Bharadvajasana I

(bah-ROD-va-JAHS-anna)
Bharadvaja = one of seven legendary seers, credited with composing the hymns collected in the Vedas

Step by Step

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Shift over onto your right buttock, bend your knees, and swing your legs to the left. Lay your feet on the floor outside your left hip, with the left ankle resting in the right arch. 

Inhale and lift through the top of the sternum to lengthen the front torso. Then exhale and twist your torso to the right, keeping the left buttock on or very close to the floor. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor to keep the lower back long. Soften the belly.

Tuck your left hand under your right knee and bring your right hand to the floor just beside your right buttock. Pull your left shoulder back slightly, pressing your shoulder blades firmly against your back even as you continue to twist the chest to the right. 

You can turn your head in one of two directions: continue the twist of the torso by turning it to the right; or counter the twist of the torso by turning it left and looking over the left shoulder at your feet.

With every inhalation lift a little more through the sternum, using the push of the fingers on the floor to help; with every exhalation twist a little more. 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.

Benefits

• Stretches the spine, shoulders, and hips
• Massages the abdominal organs
• Relieves lower backache, neck pain, and sciatica
• Helps relieve stress
• Improves digestion
• Especially good in the second trimester of pregnancy for strengthening the lower back
• Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome

Contraindications and Cautions

Serious back or spine injury: Perform this pose only with the supervision of an experienced teacher. Also avoid this pose if you have:

• Diarrhoea
• Headache
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Low blood pressure
• Menstruation