Saithalyasana also known as Animal relaxation pose is a preparatory pose for Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose and other such asanas.
Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose also prepares your body for meditation and makes you introspective. This asana is beneficial in calming the mind and relaxing the whole body. Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose stretches the neck and pelvis in opposite directions and helps in opening the hip joint.
Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose also massages the internal organs of the body thus improving the blood circulation and making the body flexible.
Technique for Practicing Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose
- To practice Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose, sit with your legs outstretched.
- Bend you right knee in such a way that you place the heel of your foot against the inside of your left thigh.
- Next step to do Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose involves bending your left knee in such a way that the left heel is placed to the outside of left buttock.
- Now, bring your torso over your right knee which is touching the inside of left thigh.
- Bring your hands above your head and keep them straight with your shoulders wide apart.
- Now, bend forward over the right knee in such a way that your forehead is touching the floor.
- This is the final position of Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose. Rest for 20-30 seconds in this final position.
- To come back to the original position, raise your arms and torso in a straight line and then bring your hands to touch the right knee.
- This completes one round of Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose.
- Practice the same for three to four times on both the left and right sides.
Breathing While Practicing Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose
- When practicing Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose, raise your arms while inhaling.
- While exhaling, bring your body down to the front.
- Maintain your breath in the final position of Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose – Breathe normally in this position.
- While Inhaling, return to the upright position.
- While exhaling, lower your arms and touch them to your respective knee.
Benefits of Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose
- Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose is beneficial in opening up the Hip joint.
- It calms down the body by working on the nervous system.
- One of the benefits of Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose is that it stretches the neck, pelvis, arms and abdomen and inside of the thighs.
- Saithalyasana massages the abdominal organs thereby improving digestion and relieving constipation.
- Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose also acts as a preparatory pose for meditative poses and can also precede any backward bending asanas like Dhanurasana and
- Bhujangasana which stretches the neck and pelvis in the opposite direction.
- Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose is also beneficial in stretching the spine to bring it back to normal condition to make it more flexible.
- This yoga pose also oxygenates the blood there by pumping the pure oxygenated blood to heart and lungs.
Precautions While Practicing Saithalyasana or Animal Relaxation Pose
- People who have serious lower back injuries should bend forward as much as their body allows.
