________________
PASHINEEMUDRA
PSY
Pashinee Mudra (folded psychic attitude)
Assume halasana. Separate the feet by about half a metre. Bend the knees and bring the thighs towards the chest until the knees touch the ears, shoulders and floor. Wrap the arms tightly around the back of the legs. Relax the whole body in this position and close the eyes. Breathe slowly and deeply. Maintain the position for as long as is comfortable. Slowly release the arms and come back into halasana.
Lower the legs and relax in shavasana. Awareness: Physical - on the stretch of the neck.
Spiritual - Mooladhara or vishuddhi chakra. Sequence: This mudra should be followed by a backward
bending asana. Centra-indications: As for sarvangasana and halasana. People
suffering from any spinal condition should avoid this
practice. Benefits: Pashinee mudra brings balance and tranquillity to
the nervous system and induces pratyahara, sense withdrawal. It stretches the spine and the back muscles and stimulates all the spinal nerves in and around the spine. It
massages all the abdominal organs. Note: The word pash means 'noose'. Pashinee, therefore, means
'bound in a noose'.
458