From the 5000-year old text, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika unfolds the Mayurasana symbolizing love, spirituality, and awakening. As one of the advanced arm balancing yoga poses, where the practitioners hold the earth with both the hands and navel rests on the elbows, the sacred Mayurasana results in radiant health and “makes the deadly Kalakuta poison digestible.”
The Peacock Pose is practiced either in the middle or at the end of the yoga sequence– Surya Namaskar, seated and standing yoga poses sequence. The practice of Locust Pose (Salabhasana), Scale Pose (Tolasana) is great to prepare the body-mind for the Peacock Pose.
How-To-Do Peacock Pose:
● Kneel on a yoga mat with your knees wide and sit on your heels
● Lean forward from the hips and press the palms into the floor
● The fingers of the hands should point toward the torso
● Bend the elbows at the right angle, rest the front torso on the upper arms, and the sides of the navel on the elbows.
● Unbent your knees, straighten your legs behind, and place the tops of the feet on the ground.
● Make sure the pressure of the elbows against the stomach is strong and firm
● Position the legs and torso parallel to the floor and look forward.
Use of Yoga Props In The Peacock Pose:
● If the elbows slide apart when you bend them, secure and bind with a yoga strap. The strap should be positioned above your elbows.
● If coming into a full pose with the top of the feet on the floor is difficult, rest them on the yoga blocks placed at the end of the yoga mat.
● Before coming into the final position, lower the forehead and rest it on a blanket. Later, lift the head up and look in the front direction.
Cautions of Mayurasana:
1. Do not practice the Mayurasana after any abdominal surgery because the pressure is applied to the stomach by elbows during the pose.
2. If you have hypertension and glaucoma, it is advisable to consult a doctor before the performance of the pose.
3. Practitioners with an injury in wrists and elbows should completely avoid the practice of the pose because of the strong involvement of these body parts in the pose.
4. Pregnant women and females during menstruation should refrain from the practice of the pose.
Advantages of Mayurasana (Peacock Pose):
1. Strengthens Digestive Fire: In the yogic tradition, the navel is regarded as the home of digestive fire. Imbalances at the navel are the chief cause of digestive problems and many health illnesses. The placement of elbows at the sides of the navel strongly affects the imbalances in the navel resulting in strong digestion and radiant health.
2. Ignites Transformations: The powerful digestion, one of the health benefits of Mayurasanaallows you more rewards than having an extra slice of delicious delicacy. Greed, anger, lack of spirituality fosters within you when digestion is poor needing elimination. The increase of prana of digestive fire in the peacock pose leads to a healthy elimination of toxins and invokes enthusiasm, vitality, kindness, self-confidence– the strengthens of the peacock.
3. Tones Abdominal Muscles and Organs: In the Mayurasana, the pressure is applied to the abdomen that stimulates the nerve plexus in the abdomen as well as the organs of liver, spleen, kidney, gallbladder, pancreas, and circulatory system. As a result, Mayurasana tones the abdominal muscles and strengthens the abdominal organs. Well-built and functioning body benefits of peacock pose are assured with utmost dedication.
4. Strengthens Wrists and Forearms: As you balance the torso on your upper arms, shift the weight into the hands, and strongly engage your forearms during the practice of the pose, you strengthen your wrists and forearms in the Peacock Pose. The health benefits of mayurasana for the wrists and forearms make it one of the effective practice to adopt for working on both these areas, which are often neglected.
5. Stimulates Manipura Chakra: The Manipura chakra is located above the navel or slightly below the solar plexus. When the elbows are burrowed in the navel, the Manipura chakra gets activated. The Manipura chakra is the seat of clarity, self- assurance, bliss, and knowledge transforming your spiritual and mental health.
6. Awakens Kundalini: The spiritual benefits of peacock pose includes awakening of the Kundalini energy. When the Kundalini energy arises, many mental and emotional changes take place that inspires you to navigate the spiritual path.
7. Healthy Torso and Legs: In Mayurasana, you strengthen your back torso and legs due to the position of these body areas. Robust body is the ultimate key to living a life of wellness and alluring appearance.
WithMayurasana, embrace the powers and grace of the Peacock.
To know about Mayurasana in further detail, explore our Yoga Teacher Training In India.
