The Peacock ? (Mayurasana)
The Peacock is a very difficult asana and should be practiced with great care and only attempted by those who are in an athletic condition.
Mayur means peacock in Sanskrit language. When this asana is exhibited, it resembles a male peacock with a long plume of colorful feathers trailing behind.
A successful Peacock pose depends to a great extent on the body type and weight distribution. Anyone with a big chest and small hips and thighs will not have much difficulty to achieve this pose. But a person with a small chest and big hips and legs will find this pose very difficult to complete and held (that?s why most women find this pose very difficult to perform).
The Peacock develops more intra-abdominal pressure than any other posture, because the abdomen-pelvic unit is supporting the weight of the body through the elbows and arms. Because of the increased pressure on the abdomen the blood is directed to the digestive organs, invigorating and toning the liver, pancreas, stomach, bowels and spleen. This is a wonderful asana for improving digestion.
This pose requires very flexible hands and wrists and great deal of concentration. In the beginning this asana should be held for a few seconds and than slowly increasing the duration of the practice. The Peacock develops mental and physical balance, strengthens the muscles of the whole body and develops muscular control.
The Peacock pose has many benefits; however, there are some health conditions in which this asana should never be performed.
Three important reasons (out of many) not to do Peacock:
1) Pregnant women are strongly advised not to practice this asana.
2) Anyone having hernia should never attempt this pose.
3) If you have peptic ulcer (a sore painful place inside stomach caused by action of pepsin) avoid this posture.
Caution: Always check with your doctor if you have any doubts or concerns regarding the suitability of this pose for you.
Important Note: The Peacock pose speeds up the circulation and increases the amount of toxins in the blood as part of the process of purification. Therefore, this pose should never be practiced before any inverted asana as it may direct excess toxins to the brain. This asana is best to be performed at the end of the yoga session.
Issued in the interest of people practicing Hatha Yoga by Subodh Gupta, Yoga Expert based in London.
