YOGA FOR TEENAGER

A simple solution to beating exam stress, peer pressure, social anxiety and fear of being ridiculed, often faced by the urban teenager, lies in yogasana and pranayama techniques. These exercises if performed before and after study hours have tremendous benefits. Asanas that help include virasana, swastikasana, simhasana, shunmukhi mudra, viparitikarni mudra, sarvangasana, shirshasana, suptkonasana, nadishoddhana pranayama, sitkari, sheetali pranayama and trataka karma. Relaxation techniques such as shavasana, vamangasana, dakshinasana, yoga nidra, pranadharna and nispadbhava encourage the child to get to the root cause of his/her anxiety and worry. It can develop the child’s spontaneity and help him achieve a balanced and trained mind. Fear of failure can be overcome through the practice of marichiasana, pashasana, bharadvajasana, upavistakonasana, suptkurmasana and bhadkonasana, sahaj ujjayi pranayama, kagadivya pranayama, bhramari (internal pranayama). Mind, body and soul integration through rangachikitsa (colour therapy) helps expand consciousness. Surya namaskara channelises youthful energy and enhances the endocrine function to stimulate proper structural, physiological, psychological, emotional and spiritual growth. Extremes of behaviour (signs of the change in the endocrine system) can be regulated through inverted postures such as halasana, karnapidasana, viparitadandasana and sethubandhasana. Laziness and lethargy, a common feature of the growing child, can be addressed through janushirshasana, paschimatanasana, ardha baddha padma paschimauttanasana, trianga mukhaekpada paschimauttanasana and padmasana with gyan mudra. Poses that influence and boost the child’s confidence are lolasana, navasana, bhujapidsana, ashthavakrasana, tittibhasana, bakasana, garudasana, natrajasana, vrikshasana, urdhwahasta-ardha-padmasana, urdhwa prasarita ekpadasanan and vatayanasana. A crucial phase in life, adolescence is the golden stage which if nurtured well will lead to a healthy, developed individual. The writer is a yoga teacher and holistic healer

UTTANA PADASANA

UTTANA PADASANA
Lie flat on back, keeping the feet together and the knees tight. Breathe.
Exhale, and arch the back by lifting the chin and slide onto the back of the head. If necessary, use the hands at the side of the head to lift the head and bring it as far back as possible. Rest the arms at the sides. Breathe.
Stretch the back and on an exhalation, lift the legs to 45 or 50 degrees from the floor. Lift the arms, bringing them parallel to the floor, and join the palms. Both legs and arms should be straight.
Extend the ribs and breathe normally. The body is balanced only on the crown of the head and the buttocks.
Exhale, lowering the legs and arms to the floor. Straighten the neck, lower the back and relax.
Benefits: Tones and strengthens neck, back and abdominal muscles. The asana gives full exapansion to the chestwall and keeps the dorsal portion of the spine supple and healthy. It tones the neck and backand regulates the activity of the thyroids by ensuring their supply of healthy blood. The abdominal muscles are also stretched and strengthened.

Navasana

Navasana

Translation: The Boat Pose
From a seated position bent the knees and tilt the upper body back.
Straighten the legs. Point the heels, toes or ball points of the toes.
Apply a little pressure inward so the legs stay together and lengthen the inner legs.
Raise the chest up and allow weight to fall upon the sacrum. Or balance on the very end of the tailbone. (The Coccyx)
Lengthen the torso.
Keep space around the front of the neck. Push through the top of the head to balance the energy that moves through the toes.
Benefits

This pose tones the abdominal muscles and some areas of the legs. The rectus abdominus raises the upper body and
Healing effects

This pose is good for lower back injuries because it strengthens the abdominals. However there are better and safer ways to strengthen the abdominals.