Shashankasana

(Rabbit Posture)

Shashank is a sanskrit word and its meaning is moon and the other meaning is Rabbit. Practitioner attains characters of both of them. Cool, humble, peaceful and purity in nature becomes character of person who regularly practices this asana. While reading word rabbit you might be wondering about its comparison. As qualities of rabbit and moon are the same, it is also called as Shashankasana because while practicing this asana, body forms a posture resembling rabbit.

Shashankasana (Moon or Rabbit Posture)

Method

1. Sit on carpet. Bend knees and sit on toes. Place hands on thighs.
2. Inhaling join palms in the Namaskar Mudra and rise straight towards sky. Remember that arms must touch ears and should be stretched straight high up.
3. While exhaling bend down and touch floor with hands and forehead. Remember that both hands should remain in Namaskar Mudra and straight. Forehead should touch floor through them.
4. While inhaling, raise your body.
5. Exhaling, touch floor and remain in this posture steady with deep and long breath.
6. Come in original sitting posture.
   
   

Duration

Initially begin practice of this Asana for one to three minutes. Slowly as per requirement, time can be increased.

Effect on Health

It might be understood through the name of this Asana that characteristics should be like moon and rabbit. Shashakasana is the best Asana for pacifying the anger and achieving peace. With regular practice of this Asana, along with improvement in beauty and strength of a practitioner; shoulder, buttocks and all organs of abdomen maintains their balance. This Asana is such a simple that small children also can practice it regularly. If they practice this Asana from their childhood, the emotions like aversion, revenge, violence and hatred will never take place in their life. Practitioner of this Asana controls bad qualities like passions, anger and lust very easily. Freshness of pure blood is felt from face of practitioner and he remains healthy as blood pressure always remains in balance.

Influence on Glandular System

This Asana mainly influences adrenal gland, hormones secreted by this gland maintain balance and hence emotions like sex, aversion and passion remains under control. Soul remains pure, humble and cool. The people who become fearful without any reason are relieved from it with practice of this Asana. As blood circulation is towards brain during practice of this Asana, secretions of hypothalamus maintain its balance in body and as a result wisdom and peace increases in practitioner. Practice of Shashakasana is very beneficial in achieving mental peace and freedom from daily tension and purity in self.