1. Put your yoga mat into a corner, kneel down in front of it and place your interlocked fingers in the corner close to the walls. 2. Put your head into the hollow of the palms, rise off the knees and take steps towards the corner. 3. Lift one leg and place it in the comer against the wall. If you are a little unsure, ask a friend to hold the leg and put it in the corner. Now, just kick the other leg up. Stay there for about 15 seconds, trying to remain relaxed. 4. To come out of the headstand, just lower one leg at a time. Again, if you feel unsure, ask a friend to hold one leg while you lower the other. Start off in the headstand for about 15 seconds. Increase the time by 15 seconds every week until you are doing three minutes.

1. The headstand increases circulation to the brain, improving intelligence, memory, vitality and confidence.
2. It improves many ailments, such as nervousness, tension, fatigue, sleeplessness, dullness, fear, poor blood circulation.
3. It stimulates four of the most important endocrine glands - the pituitary, the pineal, the thyroid, and the parathyroid glands It promotes hair growth, correct spine alignment and improved sleep.

SARVANG ASANA (The Shoulder Stand )

Technique 1. Lie flat on your back. Inhale deeply while raising your legs and spine until the toes point to the ceiling. 2. The body rests on the shoulders and the back of the neck. The body is supported by the hands, which are placed on the center of the spine between the waist and the shoulder blades. Keep your spine and legs straight. 3. Breathe slowly and deeply with the abdomen and concentrate on the thyroid gland. Stay in this position for about two minutes. 4. To come out of this posture, just bend your knees, curve your back and gradually unfold until your entire back touches the floor and slowly lower your legs to the ground.

Benefits

1. The main benefit of the shoulder stand is to get the thyroid gland working at peak efficiency. It's the thyroid gland which is mainly responsible for your correct weight and youthful appearance.
2. The shoulder stand also regulates the sex glands, vitalizes the nerves, purifies the blood and promotes good circulation, strengthens the lower organs and helps them to stay in place.
3. It gives a healthy stretch to the neck muscles.
4. It is beneficial for people suffering from poor circulation, constipation, indigestion, asthma and reduced virility.

HAL ASANA (The Plough)

Technique 1. Lie on your back, bring both legs over your head until the toes touch the floor behind your head. Try to keep your knees straight. Stretch the hands out towards your feet. 2. Breathe slowly and deeply from the abdomen and concentrate on the spine, especially where you feet the stretch taking place. Stay in this posture for about one minute. 3. To come out of the posture, just slowly uncurl the spine keeping your knees straight.

Benefits 1. This is the best posture for making the spine flexible and is very beneficial for back or neck stiffness, arthritis indigestion and constipation. 2. It benefits the thyroid gland, liver and spleen, stretches and pulls the vertebrae.

MATSY ASANA (The Fish)

Technique 1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and arms at your side. 2. Arch your back as much as you can while raising it off the ground by pushing the floor with your elbows. At the same

time, throw your head backwards, resting the crown of your head on the floor. Use your forearm and elbows to support you.
3. Expand your chest. Breathe deeply with the abdomen and concentrate on the thyroid gland.
4. Stay in this position for about one minute. Slowly come back to the starting position.

Benefits

1. The fish posture normalizes the function of the thyroid, pituitary, pineal and adrenal glands. It limbers and stretches the neck, strengthens and tones the nervous system, the kidneys, the stomach and intestines and the pelvic organs.
2. This is the only posture in this sequence which bends the spine (including the neck) backwards. This is essential, to counteract the preceding asanas which bend the spine forwards. The result is to give a healthy stretch to the muscles and ligaments of the spine in the opposite direction.
3. This posture benefits people with asthma.

PASCHIMOTHAN ASANA (The Forward Bend)

Technique 1. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched and heels together. Back, neck and head should be held straight. Bring both the hands with the palms down, parallel to the legs.

2. Inhale and try to touch your toes with your hands. Stay within your limits. Touch your ankles or knees if you can not reach your toes.
3. Exhale and slowly bring your head down in between the hands; stretch out the hands, toes and head as far as you can. Retain for 6 seconds.
4. Inhale and return gently to the first position.

Benefits

Gives flexibility to the spine, restores youthfulness. Beneficial for back and stomach.

PURVOTTAN ASANA ( Inclined Plane)

Technique 1. From a seated position, extend your legs and place the palms of your hands on the ground a few inches behind your hips. 2. Lean onto your hands. 3. Press out through the tips of your toes.

Benefits

Counter stretch for the Paschimothan asana. Releases tension in the shoulders and neck. Improves the flexibility of the back and ankles.

BHUJANG ASANA (Cobra)

Technique 1. Turn over on the stomach and place the hands, palms down under the shoulders on the floor. 2. Inhaling raise the chest and head, arching the back. Obtain as complete a stretching of the body as possible. 3. Retain the breath, then exhale while slowly lowering to the floor. Rest, then repeat two to seven times.

You will note that this pose complements the Shoulder Stand and provides stretch to the spine in the opposite direction.

Benefits

1. Affects the adrenal glands, sending them a richer supply of blood.
2. Muscles of the back, abdomen and entire upper body are strengthened. Tones sympathetic nerves.

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