Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa Benefits

Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa at a Glance

Introduction

Karna dhanurasana’s archery is used for spiritual practice. Archery is used for spiritual practice. The pose should be done with an “Om” chanting and the person is assumed to be an arrow, with the senses assumed to be the string. The target is fixed as God. It is assumed that when a person pulls the string, he withdraws his senses and acquires a meditative state. The pose flow is designed to strengthen the legs, hips, spine, chest, and shoulders and to improve balance and concentration.

Chakra

It mainly activates the Swadhisthana (Sacral chakra), thus enhancing the person’s creativity, emotional well-being, and sensuality. It also stimulates the abdominal chakras.

Philosophy

Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa creates a sense of balance between the body and mind by combining physical postures and deep breathing techniques. It is believed to enhance the spiritual aspect of a person, thus improving overall well-being by promoting relaxation, reducing stress and increasing mindfulness. It looks like a shooting bow pose.

How to Do Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa?
Follow the Step-by-Step Instructions

• Start with a sitting in the Dandasana pose.
• Hold the big toes with your fingers and lift your left foot, keeping your elbow and knee flexed.
• Inhaling and exhaling, pull the left foot up till the heel of the foot reaches the left ear.
• Lift the left hand back from the shoulder, keeping your blades relaxed.
• Keep your right foot straight, holding your right toe with your right hand. Feel the stretch on the thigh with
• Stay in the pose for a few seconds, breathing deeply. Extend your arms outward at shoulder height and exhale. Pull the left leg further. Try to bring your lifted left leg in the crook of the right elbow. Feel the stretch towards the ear.
• Inhaling and exhaling, pull the leg backward towards the left ear. Hold both toes with your arms relaxed. Stay in the pose for a few seconds.
• Exhaling, bend your left knee, bring it near your ear and reach the final position.
• Draw the left leg back to the floor and relax and extend both legs. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.

What are the Benefits of Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa?

• Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa stretches and strengthens the leg muscles and joints of arms, shoulders and elbows, thus improving blood circulation.
• Tadasana helps to improve posture, alignment, and stability. It also calms the mind and prepares the body for the next pose.
• It stretches the hamstrings, glutes, groin, and chest muscles, tones the abdominal organs, and improves digestion.
• It increases the flexibility and detoxifies the body.
• It is believed to enhance cardiovascular health and reduce stress and anxiety.
• Akarna dhanurasana opens the hips by stretching the hip flexors. The spine is kept straight.
• It also increases the efficiency of the kidney and liver by detoxifying the body.
• The core muscles are also stretched while holding the pose for the archer’s pose. It stimulates the abdominal organs, hence aiding in good digestion.

Health Conditions Benefit with Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa

• The pose cures sciatica.
• It helps in treating Rheumatoid arthritis by making joints flexible.
• Treats asthma as it increases the breathing capacity.
• Relieves Tuberculosis, cough or tonsillitis.
• Akarna dhanurasana improves digestion and cures constipation.
• Cures Gout and leg pain.
• It is believed to treat Armpit tumors and lumps.

Safety and Precautions

• During menstruation, women should avoid the pose.
• People with shoulder or hamstring injuries or lower back issues should avoid the pose.
• People with recent surgery around the shoulders or hips should avoid the pose.

Beginner’s Tips

• Keep your shoulder relaxed. Keep your gaze in front and do not bend your knees.
• The lower leg should be kept straight and firm on the floor.
• Do not lose the grip on the big toes throughout the pose.

Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa and Breath

• Inhale and exhale and sit in dandasana. Take a few deep breaths.
• Inhale and bring your left foot closer to your chest and hold the big toe of your left foot with your left hand. Simultaneously keep your right foot stretched in front and hold it with your right hand.
• Inhale and exhale. Relax your muscles in this pose till you are comfortable. Maintain the alignment of the spine
• and keep your shoulders relaxed.
• Inhale and exhale and try to bring your bent foot near to your left ear. Relax.
• Inhale and exhale and release the pose slowly. Repeat the same steps on the other side.

Physical Alignment Principles of Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa

• In this pose, while holding your big toe of one of the feet, maintain the natural curve of the spine, do not lean too forward with the round shoulder. Engage your core and keep lengthening your spine.
• Maintain deep breaths. Use props if needed. Keep the pose comfortable with no strain on the bent or straight knee. Keep your body involved but relaxed.

Common Mistakes

• Do not be in a hurry to hold your big toe for this pose.
• Do a few stretches for flexibility and open your body.
• When you sit in dandasana, keep lengthening your spine before going to the final pose.
• You can use a strap for holding your big toe if unreachable.
• do not strain your neck and shoulder. Engage your core, and maintain deep breaths.

Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa and Variations

• Humble Warrior Pose is a deep stretch for the shoulder, chest, and hips.
• Dancing Warrior II is a balance pose that challenges the core, legs and arms. 
• Warrior pose flow is a powerful pose that builds strength, stamina and flexibility in the whole body. 
• Humble Warrior Pose Arms Extended Backwards intensify the chest, shoulders and arms stretch.
• Standing Archer Pose is a deep stretch for the hamstring, glutes, groins and chest muscles. 

Modifications

Using a chair

Place a chair near your shoulder. You can rest the lifted foot on the chair while lifting it towards the ear. Hold the big toe firmly.

Yoga strap

You can sit near a wall holding the yoga strap, forming a loop. Practice the asana while resting the lifted foot within the loop as you extend the leg. A  yoga strap can also be used to grab the lower foot.

Against a pillar

Sit beside a pillar in dandasana. Rest your heel on the pillar while the other leg is straight on the floor as you extend and straighten your leg up. Feel the stretch on the thigh. This maintains the pose more steadily.

Preparatory poses

• Reclining hand-to-big-toe pose (Supta Padangusthasana)
• Dancer’s pose (Natrajasana)
• Cow face pose (Gomukhasana)
• Garland pose (Malasana)
• Half boat pose (Ardha Navasana)
• Bound angle pose (Badha konasana)
• Locusts pose(Shalabhasana)
• Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)
• Bridge pose (Setu bandha asana)

Follow up poses

• Mountain pose (Tadasana)
• Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
• Warrior pose II (Virabhadrasana II)
• Warrior Pose III (Virabhadrasana III)
• Cow Face Arms (Gomukhasana Arms)
• Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
• Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)
• Dancing Warrior (Variation Flow)
• Firelog Pose Twist (Agnistambhasana Twist)

FAQs

Which muscles are used in Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasa Vinyasa?

Arms and shoulders, Hamstrings, glutes, and hips, Core Chest, are the muscles stretched in the pose.

The Bottom Line

Tadasana Akarna Dhanurasana Vinyasa is a great stretch to enhance muscle flexibility. The pose and the Variations of the pose can help people grow and build confidence in their yoga practice and perform advanced-level yoga poses.

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