Sukhashana

Sukhasana, also termed as the 'easy pose', is one of the simplest postures of yoga. For undertaking this posture, a person is required to sit cross-legged on the floor, in a certain position. Throughout the asana, you need to concentrate on your breathing and let your body relax completely. Sukhasana can provide the best start to yoga beginners and can also be practiced by those who cannot do siddhasana, padmasana and other difficult postures. You can also use it to attain relaxation between two complex postures.

Instructions

• Sit down on a flat and smooth surface, preferably the ground.
• Stretch both the legs in front of you.
• Keep your hands on the side, making sure to have the palms resting on the ground. Fingers should be together and point forward.
• First fold the left leg slightly, at the knee, followed by the right leg.
• Now, join the soles of the both the feet and hold the legs at ankle by the hands.
• Moving slowly, start bringing the legs towards yourself. Continue doing so till the time the legs reach under the perineum.
• At this point of time, your knees should remain on the ground, while your body should be erect and your gaze directly in the front.
• Keep your hands on your knees, in gyana mudra (you have to hold the index finger against tip of thumb, having the other three fingers straight).
• Hold the position for 4-5 minutes.
• Now, gradually loosen your legs and come back to the original position.

• Whenever your practice the asana, especially in the initial days, you will feel a slight stretch under the thighs. It is perfectly normal. However, if you experience any pain, discontinue it and refer to your yoga teacher.

• Sukhasana is believed to aid tuneful, but controlled stimulation of the erotic processes as well as the creative imagination of a person.
• Indulging in the asana, after you have undergone a stressful and tiring day, will help you get over the exhaustion and make you feel refreshed.
• In case you are stressed out mentally, either from too much work or too monotonous work, practicing Sukhasana will provide you with mental peace and calm.
• The asana has been found to be very beneficial for strengthening the lumbar region of the body.
• Practicing Sukhasana will help you achieve a state of composure and harmony, by eliminating all the unnecessary anxiety.
• Throughout the posture, the backbone remains in the ideal position, making the asana beneficial for those who are suffering from back pain.
• Sukhasana is one of the simplest postures in yoga and can be undertaken by almost anyone, with hardly a few exceptions.
• The asana helps makes the waist and lower region of a person quite flexible.

• Sukhasana should not be undertaken by those people who have had a recent, or suffer from chronic, knee or hip injury or inflammation.