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Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose. At the end of inhalation open the mouth and extend the tongue out as far as possible towards the chin. While slowly exhaling, produce a clear, steady 'aaah' sound from the throat, keeping the mouth wide open. At the end of exhalation, close the mouth and breathe in.
This is one round. Breathing: Inhale slowly through the nose and then slowly
exhale through the mouth with the 'aaah' sound. Duration: To maintain general health, practise 5 rounds daily.
For specific ailments, practise 10 to 20 rounds. The eyes, tongue and mouth may be relaxed for a few moments between each round. This asana may be
performed at any time. Awareness: Physical-while inhaling, on the breath. While
exhaling, on the sound produced and the effect on the throat area.
Spiritual - on vishuddhi or ajna chakra. Benefits: This is an excellent asana for alleviating diseases of
the throat, nose, ears, eyes and mouth. Tension is removed from the chest and diaphragm. Simhagarjanasana is useful for people who stutter or who are nervous and introverted. It develops a strong and beautiful voice.
Other benefits are as for shambhavi mudra. Variation I: After performing shambhavi mudra, perform
kechari mudra. Keep the mouth closed. Fold the tongue backward so that the tip and underside presses against the soft palate. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose. At the end of inhalation, release the tongue, open the
mouth and extend the tongue as far as possible. Variation 2: Move the tongue slowly from side to side, while
making a long 'aaah' sound.
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