How To Do Parvatasana - The Mountain Pose

Health is more than just the absence of disease; it is a way of life. It's all about learning to be happy, caring, and loving in life. Yoga is a way of life that promotes overall health. Thousands of people are choosing Yoga Asana because of the multiple benefits that come with practising Yoga on a regular basis. Improves general health and well-being, provides strength, stamina, agility, detoxifies the body, and strengthens the immune system, to name a few.

Yoga Asanas are yogic postures or exercises. Yoga Sutras are defined by the Sage Patanjali in his definite literature as 'Sthiram Sukham Asanam,' which means Asana is a Yoga Posture that preserves the body in a steady and comfortable state. Asana is the third step in Classical Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga, which is an eight-step Yoga journey to self-actualization. Cultural Asanas and contemplative Asanas make up Yoga Asanas or Postures. The goal of yoga asana is to improve physical strength, agility, balance, and stability. Yoga Asanas keep the body and mind healthy and disease-free. Yoga Asanas prepare the physical body for advanced Yoga practises and achieving the ultimate aim of spiritual unification with higher consciousness.

We'll begin with the most basic Yoga Asana, the mountain pose, today. Founder Shri Yogendraji designed this Yoga Asana so that the average householder may easily perform it while still reaping the benefits. Yogendra Parvatasana and its modifications are demonstrated in the steps below. For the lateral (upward) stretching of the spine, Parvatasana is a cultural Asana (a classical Yoga Asana or pose). Mountain position, Yogendra Parvatasana, derives its benefits from the properties of a mountain, such as stability, fixity, and strength. There are three variations of this posture that provide all-around stretch and twist to the spine.

Classical pose:

C1. Starting position:

1. Sit in Padmasana / Sukhasana with the hands on the sides of your body. Keep your chest flung forward, your neck straight, your abdomen in a normal shape, your chin drawn in, and your eyes fixed on a single spot straight ahead.

C2. The sequence of steps:

1. Inhaling, raise both arms together from their respective sides for an upward stretch in 3 seconds.
2. In this upward stretched stance of arms, join the palms together. Keep the palms together or interlace the fingers. Keep your hands near to your ears, your abdomen in a normal shape, and your back upright. Keep your arms stretched and straight by avoiding bending them at the elbows and wrists. Fix your gaze on a single point in the distance.
3. Maintain this completely stretched (palms joined) stance for 6 seconds while holding your breath (final position).
4. Return to beginning position by exhaling and turning the palm position outwards for 3 seconds, then bringing it down to the sides while keeping the arms straight to complete 1 round.

C3. Recommended practice:

1. Practice for four rounds without stopping.

D. Variation-1:

D1. Starting position:

1. As in C1, begin by sitting in the starting posture.
2. Raise both arms to join the palms from their respective sides, keeping the hands straight and close to the ears. Palms might be connected or fingers can be interlaced.

D2. The sequence of steps:

1. Bend to the right in 3 seconds while inhaling and keeping the head between the arms. Allow the spine to arch sideways while remaining still below the waist.
2. Return to the centre position in 3 seconds, exhaling immediately.
3. Inhaling, repeat to the left in 3 seconds to complete 1 round.

E. Variation-2:

E1. Starting position: same as D1, above.

E2. The sequence of steps:

1. Exhale, twist your spine to the right, pivoting from the lower end of the spine and maintaining stability below the waist. Because this is an axial movement, keep the upper torso as a single unit while twisting. While exhaling, complete this step in 3 seconds.
2. Untwist the spine and return to centre position in 3 seconds by inhaling.
3. Exhaling, twist to the left in 3 seconds, as described in step 1 above.
4. Inhaling, untwist the spine and return to the centre position in three seconds.

F. Variation-3:

F1. Starting position: same as D1, above.

F2. The sequence of steps:

1. Bend backwards while inhaling, keeping the head locked in between the arms. Allow the spine to arch backwards while remaining still below the waist. While inhaling, complete this step in 3 seconds.
2. Begin bending forward (waist up) as soon as you exhale, keeping your head locked in between your arms. To bring the body parallel to the ground, let the spine arch forward with no movement below the waist. While exhaling, complete this step in 3 seconds.
3. For 6 seconds, hold this forward stretched stance while holding your breath (final position).
4. Lift the head and arms and return to the centre position in 3 seconds by inhaling.

G. Returning to starting position (for the variations):  Exhaling, turn the palm position outwards for 3 seconds before bringing it down to the sides with the arms straight to complete one cycle of the preceding variants.

H. Recommended practice (for all variations):

1. Without pausing, complete one cycle of each variant. Two cycles of the above variants should be practised.

I. Limitations / Contraindications:

1. People who have had a spinal injury or have anomalies in their spine.
2. Arthritis and a frozen shoulder
3. Hypertension and significant heart problems (especially Variation-3)

J. Benefits

1. Straightens the back muscles and corrects minor postural faults in the spine.
2. All of the abdominal and pelvic muscles are stretched, and the hips are loosening.
3. Exercises the inactive waist zone, which aids in the reduction of fatty and flabby abdominal tissue.
4. The spine's abnormal curvature and small vertebral displacements are rectified.
5. Internal organs in the abdomen region are massaged properly, resulting in better blood circulation; viscera are generally resting on the pelvic floor.
6. By providing natural support to the viscera, prolapse (sliding down) of the uterus is reduced.
7. The effectiveness of the nerves coming out of the spine improves as blood circulation in the vertebral region improves.
8. The spine's abnormal curvature and small vertebral displacements are rectified.