knee, relax & breath normally in that position, inhale deeply, then while breathing out pull the head further forward, repeat 3 or 4 times.

1. Ardha Padma Paschimottanasana (half lotus back stretching pose) – it similar to Janu Sirhasana except that the leg is folded on top of the opposite thigh and left arm is folded behind the back, if possible, try to grasp the left log toe. Benefits are almost similar to Janu Sirhasana and Paschimottnasana.
2. Gatyatmak Paschimottanasana (Dynamic Back Stretch Pose) – This asana loosens up the whole body & same benefits as Paschimottanasana. Lie flat on the back, stretch the arms behind the head, relax whole body, raise the trunk to the sitting position, keeping the arms above head, do Paschimottanasana, repeat maximum ten times.
3. Pada Prasar Paschimottanasana (Legs spread back stretch pose) – Sit with the legs straight & spread apart, clasp the hands behind the back, twist the trunk slightly to the right, keeping the arms straight & backwards, bend forward and try to touch the head to the right knees, repeat on left side. In another variation, try to touch the ground directly in front of the body with the forehead.

 
Meditative Asanas: -
During meditation, sitting asana position should be most stable and the body firm & immovable. This should not require efforts to keep spine upright. To sit long in the same position, loosening up of the legs is necessary which is possible by half butterfly and hip rotation.

1. Padmasana (lotus Pose) – This is best meditative asana. It induces mental calmness. Sit with legs stretched forward, slowly fold one leg and place the foot on the thigh of the opposite leg, sole to face upwards with heel in the contact of the lower abdomen, then fold the other leg & place the foot on the opposite thigh, both knees should rest comfortably on the floor, hold the back & head upright without strain and close the eyes.
2. Siddhasana (male accomplished pose) – this asana is equally good as Padmasana. In this asana, one of the heels applies pressure in the region of perineum. This pressure is necessary in various yogic practices such as mool bandha and vajroli mudra. This helps in awakening psychic centre (the mooladhara chakra).  Sit with legs stretched forward, slowly fold right leg (or left leg) and place the heel in such a way that it presses perineum, then fold the other leg & place the foot on the top of calf of opposite leg in such a way that it presses into pelvis immediately above genitals, genitals should lie between two heels, adjust the position of left toes into the space between the right calf and thigh muscles, both knees should rest comfortably on the floor, hold the back & head upright without strain and close the eyes.
3. Siddha yoni asana (Accomplished pose for women) – This asana is equally good as Padmasana and similar to Siddhasana (except right heel presses firmly against the front of the vagina). This is for women.
4. Swastikasana (Auspicious pose) – it is similar to Siddhasana / Siddha yoni asana and gives similar benefits. It does not press the area of mooladhara chakra. Sit with legs stretched forward, slowly fold left leg and place the foot near or in contact with the right thigh muscles, bend the right leg & push the right toes into the space between the left thigh and calf muscles, then pull the toes of the left leg upwards into the space between the right calf and thigh muscles.
5. Ardha Padmasana (Half lotus pose) – This asana is used to prepare legs for Padmasana. Sit with legs stretched forward, slowly fold one leg and place the foot beside the thigh of the opposite leg, then fold the other leg and place the foot on top the thigh of other leg.
6. Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose) – Kneel on the blanket with knees together or slightly apart, buttocks on the heels and placing hands on top of the legs near the knees.
7. Veerasana (Hero Pose) – This is comfortable posture. Sit with legs stretched forward, bend the left leg & place the left foot so that it is under & to the side of the right buttock, now bend the right leg over the top of the left leg, placing the right foot beside the left buttock, arrange the position of the knees so that one is above the other, hold the nead, neck & back upright.
8. Chankramanam – In Sanskrit the word chankramanam means wandering. It is a method of loosening up the body while maintaining one-pointedness of mind. It is walking sadhana without effort and distraction by inner thoughts or the external environment. It is intended to induce and maintain a state of antar mukhi while moving the body. Ramana Maharishi practised this. While walking, the head should lean forward so that he should be looking in the direction of the feet. He can chant mantra whisperingly or mentally.

 
For transmutation of the sexual energy –
Supta Vajrasana (Sleeping Thunderbolt pose) – this asana helps to transmute sexual energy into more subtle forms of energy. It also gives the benefits of matsyasana. To do this asana one should have supple back and flexible legs. Those with stiff legs should not attempt it. Process: Sit in vajrasana, knees could be together or separated, rest same as Matsyasana (lean slightly backwards, place the hands on the floor slightly behind & on the sides of the buttock, support the weight of the body on the straight arms, bend one of the arms, allowing forearm & elbow to rest on the ground, slowly bend the other arm so that both elbows rest on the ground behind the buttocks, bend the head backwards so that you can see the floor behind the head, stretch the neck as much as comfortable, slowly slide the arms forwards away from the head, lower the top of the head towards the ground, gently allow top of the head to support the body weight, relax the arms allowing head, buttocks & legs take the body weight, breathe slowly & deeply, stay in this final pose, return to the starting position. Alternatively, the arms can be folded behind the head).
 
Reference: A systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya – by Swami Satyananda Saraswati