04-Sep-2011

Serpent Wisdom

Get Into Cobra Pose

Yogis watched the creatures of the earth to learn about proper alignment of body and spirit. A healthy spine goes a long way to improving your health and elevating your mind. Get some “serpent wisdom” by working your spine and navel area with this ancient posture that mimics a striking cobra. Doing Cobra Pose, you can alleviate stress, strengthen your nervous system and back muscles, improve circulation and massage your digestive organs. So what are you waiting for? 

Enter this pose lying on your stomach with your palms flat on the floor under your shoulders, tops of your feet resting on the floor. Slowly arch your head, neck and finally your chest up toward the ceiling, until you are balanced on the palms of your hands, knees and tops of feet. If your back is tight, start with a modified Cobra (known as Upward Facing Dog), lifting your thighs off the ground so that the arch of the back is reduced. Practice Cobra Pose with long deep breathing or breath of fire. Start with 1-3 minutes and increase the time as you embody the wisdom of the serpent!

Video of Cobra Pose

Recommended: Yoga for Beginners by Mark Ansari