Simhasana (lion pose) 7

6 dhyana veerasana
Dhyana Veerasana (hero’s meditation pose) 6
September 2, 2016
1 vajrasana
Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose) 1
September 2, 2016

Simhasana (lion pose) 7

7 simhasana

Simhasana (lion pose):-

Sit in vajrasana with the knees about 45 cm apart.

The toes of both feet should remain in contact with each other.

Lean forward and place the palms of the hands on the floor between the knees, with the fingers pointing towards the body.

Straighten the arms fully and arch the back, giving the maximum stretch to the front of the neck.

Rest the body on the straight arms.

Tilt the head back so that there is a comfortable amount of tension in the neck.

Close the eyes and focus the inner gaze at the eyebrow centre, performing shambhavi mudra.

 

The eyes may also be kept open, in which case gaze at a point on the ceiling.

The mouth should be closed.

Relax the whole body and mind.

Benefits:

In this posture there is a very definite extension of the spinal cord and the body is absolutely fixed. There is total physical stability; no one part bears the whole weight of the body. By focusing the inner gaze at the eyebrow centre, which represents the top of the spinal cord, the central nervous system is switched on, influencing the core structures around the hypothalamic-limbic system.

Alpha waves are generated in the optic system at the back of the head by closing the eyes. By crossing them in a meditative attitude, shambhavi mudra, these waves spread from the back of the head to the frontal lobes, producing a profound meditative or relaxed state very quickly. Following the principles of reflexology, it may be inferred that the strong pressure on the palms helps relieve stress and tension, improve blood supply, tone up the nerves and balance the vital energy necessary for mastering meditation techniques.

Note:

Generally, simhasana is associated with the roaring lion posture but the Upanishads give that posture as a variation of simhasana (see simhagarjana, the roaring lion, in the chapter  Vajrasana Group of Asanas).

In this meditation asana the lion is sitting quietly, waiting for something to happen. This is the mental attitude the mind has to adopt in order to enter deep meditative states.