NATARAJASANA AND ITS BENEFITS:

Shiva’s Nataraja persona, which depicts him as the ruler of the cosmic dance, is where the name Natarajasana originates. All movement, creation, and destruction in the universe originate from Nataraja’s dance. With this graceful yet challenging balance pose, you can awaken your inner cosmic energy.

Dancer’s Pose is one of those poses that appears impressive to everyone, but its true worth goes far beyond superficial appearances.

Learning the position can be anything but graceful because it requires a lot of tolerance, adaptability, persistence, and balance.

At first glance, Nataraja’s dance appears to be in conflict, but it represents wholeness, a genuine spirituality in which duality does not exist. Shiva’s dance helps humans overcome this duality, frees them from false self-perception, and ultimately directs them toward self-realization.

The deeper purpose isn’t just physical when we perform Dancer’s Pose; we are attempting to project the same power, awareness, and feeling of liberation Shiva displays in his dance.

STEPS FOR NATARAJASANA:

1: Place yourself in Tadasana, the mountain pose, and look directly ahead.

2: Place your weight on your left leg and flex your right foot back while bending your right knee.

3: Using your right thumb, index, and middle fingers, hold your right big toe.

4: Ensure your left leg is straight and firmly planted on the ground.

5: Pull your right foot towards your head while moving your right shoulder, so your elbow is pointing up.

6: Lift your left arm in front of you simultaneously until it is parallel to your shoulder.

7: Reach upward while extending your left arm and spine.

8: Form the jnana mudra pose by bringing the tip of your left index finger to your left thumb.

9: Maintain this posture for 10 to 15 seconds while taking deep breaths and keeping your gaze fixed on your left hand.

10: Bring your right foot to the ground while bringing your left arm to your side.

11: Take a few seconds to unwind your body in Tadasana. Carry out the entire cycle on the opposite side.

BENEFITS OF NATARAJASANA POSE:

1. 1. Strength

The asana gives the shoulders, chest, thighs, abdomen, and legs a fantastic stretch.As a result, regular dancer pose practice will make you feel stronger.

2. 2. Versatility

Natarajasana will increase your spine’s flexibility if you practice it frequently. This pose will help you feel more youthful and increase flexibility if you have tight shoulders and hamstrings. You might want to dance as if no one is looking, and this asana works the magic of that nature.

3. 3. Stability

You learn to balance your mind when you support your entire body weight on one leg.
You develop the ability to eliminate thoughts that persist in your mind for too long.
You can better balance your work and personal lives.

4. 4. Concentration

Your ability to focus can be greatly enhanced by Nataraja asana. Observe your hand in the jnana mudra position (hand gesture of wisdom). Inhale deeply and exhale slowly. You will be able to notice an improvement in your level of concentration as you consistently practice it.

5. 5. Stillness

You can feel calmer and less stressed after practicing Natarajasana. The secret is to hold the posture while inhaling and exhaling slowly and deliberately.

6. 6. Improved Digestion

Natarajasana helps digestion by giving the abdomen a significant stretch. You can perform this yoga pose twice daily to give your abdominal organs a light massage if you have any digestive problems.

7. 7. Power

Most of us lead sedentary lives that frequently feel sluggish and worn out. When you perform Natarajasana, you feel energetic, quick, and fit. The asana revitalizes you and works on your mind, body, and soul.

8. 8. Strengthens the Arms

Each time the Natarajasana is practiced, the arm muscles are stretched. These stretches help reduce the excess fat on the arms by tightening the arm muscles and enhancing blood circulation to the arms.

9. 9. Increases lung capacity

This posture opens the chest and shoulders because it calls for you to move your body forward and upward. The volume of the lungs enlarges as a result, which improves your ability to breathe.

CONTRAINDICATIONS TO NATARAJASANA:

• You should not attempt this Pose if you have a groin, shoulder, hip, or leg injury.
• According to medical advice, you shouldn’t try to do Natarajasana if you have arthritis.
• You should avoid this Pose if you have a slipped disc or severe back pain.
• Only practice modified versions of this Pose; do not attempt to perform it alone if you have poor balance or are unsteady on your feet.
• Natarajasana should not be practiced if your blood pressure is low.
• Avoid practicing Natarajasana if you have carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Ensure not to twist the hip corresponding to your lifted and pulled-back foot when attempting to perform Natarajasana.

COMMON MISTAKES:

1. 1. Letting the hips sag improperly:

For proper form, maintain hip alignment with your mat’s front short edge. You can maintain proper hip alignment by contracting and rotating your thighs inward toward one another.

2. 2. Shoulders hunched:

Keep your shoulders squared forward and pointing toward the short front edge of your mat to maintain proper form.

3. 3. Standing with the knee locked:

Standing knee locking makes it harder to balance because it increases leg instability and puts unnecessary strain on the knee joint. It also prevents the leg muscles from benefiting from the Pose’s advantages for boosting strength. Instead of locking the knee while standing, just slightly bend it to maintain flexibility.

4. 4. Allowing the raised knee’s side to open:

Particularly for those with tight hip flexors and quadriceps, allowing the bent knee to open out to the side away from the body’s midline is typical. In this kneeling position, you miss out on the benefits of stretching your front legs and abdomen, making balancing very challenging. Keep the bent knee moving toward the body’s midline to align with the hip.

5. 5. Allowing the chest to sag forward:

Avoid letting your chest become complacent and sag toward the floor when performing this Pose. Even though the torso is leaning forward, the core should still be engaged, and the chest should stay open and lifted. While supporting the spine, this aids in extending the muscles in the front of the body.

6. 6. Applying inconsistent force to the standing foot:

You must distribute your weight uniformly over the entire standing foot. Allow your weight to shift to your toes naturally. This makes balancing needlessly challenging and puts additional strain on the standing leg and hips. Your foot should be pressed down from the toes to the balls to the heels.

7. 7. Grasping the raised foot from the outside with the pinky toe

When you do it this way, your palm will face your body. Alternately, sag your arm to the side and externally rotate your biceps until your palms are facing away from your body. Grab your raised foot by the big toe next.