What is Matsyendrasana, Its Benefits & Precautions

What is Matsyendrasana

Matsyendrasana It is a very powerful asana of yoga. In this asana the body is twisted from a sitting position.

• The twisting of the spine touches on the basic foundation and functioning of the skeleton itself. A flexible mind and an inflexible spine can rarely be found together. If the body is tied in a knot, so are the mind and emotions

Also Know as: Full spinal twist Posture, Full lord of the fishes Pose, Matseyanrasana, Matsynder Asan

How to start this Asana

• Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, buttocks can be supported on a folded blanket.
• Step the right foot over the left leg and stand it on the floor outside your left hip.
• The right knee will point directly up at the ceiling.
• Exhale and twist toward the inside of the right thigh.
• Press the right hand against the floor just behind your right buttock, and set your left upper arm on the outside of your right thigh near the knee.
• Pull your front torso and inner right thigh snugly together.
• Press the inner right foot very actively into the floor, lengthen through the body and continue to lengthen the tailbone into the floor.
• Continue bending of the chest by turning it to the right side.
• With every inhalation lift a little more through the sternum, pushing the fingers against the floor to help.
• Turn a little more with every time breathe out.
• Turn your spine entirely (from top part to below part), don’t turn only the lower part of the back, keep your right shoulder rolling back as the left shoulder rolls forward.

How to end this Asana

• Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then release with an exhalation, return to the starting position, and repeat to the left for the same length of time.

Video Tutorial

Benefits of Matsyendrasana

According to research, this Asana is helpful as per below^(YR/1)

1. It stimulates the pancreas, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach and ascending and descending colons.
2. It is useful in the treatment of diabetes, constipation, dyspepsia and urinary problems.
3. It mproves health of the nerve roots, and realigns the spine column in proper shape.
4. The back muscles are pulled and stretched in a different direction than usual, so this relieves tension from this muscles.
5. Therefore this asana is recommended in the cases of Low back pain, Rheumatism and Slipped disc.
6. In fact, it is a powerful yoga asana and its vitalizing effects can be felt quickly.

Precaution to be taken before doing Matsyendrasana

As per several scientific studies, precautions need to be taken in diseases mentioned as per below^(YR/2)

1. Women more than 2 or 3 months pregnant should avoid this practice.
2. People suffering from peptic ulcer, hernia or hyperthyroidism should only practice this pose under expert guidance.
3. Avoid this asana if you have problem of sciatica and slipped disc.

So, consult your doctor if you have any of the problem mentioned above.

Histroy and scientific base of Yoga

Due to the oral transmission of sacred writings and the secrecy of its teachings, yoga’s past is riddled with mystery and confusion. Early yoga literature were recorded on delicate palm leaves. So it was easily damaged, destroyed, or lost. Yoga’s origins may be dated back over 5,000 years. However other academics believe it could be as old as 10,000 years. Yoga’s lengthy and illustrious history may be split into four distinct periods of growth, practise, and invention.

• Pre Classical Yoga
• Classical Yoga
• Post Classical Yoga
• Modern Yoga

Yoga is a psychological science with philosophical overtones. Patanjali begins his Yoga method by instructing that the mind must be regulated – Yogahs-chitta-vritti-nirodhah. Patanjali does not delve into the intellectual underpinnings of the need to regulate one’s mind, which are found in Samkhya and Vedanta. Yoga, he continues, is the regulation of the mind, the constraint of the thought-stuff. Yoga is a science based on personal experience. The most essential advantage of yoga is that it helps us to maintain a healthy bodily and mental state.

Yoga can help to slow down the ageing process. Since aging starts mostly by autointoxication or self-poisoning. So, we can considerably limit the catabolic process of cell degeneration by keeping the body clean, flexible, and properly lubricated. Yogasanas, pranayama, and meditation must all be combined to reap the full advantages of yoga.

SUMMARY
Matsyendrasana is helpful in increase flexibility of muscles, improves shape of the body, reduce mental stress, as well improves overall health.