Garbhasana is the pose that every person starts life with. Grabhasana, which literally means the "Fetus Pose," makes the a person doing this exercise look an unborn child in the womb. When this asana is performed, the pose achieved resembles that of a human foetus in the womb. So this asana is called Garbhasana.
Being an abdominal exercise, it has many benefits ranging from reducing tummy fat and clearing the way to six pack abs to building body’s resistance to ailments like gastric troubles, colic pain, stomach upsets, chronic fever, flatulence, enteritis, indigestion and constipation.
Technique - As a Kukkutasana, insert the hands between the thighs and the calves. Push the arms forward till the elbows can be easily bent. Then hold the lobe of the right ear with the right hand and of the left ear with the left hand. Stay in this position very cautiously to avoid tumbling. The constant practice of this asana will enable you to balance the body on the coccyx (the tail bone). If aspirants experience difficulty in performing this asana in Padmasana position, it should be practiced without Padmasana. While performing this asana, let the legs be stretched on the floor. The asana should be performed for 8 to 10 seconds in the beginning. Later, the time of the retention of the asana can be increased to one minute depending on age, ability of the aspirants and benefits expected.
How to do the Garbhasana - Begin by sitting on a mat. Keep your legs crossed with your arms by your side with palms resting on the carpet to support you. Inhale and exhale normally and be comfortable at this stage. As you are learning to do this exercise, sit with a wall behind you to support your back.
Inhale deeply and stiffen the muscles of your limbs. Place your back firmly against the wall (from aspirants) and pull your crossed legs upwards. While doing this you will have to bend a bit away from the wall. But then the psychological feeling that the wall is there to prevent you from falling backwards is what counts.
When you bend at your hip, your body may shake and your legs may fall to the floor. This happens when you are still learning to do this exercise. Practice will make you perfect and ultimately you will you learn to do it by bending your hip and lifting your legs.
Once you lift your legs, use one hand to support your legs to remain in this position. You can now move your arm with which you are supporting your legs to stay in position. With practice, you will learn to balance your upraised legs without any support.
Now you will have to use all your skill and strength to push one arm through your folded legs from in between your calf muscle and thigh. You will have to do one arm at a time. Your right arm goes into your right leg and your left arm into your left leg.
As this is a slightly difficult move, you may have to struggle to push your arms into your folded legs. You will also need somebody to support you while learn to do this exercise.
When you are comfortable with the above step, you can try bringing your arms from between your folded legs up to your knees. Later on you can also try to pull your arms a little bit further and place them on your shoulders or even below your chin. But these are advanced moves and you will have to try these only after you master the primary step of inserting your arms fully into your folded legs.
During the learning stage, it is common for all learners to fall either forward or backward. The wall behind you can prevent you from falling backwards. And if you do fall forward, you may use your hands to break your fall. A better option is to ask a partner or yoga teacher to support you from the front. While learning, it is common to fall in either direction, so do this exercise with a wall behind you and a partner to support you from the front.
How to Exit - Bend forward from your hip and release your folded legs. Rest your legs on the floor. After doing this, you may release your hands from the legs. But never withdraw your arms before resting your legs securely on the floor. If you do this, you will not only find it painful to withdraw your arms, but you could also badly sprain your arms.
Benefits - While doing the Garbhasana your abdomen is under pressure and therefore you can gradually develop a flat washboard-like abdomen. Due to this pressure on the abdomen, your abdominal organs also perform efficiently and can increase your body’s resistance to ailments like gastric troubles, indigestion flatulence, colic pains, stomach upsets, enteritis, chronic fever, and constipation.
- This exercise can also help in toning your elbows and knees as these joints are under considerable pressure while doing the Fetus Pose.
- This asana keeps the abdominal organs trim. It cures gas-trouble and increases the digestion-power.
- The abdominal organs, the breast and the joints of the arms and the legs get sufficient exercise through this asana and their ailments disappear.
- This asana helps to preserve the semen and the mind begins to have communion with the soul.
OBS.: To derive comprehensive benefits from the different yoga asanas, do this posture along with other yoga asanas like the Ardha Chandrasana to resist ailments like osteoporosis and slipped disc, the Mandukasana to resist diabetes, and the Halasana to exercise your entire body with a single posture.
Who Should Avoid - Those of you who suffer from any hip, back or neck related ailment like sciatica, slipped disc or spondylitis should avoid doing this exercise. Before you start doing this exercise, do not forget to consult your doctor and yoga teacher.
Garbhâsana - Traduction sanskrite: garbha = l'embryon. La posture de l'embryon
Bénéfices - Fortifie la colonne vertébrale, stimule l'élimination, améliore la respiration, aide dans certaines pathologies respiratoires comme l'asthme, peut être préventive de certains troubles cardiaques, débloque le diaphragme et le plexus solaire.
Energétique - Installe durablement urdhvaretas (la verticalité), "magnétise" sushmunâ, élimine les énergie rajas et tamas du souffle.
Mentaux - Intériorise la pensée et les perceptions sensorielles, développe la stabilité de l'attention, permet d'accéder à des états de conscience méditatifs.
Durée - De 1 a 5 minutes. Idéalement entre 5 et 20 minutes.
OBS.: Chakra concerné - Principalement le chakra du cœur et accessoirement la gorge et le pubis. Nâdî concerné - Sushumnâ. Prânâyâma utilisé - Le rythme 1/4/2 avec kakimudra, puis nirvrittipranayama le souffle immobile. Mudra/bandha/drishti utilisés - Mulabandha, kakîmudrâ et shambavî mudrâ. Visualisations - Expansion dans le cœur, non souffle dans la colonne vertébrale. Mantra utilisé - "Om".
