Yoga has been around for centuries as a practice for keeping the mind, body and soul in perfect harmony. It originated in India thousands of years ago from the knowledge and understanding of the human body and mind that the saints gathered. Since then, it has become an extremely popular practice across the world for bringing positive change in our lives. Yoga encompasses several physical poses called asanas, breathing exercises like Pranayam and several other meditation and relaxation techniques, providing holistic solutions to all human fitness needs.
The breathing exercises are believed to enhance the flow of energy in your body by consciously controlling and regulating your breath, providing a profound impact on your mind and body. Meditation and relaxation exercises help you calm your mind and cultivate inner peace. By meditating, you cultivate mindfulness, increase self-consciousness and control stress and anxiety.
However, asanas are the most well-known aspect of yoga. They are designed to increase your physical strength and stability, balance and flexibility and provide several other benefits. From simple asanas to complex postures, there are different kinds of poses for all kinds of practitioners.
One of the most popular ones is Mayurasana or Peacock Pose from the Hatha yoga form. Also known as the Peacock Pose, is an advanced asana that requires strength, flexibility and balance. The name is derived from two Sanskrit words – Mayur (peacock) and Asana (pose). This means that this pose creates a sitting peacock-like shape with its wings open. It primarily targets the core muscles of your body including abdominal muscles, arms, wrists, and shoulders. Other benefits include strengthening the spine, improving digestion, massaging abdominal organs and over healthy functioning of your entire body.
In this article, we will tell you about Mayurasana benefits and precautions to follow, steps to do the yoga Peacock Pose and a lot more:
Table of Content:
- How to Practice Mayurasana (Peacock Pose)
- Benefits of Mayurasana
- Psychological Benefits of Mayurasana
- Things to remember while doing Mayurasana
- Variations of Mayurasana
How to Practice Mayurasana (Peacock Pose)
Since Mayurasana is an advanced pose, it is recommended that you practice under the guidance of an experienced teacher. It takes a lot of consistent practice and time to master the pose and reap the benefits it provides. Since it works a number of your body parts intensively, you must modify the pose if you have any pre-existing injuries in your shoulders, wrists, elbow, etc. Like all other yoga poses, it is essential that you listen to your body and respect its limitations. Never force your body to practice a pose that makes you uncomfortable or stretches your limits beyond comfort. Warming up the body before you get into the pose is the best way, to begin with. This will ensure that your muscles are flexible enough to stretch according to the pose.
Here’s how to do the Peacock Pose:
- To get into the post, start by kneeling down on the floor with your knees hip-width apart
- Put your hands on the floor. Your fingers must point towards your body with palms facing down
- Now, slowly lower your body to the point where your elbows rest against your abdomen at a 90-degree angle. Ensure that your elbows are close to your sides
- Extend your legs behind you while keeping them straight and close together
- Lift your body off the ground while engaging your core muscles as you shift your weight to your arms and forearms. Continue lifting your body till your body is parallel to the floor
- Now, straighten your leg and point your toes so that it creates a straight line from head to toe
- Maintain this pose for multiple breaths. Keep your balance and stability intact
- Slowly lower your feet to the floor and return to the kneeling pose to finish the pose
Benefits of Mayurasana
Yoga provides a number of benefits and can impact your body, mind and soul bringing a positive impact in your life. This is the reason why yoga has gained such immense popularity globally in the last few years. With several styles of yoga such as Ashtanga yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Iyengar yoga, Kundalini yoga, and Bikram yoga, among others, every style provides its own advantage through emphasis, balancing and approach.
Regular yoga practice can improve your body strength, flexibility, and posture, reduce muscle tension, and even chronic pain. Not just that, it can also improve your concentration, focus, and mental clarity while reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
Here are some Peacock Pose benefits:
- Mayurasana is believed to detoxify your body. Hence, solving problems like tumors and fever
- It also works well to improve your digestion and it massages your abdominal organs. Additionally, it also improves blood circulation in your abdomen, strengthening your stomach muscles and improving digestion
- Mayurasana is really beneficial for men with low fertility. If practiced by women, it can help them with mensuration problems and menopause
- It also increases bone health, especially in areas like shoulders, arms, wrists and elbows
- Mayurasana not only works your physical strength but it also regulates blood pressure, helping you control your blood sugar level. This is why it is believed to be really good for people with diabetes
- Doing Mayurasana requires a lot of strength and energy, helping you consume higher amounts of glucose and burn fat. This way it consumes a lot of your body’s sugar, helping in better regulation
- Mayurasana is also believed to be beneficial in the treatment of piles
Psychological benefits of Mayurasana
It is a well-known fact that yoga aids mental health as well. The same is the case with Mayurasana. The Peacock pose relaxes your mind, providing relief from stress and anxiety. With our lives becoming more and more stressful, we are constantly living in a state of psychological turmoil. Practicing Mayurasana provides instant relief from anxiety, creating a more balanced state of mind. This can have an overarching impact on every sphere of our lives as a stress-free mind is a lot healthier and is able to handle things more effectively.
Things to remember while doing Mayurasana
As mentioned earlier, yoga is a personal journey and every practitioner must listen to the body and not go to the points where the body feels uncomfortable. Similarly, there are a few things you must keep in mind while doing Mayurasana.
- It is important to note that people with Tuberculosis (TB), heart diseases, hernia, or peptic ulcers should not practice Mayurasana
- You must practice this asana on an empty stomach
- While you can do this asana any time of the day, it is best to do it in the morning. This way you can do it on an empty stomach
- Pregnant women should avoid doing this asana
- If you experience any kind of pain in your body while doing this asana, you must consult a yoga trainer or a doctor before continuing it
- If you have pain in the back and neck, slip discs, blood pressure issues, dizziness in your head, migraine, or hyperacidity, you must avoid doing this pose
Variations of Mayurasana
If you happen to like Mayurasana, it provides as many as 24 variations that you can try. Some of these include:
- Feathered Peacock Pose
- Swan Pose
- Padma Mayurasana
- Pinch Mayurasana
- One-legged Peacock Pose
- Half-Feathered Peacock Pose
- Scorpion Pose
- Peacock Pose Lotus Legs
- Scorpion Handstand Pose
- Feathered Peacock Pose Hollow Back
- Feathered Peacock Pose Preparation With Assistance
It is important to note that these variations must be practiced only once you have mastered or gained enough control of the basic Mayurasana. Like in any other yoga pose or practice, it is important to progress slowly while keeping the comfort of your body in mind. If you can, practice Mayurasana and its variations under the guidance of a trainer so that you don’t go wrong with it. Additionally, these variations can be different under different yoga lineages and particular interpretations. To get the most out of these, you must learn them all so that you can then choose the one that suits your body the most.
Mayurasana – A pose with multiple benefits
Mayurasana, an advanced yoga pose, offers several physical and mental benefits. Requiring a lot of physical strength, balance and flexibility, it is an ideal option for those looking to deepen their personal yoga practice. While it delivers several physical benefits like strengthening muscles and bones, it also brings a profound impact on your mental and emotional well-being. However, it is also crucial to maintain the right alignment and follow proper techniques to avoid injuries and maximize its benefits.
Mayurasna, often considered one of the most complete yoga poses of all, reinforces the transformative power of yoga as it integrates physical strength, mental focus and inner awareness. This helps you tap into your innate potential and rediscover the harmony between your body, mind and soul. So, embrace this amazing yoga pose, approach it with sincere reverence, and follow the pose to the T to gain the maximum benefits it provides.
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