Gheranda: Name of Sage
Asana: Pose
Baddha Virabhadrasana at a Glance
Sukha Gherandasana is a beautiful twist posture, which is an advanced pose and can be considered a variation of the Bow pose. This boosts your energy if done properly with coordination with your breath.
Benefits:
- This pose strengthens and opens your shoulders.
- It helps to strengthen your spine, which helps to improve your posture.
- It helps to enhance the functioning of your digestive system.
- This pose gives a good stretch to your chest, abdomen, hips, groins, thighs, back, and ankles.
Who can do it?
People doing yoga for years and developed good strength and flexibility can do this pose. People who are already good at backbend poses can do this pose. Sportspersons and dancers can also attempt this pose to enhance their flexibility.
Who should not do it?
People with any injury in their wrist, neck, shoulder, back, and hips should avoid this pose. Beginners should not do this pose. People with any surgery should avoid this pose or consult their health care professional. Pregnant women should not do this pose. Women during their menstrual cycle should avoid doing it. People with abdominal or heart issues should avoid this pose.
How to Do Sukha Gherandasana?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure
This being an advanced back bend, do a proper warmup and preparatory poses related to the back bend, like the bow pose.
- Come to the prone pose, flat on your belly, and relax with gentle breaths.
- Breathe in and come to the cobra pose, inhale, and bend your right knee bring the heel toward the hip, and press gently, keep your hand on top of the right toes (elbows should be pointing in the middle and up), and get into the Ardha Bekasana pose.
- Inhale and bring your left arm, bend your left knee back, and catch hold of the left ankle or the toes.
- Nowhere, press your right hand (which is on the right foot) down inhale deeply, and lift your left leg and thigh with your left arm and left hand straight up.
- At the same time, lift your chest and your head, coordinating with your breath.
- Gaze at a steady point by focusing between your eyebrows.
- Hold the pose for a few breaths within your comfort.
- When you release, inhale, and bring your legs and arm in the starting position lie on your stomach, and do the Double leg forward pose. Janu Sirsasana – Head to knee pose.
- Do it on the other side, by lifting the right leg and pressing the left foot slowly.
What are the Benefits of Sukha Gherandasana?
- It improves your focus and helps activate both sides of your brain.
- It helps to strengthen and, stretch your chest, hips, thighs, back muscles, and ankles.
- It improves the flexibility of your spine, hamstrings, shoulders, and spine.
- It boosts your energy and improves your self-awareness.
- This pose helps to balance, both physically and mentally.
Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Sukha Gherandasana
- This could be helpful for people with mild back and sciatica pain.
- This pose stimulates your abdominal organs and helps to keep you away from constipation and bloating.
- This helps to relieve the stress and tension from various parts of your body if performed with self-awareness.
Safety and Precautions
- People with abdominal or heart issues should avoid this pose.
- Respect your body limits.
- Use props for proper support and comfort.
- Any pain or discomfort, just leave the pose.
Common Mistakes
- Avoid rushing into the pose.
- Avoid doing it after meals.
- Avoid overarching your lower back.
- Avoid holding your breath.
Tips for Sukha Gherandasana
- Warmup and preparatory poses are important.
- Use props like blocks, wall support, or yoga straps.
- If you are new to this purpose, do it under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
- Do it on the yoga mat or any soft surface.
- Do the relaxing pose like a half lotus pose.
Physical Alignment Principles for Sukha Gherandasana
- The pubic bone should press on the ground.
- Right thigh on the ground.
- Shoulders should come toward each other.
- Your left hand is straight and holding the ankle of the left leg and left thigh off the floor.
- Right heel press your right hip and point your right elbow up.
- Gaze forward at a steady point.
- Keep your neck relaxed.
- One arm is bent, and one arm is straight.
- One leg pressed on the hips and one leg (single leg) up.
Sukha Gherandasana and Breath
The movement of the pose moves with your breath. Keep breathing and inhale to lift your head and chest, hold your left ankle with the left arm, lift with an exhale, and keep breathing continuously. Exhale to deepen the pose and keep breathing to balance and release your stress and tension with every exhale.
Sukha Gherandasana and Variations
- Dhanurasana
- Do this pose with the support of props -blocks, a yoga strap, or support from the wall.
- Frog poses or half-frog pose.
- (Bound Lotus Pose on Stomach) but with the right knee bent and the right hand on the floor in front.
- One-legged bow pose.
The Bottom Line
Gheranda Pose is a twisting and strengthening pose, which is good for your mind as well as your body. You should practice regularly to build up to this advanced pose. All you need to do is always align properly, breathe mindfully and practice under the guidance of a yoga teacher. If you have any health issues, consult with your doctor first. Listen to your body and be aware of any sensations to stay calm and centered.
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