Bharadvajasana For Beginners

Bharadvajasana at a Glance

How to Do Bharadvajasana?
Step- by- Step Procedure

Beginners can do the Torso Stretch Pose and then move to the advanced variation.

• Sit in the Dandasana Pose (Staff Pose), and keep your spine erect. Keep your legs stretched in front of you.
• Bend your knees slowly, bend toward your left hip, and place your left foot outside, your left ankle will be near your left hip, and your right foot on the left thigh near the left knee.
• Now exhale slowly and start twisting your upper body towards the right side. Start to twist your body from the navel then your chest and then your left shoulder should lead to the right.
• Your right and left shoulder should be in line with your neck.
• Place your right arm, palm on the floor behind your back your fingers pointing you, away from your body.
• Keep your left hand on your right thigh or right knee, whichever makes you comfortable.
• As you twist on the right side look straight, look above your right shoulder.
• Inhale and sit tall and straight and exhale, every time you exhale, try to twist a bit further and stay in this pose for 15 to 20 seconds.
• To slowly unwind, twist your body to the neutral position, bring your right arm and left hand in front, and then bring your right and left foot.
• Relax by taking a few deep breaths and you can do it on the opposite side.
• In this seated spinal twist, listen to your body, don’t twist too much if you can’t. Stop where you can. Give your body some time to get into practice and then you can find the best pose gradually.
• Using props for your comfort is the best way to keep yourself away from hurting.

What are the Benefits of Bharadvajasana?

Regular practice of seated spinal twists can give you both physical as well as mental benefits.

• Without your spine, your body wouldn’t have a proper posture and this asana gradually helps to keep your spine flexible and mobile.
• When you work on your spine, a seated twist, strengthens your back muscles.
• The main part of this pose is the hips; it works for the betterment of improving your hip flexibility and relieves tension.
• Strengthens Abdominal Muscles:
• When anything goes wrong with your digestion, your stress level increases. Oblique muscles are expanded and become strong and keep you away from, bloating gas and indigestion.
• Practicing Bharadvaja’s Twist regularly, reduces your stress level and helps you concentrate on your everyday personal and official work.
• While doing this asana, you start breathing mindfully and you become more aware of your bodily sensations and act accordingly.
• It helps to maintain your presence of mind by balancing and with proper alignment which improves your concentration and better focus and keeps you relaxed.

Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Bharadvajasana

• Digestive Problems: It activates the abdominal organs by massaging them gently, which improves digestion and helps to relieve gas and bloating.
• Pain in the Back: This could be a good remedy for your back-related issues, like pain and stiffness.
• Sciatica: Bharadvaja’s Twist stretches the muscles that connect the sciatica nerves, which helps to relieve tension and discomfort.
• Arthritis: By twisting the hip, knee, and wrist it stimulates and activates the related joints. This reduces the swelling and pain in arthritis.  
• Hormonal Imbalance: Regular practice of this pose (twist of your lower abdomen) gives a gentle massage to your reproductive organs, which helps to maintain balance.
• Stress and Anxiety: Bharadvaja’s Twist helps you calm your body and mind by relaxing your muscles and you feel light, reducing your stress and anxiety.

Safety and Precautions

Safety is very important for any asana, so do it under the guidance of your yoga teacher.

• If you have any hip injury, take precautions while doing this asana as too much pressure can make the injury more painful.
• Every step of this asana should be done with proper alignment, so do it under the guidance of your yoga teacher. This can give you the proper posture and avoid pain and discomfort.
• If you have stiff hips, support it with soft cushions or blankets.
• High or Low BP people can perform this asana with utmost care as this involves, more twisting.
• Pregnant women should consult their healthcare provider before doing the asana.
• Hold the pose within your comfort level and be balanced on both the left and right buttocks.
• While you come out of the pose release your hands and legs without a jerk to avoid any cramps or pain.

Common Mistakes

• Warmup or preparatory poses are very important for Bharadvaja’s Twist as the sudden twists can cause pain or sprain.
• Listen to your body, go slow and steady, and slowly you may reach the perfect twist. Don’t force too much to twist your body.
• Breathe in and out throughout the pose to energize your body and make the pose comfortable.
• Your spine should be straight and tall, left and right hips should be balanced.

Tips for Bharadvajasana

• If you are not able to sit on your sitting bones properly, try keeping a soft blanket under your buttocks.
• Your spine should be straight, don’t try to bend it and engage your core.
• Keep a thickly folded blanket under the right knee.
• Breath is the key, so let it be slow steady, and deep.
• Listen to your body, if you feel any pain, come out of the pose or try to adjust slowly.
• Always do preparatory and counter poses for Bharadvaja’s Twist.

The Physical Alignment for Bharadvajasana

• When starting Bharadvaja’s Twist, your spine should be straight and long. Your legs are straight in front of you.
• When you bend your knees, your feet should be facing the left buttock.
• Heels should be placed on the side of the left hip (left heel near left buttock).
• The right foot should be placed on the left thigh above the left knee.
• You should be grounded and balanced evenly on the ground.
• Give a gentle spinal twist, when you exhale.
• You should place your right palm on the floor to your back, or as per your comfort. Fingers pointed towards you but away from you.
• Keep the neck in line shoulders.
• Start Bharadvaja’s Twist from the lower part, that is your naval or waist, then your chest, and then shoulders.
• Alignment is important but be aware of your bodily sensations and act accordingly.
• You can also use props, that suit you better, for comfort and better alignment.

Bharadvajasana and Breath

Breath is always the key to asanas and so is for this pose.This asana is led by the breath and better effect and safety should go hand in hand with the breadth. Take a few breaths in, press your shoulder blades, lengthen your spine make yourself confident, and proceed to the other steps to start the twist.

Each twist starts with the breath you exhale, with every exhale you twist a bit further. So the breadth leads to the comfortable twist. It becomes a rhythm with your breath and twist. Keep breathing and feel your body getting energized throughout the pose, relax and enjoy the twist.

Be mindful while breathing, feel the breath going in and coming out with a twist. Feel the calmness in your body and mind. Don’t try to hold your breath, let it flow freely.

Bharadvajasana and Variations

• Variations are to make it easy and doable by giving comfort or to challenge yourself with a bit of challenging pose according to your level.
• People who are not able to sit down, sit sideways on the chair keeping their feet on the floor and twisting their upper body.
• Here you can use props like cushions, soft blankets, or yoga blocks, to see that you twist with comfort. You can place this prop under your knees, or hips or can use it for placing your hand.
• Here after you twist your body, catch hold of your right upper arm or right elbow with your left arm. This opens your chest and gives a good stretch to your shoulders.
• This is a standing asana that gives you a twist benefits.

The Bottom Line

Torso Stretch Pose calms your nervous system. Bharadvajasana improves the flexibility of your spine. It activates the abdominal organs, which improves your digestion process and keeps you stress-free. This pose can be done by anyone who has normal health and according to their level and comfort, by adjusting or using props.

This relaxes your entire body and mind, giving a calming effect. For a better Bharadvaja’s Twist in your overall health, you can add this to your yoga practice.

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