by Mereshia De Nobrega

Created on: January 22, 2009   Last Updated: January 31, 2009

YOGA is a powerful antidote to the stresses of modern-day life, Yoga is a practical philosophy for the body, mind and spirit for health and fulfilment.This postures are to alleviate simple backaches. Both for the lower and upper back. These exercise are not for severe conditions such as a slipped disc. When doing the postures, do not jerk or move suddenly. Do not focus on the the painful part directly. In the beginning, the painful part needs to be rested, not worked.

Half -Uttanasana- half- forward-bend

Stand in front of a tall stool, Place neatly folded blankets on it to raise the height to that of your hips Take the feet about hip, width apart. Stand on tip-toe and bend over stool, tucking the edge of the blankets into the groin. Extend the abdomen and the front ribs over the stool. Then stretch the heels to touch the ground, Relax the arms down, or hold the legs of the stool. Keep the legs vertical, Allow the spine and back ribs to relax. Stay for 30-60seconds. Come up carefully.

Forward-bend

Sit on the chair and spread your legs apart Place the folded blanket across the thighs, tucking it in the groin. Extend the abdomen and the front ribs over it. Bend down. Take the arms inside the legs of the chair and hold the back legs of the chair. Relax the head. Stay for 20-30-seconds. Come up carefully without jerking.

Chair -Twist

Sit sideways on a chair, Take one or two breaths. Turn toward the back of the chair. Place folded blankets between the back of chair and abdomen. Grip the back of the chair and turn as far as possible. Do not hold the breath. Stay for 20-30-seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Releasing- Pose

Sit at the left side of a low bench or a sturdy coffee table. Place folded blankets lengthwise on top of it, to your right. Turn towards the blankets. Bend down and rest the length of the front of the body along it. Hold the bench and turn the head to the right. Keep the legs facing forward as much as possible. Extend the front ribs and relax the back. Stay for 30-60-seconds, then repeat on the other side. After bending to the sides, sit at the front of the bench, spread the knees apart and bend down. If bending is easy, it is a sign of recovery. Yoga is all about concentration and the ability to cope with tension and backache, Yoga is considered to be a philosophy, a science an art.

The postures and techniques given in this article are based on B.K.S. Iyengar

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