Halasana (Plough posture)

Lie flat on your back with the arms at your sides and the palms resting on the ground. Keep your legs together, so that the big toe and the heel of one leg touch those of the other. Raise the legs slowly till they make a right angle with the trunk without bending the legs at the knees. Keeping the hands on the ground, raise the hip and the lumbar part of the back also and bring down the legs to the floor beyond the head. Press the chin against the chest and breathe slowly through the nose. Let your palms, wrists and hands be kept flat on the floor. Lift your knees and stretch the toes as much as possible. Remain in this posture for a few seconds in the beginning with slow, deep breathing. Then, slowly raise the legs and bring them gradually, by degrees to the original posture of lying flat on the back. Gradually, increase the duration from one to three minutes, according to your capacity and convenience.

Variation: After lifting your knees and stretching the toes as much as possible, you may take the hands and catch hold of the toes.

BENEFITS

Various diseases and complications of the back, spine and shoulders and pains in the stomach and elbows are removed. The spine is rendered flexible and sturdy. The abdominal muscles get rejunvenated. Better blood circulation is effected into those parts of the abdominal organs, the spinal column, the back and the neck. This Asana reduces excess of fat from the abdomen, thighs and hips.