"Hala" means plough (traditional Indian plough pulled by bulls in the fields) "Asana" means posture. Traditionally, plough is considering as a tool for revealing hidden treasures. Regular practice of Halasana nurtures and rejuvenates the whole-body system.
This pose is good for people with a tendency for high blood pressure. If you practice Halasana first, followed by Sarvangasana, then you will not feel the rush of blood or the sensation of fullness in the head.
Halasana is best to practice after Sarvangasana. This yoga for diabetes can massage the internal organs and activates digestion.
- It revitalizes spleen, and pancreas.
- It improves liver, and kidney function.
- It strengthens the abdominal muscles.
- It stimulates thyroid and thymus glands.
- It also rejuvenates your mind.
How do you do Halasana?
Halasana is a part of Sarvangasana and a continuation thereof.
- Spread a blanket and lie down with your back facing upward, place your hands closely on both sides of the body, palm facing the floor, legs should be straight, together (should remain so throughout the practice) and feet facing upwards.
- Breathe in deeply and hold the breath. Slowly raise your two legs together to the vertical position; use as much as possible the abdominal muscles instead of the arms.
- Fold your legs straight over the top of the head simultaneously raise the buttock and hip.
- Without any slightest strain, safely lower your feet together towards the floor behind the head and try touching the floor by the toes. Keep your legs straight. Stretch your body until your chin touches the breastbone.
- If possible, place your hands in the ground facing the floor otherwise place the hands on the hip or back as a support.
- This is the final pose. Beginners can hold for thirty seconds (comfortably do not strain) in the final pose and increase by a few seconds every day up to 5 minutes. Breathe slowly and deeply. Throughout this asana, you should gaze at the tip of the nose with the eyes shut.
- Inhale, hold the breath and do the sequence in the reverse order by bring back your legs slowly to the previous position by resting on the floor using as much as of the abdominal muscles.
Benefits of Halasana
- Halasana makes the entire spine column more flexible, stretches the muscles and strengthen the nerves both inside and outside of the spinal column. It helps to relieve backache, stiff shoulders, elbows, lumbago, neck ache and arthritis.
- The thyroid and parathyroid glands are performing more efficiently.
- This asana rejuvenates the abdominal organs by contraction. It thus heals gastric troubles, digestion problems: it can correct complaints of dyspepsia or constipation. It is a useful asana in case of diabetes.
- Griping pain the stomach due to wind is also relieved and lightness has felt immediately after practice.
- Calms the brain, stimulates the abdominal organs and the thyroid gland.
- Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause.
- Calms the brain and reduces stress, fatigue and tension.
- It is effective for headache, infertility, insomnia, sinusitis and asthma.