The name Bhujaṅgāsana is derived from the Sanskrit words Bhujanga means “Snake” or “Cobra” and asana means “Meditative Pose”. This pose resembles a cobra with its hood raised. Symbolically this pose encourages developing your self-awareness. 

The snake relies on its surroundings and its vibrations and uses it as a compass to find its direction. It reminds us to move forward, we must work with our environment, listen and watch carefully, and act at just the right moment. The cobra is a stealthy predator which means that focus and agility are its survival qualities. The Bhujangasana is designed to awaken the snake qualities in the yogi. Cleansing the body and mind and giving grace to the yogi’s body and strengthening the upper back are only the beginning of a long list of advantages of the cobra pose.

POWERS OF COBRA

PHYSICAL POWERS

The ‘cobra yogi’ has many powers that are acquired through regular practice and persistence. The body becomes stronger and graceful like that of a cobra snake, the sense of smell and taste is elevated. The skin gets renewed at a more frequent rate and the nerves become more sensitive. Physical powers also include better cognition and linguistic flexibility which are said to develop because of the yogi’s tongue that imitates the formation of cobra’s spited tongue which is more flexible and hence better equipped for a wider range of languages.

MENTAL POWERS

A snake is a cool-blooded reptile and symbolizes being able to stay cool and calm in any kind of situation which is certainly something that one should be able to add into their life. Practitioners can overcome the agitated mind and make better decisions in their life.

The mind becomes more clean & synchronized, quiet, stealthy, focused and free of unwanted thoughts when regularly cobra pose is practiced. It teaches us to remain cool and peaceful and not be affected by the drama and the chaos of everyday life.

PSYCHIC POWERS

When a snake sheds off its skin, it symbolizes the time when you’re going through something uncomfortable. You just want to wear a different ‘skin’, or a different identity, to help you manage. This usually happens when there’s friction, conflicts, or contradictions in life. The meaning of the snake urges you to shed off old and bad habits so that you can enjoy a new and better existence with deep understanding of the inner self.

Snakes are also very good at holding other people’s attention. In other words, there is something mysterious about your gaze, your intensity, and your ability to sense what others are thinking or feeling. Along with this charm, there is also confidence and self-assurance that many people find attractive. People with this power can slide in and out of the conversation with ease and grace. Furthermore, they are flexible and open-minded.

HOW TO DO THE ASANA

Overview & Steps

Lie down on your yoga mat or any soft surface, with your face downward, your arms closely aligned to the torso and your palms facing up. Relax in this position for about 30 seconds.

Lift your face upward and use your arms to lift your upper body to make a half cobra pose; that is, the arms remain bending at the elbow and the lower back is not fully bent.

Stay in the half cobra pose for about as long as you can. You are in that pose, before lifting your upper body further upward, by straightening your arms at the elbow and forming a full bend at the tailbone.

Stay in the full cobra pose for as long as you can remain comfortable with stable breathing. 

SAFETY & PRECAUTION TO PREVENT INJURIES

Strongly engage your legs, pressing them down firmly on the floor. This will help to lift your chest higher in the pose.

Be careful not to force yourself into the pose, striving for a deeper backbend. Do not push yourself into the pose! Instead, lift yourself into it by using the strength of your back muscles and by pressing down through your thighs. You should be able to lift your hands off the floor for a moment, feeling the lift through extension rather than force.

Do not force the spine to arch beyond the comfortable radius, know your body’s capacities.

ANATOMY OF BHUJANGASANA

It is important to find the deeper central back muscles to do the action of spinal extension in this pose. Using the latissimus dorsi and other more superficial muscles affects the scapula, rib cage and interferes with breathing, by slowing down the movement of the ribs.

In this pose, the serratus anterior is active to maintain a neutral position of the scapulae against the push of the arms. When the arms push, the shoulders don’t lift up, but the spine is lifted.

The latissimus dorsi is not helpful as extensors of the spine, because it creates flexion of the upper back and internal rotation in the arms.

PREPARATORY AND FOLLOW UP POSES

Preparatory asana –

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Follow up asana – 

Backbends

KEY ALIGNMENT OF ASANA

IMPORTANCE OF BREATHING IN BHUJANGASANA

Inhaling and exhaling plays a very important part in this asana. Bending and stretching of your back may differ between individuals. A good practice of breathing is essential because of the pressure on the lower abdomen during this pose.

This yoga pose brings maximum stretch to the muscles around the spine; therefore it needs to be practiced carefully with controlled breathing. Cobra Pose opens up the chest region and the diaphragm pushes down; as a result, more oxygenated blood is being supplied across the body.

PROCESS OF MEDITATION IN BHUJANGASANA

(Sthiram Sukham Asanam)

The Cobra Pose is one of those versatile yoga poses that is imperative in your yoga practice because it has some momentous power of Cobra, such as free flow, good sense and deep understanding of the inner workings of human existence. This can be experienced by the practitioners when they follow the process of meditation on the accomplishment of final Cobra Pose. This requires practitioners to shift their awareness from mental & physical aspect to the visualization process. At this point practitioners should visualize a Cobra which has an enormous dormant energy and cosmic powers. This will help practitioners to slip into the process of Meditation.

BENEFITS OF BHUJANGASANA

PHYSICAL BENEFITS

Practicing this asana gives body strength, arm & chest expansion and Respiratory purification. 

The body movements also become more graceful through this practice.

This pose also alleviates diseases and adds to the body’s natural immunity. 

It strengthens back, stretches abdomen, builds strong arms and neck, well-built shoulders etc.

It rectifies spinal disorientation, aligns the digestive tracts and cleanses the respiratory path. 

The Bhujangasana also eases menstrual cycles and reduces menstrual pain. 

It also cures slipped disc, sciatica and cervical spondylitis.

PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS

For the mind, the Bhujangasana gives you focus, stability and a good flow of thoughts. The mind becomes more calm and stable, Patience and tenacity through prolonged practice. Negative thoughts are also eliminated from your mind when you perform this pose. As the snake can swallow its prey whole and remain full for weeks likewise, in life, this signifies the abundance that you will receive which you can enjoy for a long period if you don’t waste it.

MYSTICAL BENEFITS

The snake’s mystical powers include Inner Intuition, Power to Heal, and Attraction of luck, prosperity and Wellness. In various cultures around the world, the snake is considered to be a symbol of good luck inspite of being dangerous on account of its poison. They also symbolize protection. They have a poor vision and has no external ears, so they rely only on their sense to get familiar with their environments. Likewise, you need to determine which environments are good for you and which ones you should stay away from. Just like the snake, you should know the best time to fight or flee. Snakes symbolizes, the sense of you having to become more self-aware of pretty much everything in life.

SPIRITUAL BENEFITS

Performing Cobra Pose gives the sense of connection with the earth element. The Cobra represents healing, transformation, knowledge, and wisdom. Your vision becomes more indicative of self-renewal, positive change, and inner strength. This qualitiy helps to remind us the true meaning of spirituality that is – “Help others & Serve the Society”. Practicing this asana lets you know that you are now entering a period of accelerated growth towards your goals. In other words, progress is assured right now as long as we are assertive with our efforts in attaining our goals. Everything is now within reach.

CONTRA INDICATIONS

Lower back injury, sprained back, arm injuries are to be taken into account while performing this yoga pose.

Hernia, intestinal tuberculosis etc., are diseases with which the Bhujangasana must not be performed.

The Bhujangasana is not for pregnant women because it excessively expands the uterus.

Embrace Bhujangasana, the Cobra Pose, to unlock your inner strength and vitality. This foundational pose, integral to 200-hour and 300-hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, carries immense significance for physical and spiritual well-being. Immerse yourself in yoga practice at a distinguished Yoga School in Rishikesh, experiencing the transformative benefits of Bhujangasana.