Vajrasana: How to Do It and Its Health Benefits

Vajrasana is a culmination of two Sanskrit words – ‘vajra’ and ‘asana’. Vajra means thunderbolt and refers to the mythical weapon of Lord Indra in Hindu mythology. It is a symbol of strength and indestructibility. Asana means posture in yoga. Vajrasana is one of the easiest asanas and is perfect for beginners. It provides strength to the body and calms the mind.

What is Vajrasana?

Vajrasana, also called thunderbolt or diamond pose, is one of the simplest yoga asanas. It makes the body strong as a diamond. This is the best asana to cure any stomach related ailments. It is the only asana in yoga that you can perform immediately after a meal.

People of any age can perform this asana easily. Therefore, it has great health benefits and strengthens your digestive organs and improves overall health. Moreover, it also elongates your spine, which improves your posture.

Different names of Vajrasana:

• Adamantine Pose
• Pelvic pose
• Thunderbolt pose
• Diamond pose
• Kneeling pose

Steps to Perform Vajrasana

Vajrasana is simple, but it is extremely important to do it correctly. Follow these steps to perform the diamond pose perfectly.

1 – Sit on the flat floor or a yoga mat by kneeling.

2 – Fold the knees and ankles backwards and point the feet in line with the legs. The bottoms of the feet should face upward by touching the big toes.

3 – Sit back on your legs and exhale. Buttocks should rest on the heels and thighs should rest on your calves.

4 – Keep your spine, neck and head straight. Close your eyes and start deep breathing.

5 – Adjust your thighs and pelvis slightly backwards and forward until you feel comfortable.

6 – Keep your head straight and gaze forward. Keep your chin parallel to the floor.

7 – Keep the right palm on the right knee and the left palm on the left knee with elbows in a straight line.

8 – Breathe in and out at a natural speed.

9 – Inhale deeply for four counts and exhale slowly to eight.

10 – To come out of Vajrasana, slowly raise the glutes and thighs of your lower legs, until you are back into a kneeling position. Then stand up slowly.

Duration of Vajrasana

If you are a beginner, start with practising Vajrasana for 3-4 minutes. As you progress, you can increase the duration to 5-7 minutes. You can practice diamond pose after lunch or dinner. You can also practice this pose on an empty stomach. Depending on your strength and comfort, you can increase the duration of the asana to 15-20 minutes or even more.

10 Health Benefits of Vajrasana

Vajrasana has numerous positive health benefits. So, regular practice of this asana can greatly improve your physical and mental health. Perform slow and rhythmic breathing along with the asana to reap more benefits of this excellent yoga pose.

1. Improves Blood Circulation 

Vajrasana is great for blood circulation. It specifically improves the blood flow in the pelvic region. Breathing simultaneously regulates the blood circulation in the entire body.

2. Improves Posture 

Vajrasana requires your back to be firm and straight. This helps to improve your posture and results in better absorption of the benefits offered by this asana.

3. Improves Digestion

Performing Vajrasana helps our digestive system in many ways. It obstructs blood flow to our legs and thighs and increases it in our stomach area, thus improving our bowel movements and relieving constipation. Vajrasana also helps to get rid of flatulence (gas) and acidity. Hence, it ensures better absorption of nutrients by your body. It is good to perform Vajrasana after meals since it helps in digestion.

4. Provides Relief from Lower Back Pain

Vajrasana helps to strengthen your lower back muscles and thus provides relief from occasional pain and discomfort. It also helps to relieve pain caused by sciatica. Regular practice of Vajrasana can help you strengthen your lower back.

5. Strengthens Pelvic Floor Muscles 

Vajrasana increases blood circulation in the pelvis and strengthens our pelvic floor muscles. It is very useful for women suffering from stress urinary incontinence.

6. Helps to Calm the Mind

Regular practice of Vajrasana reduces stress and improves concentration. It also helps to deal with depression and anxiety. Breathing exercises performed during Vajrasana help keep the mind calm and composed.

7. Improves Sleep 

Vajrasana keeps anxiety and stress under control. It helps to keep your mind calm and improves the quality of your sleep.

8. Helps in Weight Loss

Vajrasana improves the blood flow to your stomach and boosts digestion. Better digestion equals better absorption of nutrients and reduced belly fat.

9. Strengthens Sexual Organs 

Vajrasana improves blood circulation and nourishes the reproductive organs. It strengthens the sexual organs in both men and women. In addition to improving better sexual performance, it has a positive impact on reproductive health.

10. Helps Ease Menstrual Cramps 

Vajrasana improves blood flow in the pelvic region. Therefore, it helps ease menstrual cramps. It also helps in labour by strengthening the pelvic muscles.

Precautions for Performing Vajrasana

• Do not perform Vajrasana if you are suffering from knee pain due to any underlying medical condition or have recently undergone knee surgery.

• Pregnant women can perform Vajrasana but keep more gap between their knees, to avoid putting pressure on the abdomen.

• People with hernia and problems related to the intestines should perform Vajrasana only under the guidance of an expert yoga instructor

• Individuals with problems related to the back like slip disc should avoid performing this asana.

• People with stiffness or any other problem of the foot, ankle and knees should avoid performing Vajrasana.

• People who are suffering from severe arthritis should not perform Vajrasana

A More Intense Version of Vajrasana

There is a more intense version of the basic Vajrasana called ‘Supta Vajrasana’ or the reclined thunderbolt posture. To perform this version, follow these steps.

• First, sit in Vajrasana, and then slowly, without jerking, recline backwards.
• Place one forearm and elbow on the ground and then the other
• Let the back remain arched and your head touch the floor
• If you can’t get your head to touch the floor entirely, gently place only the crown of your head on the floor
• Remember to practice this variant first only under the guidance of a certified yoga instructor.
• This advanced version of this pose aids respiration, increases blood circulation to the brain and activates the adrenal glands.

Conclusion

Vajrasana is one of the easiest yet most beneficial yoga asanas. It is one of the most effective meditative poses for achieving higher concentration levels. Yogis sit in this pose for hours during meditation and ‘Dhyaan.’ The pose is a part of many praying rituals. This alone speaks for the calm and tranquillity it provides to the mind. The best thing about Vajrasana is that, unlike other yoga poses, you can perform this immediately after a meal. It is most efficient when you perform it on a full stomach as it helps in digesting the food.

Vajrasana is a base pose for many other asanas like Gomukhasana, Ustrasana, and Shirshasana. This asana is suitable for all kinds of people. However, take precautions if you have knee-related issues or some leg injury. Consult your Yoga Instructor before performing Vajrasana. It is a great asana to begin your yoga practice. Just sitting in Vajrasana for a few minutes can give you amazing health benefits. So grab your yoga mat, sit in Vajrasana and experience all the great health benefits of this yoga asana.

Source:

1. Rountree, Sage (12 April 2017) [2012]. “Find Comfort in Sitting”. Yoga Journal

2. Sinha, S. C. (1 June 1996). Dictionary of Philosophy. Anmol Publications. p. 18. ISBN 978-81-7041-293-9

3. Food.ndtv.com

4. www.msn.com

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