by Parmjit Singh, PhD

This posture has potential health benefits ranging from improvement in the complexion of the skin to the relief of flatulence and constipation.

Execution: Lie on your back in a relaxed manner (a). Breathe deeply through your nostrils to instill calmness in your body. Let the weight of your body sink into the floor. Once feeling relaxed, draw your knees up so that the heel of each foot touches the corresponding hip(b). Soles of the feet should rest on ground. Then place your hands on each side of your head with elbows pointing upwards and palms and fingers resting on the ground.

Now while supporting your body with both hands and feet and taking a deep breath, start raising your abdomen and hips as high as possible (c). This will make your body look like an arc. Keep the body in this position without unduly straining yourself for few moments. Keep on breathing deeply during this process. Exhale while coming down. As you progress in this posture, your body will look like a wheel. After the completion, lie on your back and relax while internalizing all the sensations you experienced while doing this exercise. Be as mindful as possible.

Benefits: This posture has multiple benefits. It keeps the spine supple and flexible, improves the quality of the voice and complexion and texture of the skin. It is claimed to relieve constipation, flatulence, nausea and asthma. Yogis also claim that this posture increases intelligence and alertness by enhancing the circulation of blood to the brain.