Dhanurasan (Bow Pose)

Procedure 

• Lie flat on your stomach, legs together and palms touching the sides of your thighs with your chin on the floor, i.e. Simple Prone Posture.
• Now bend your legs at knees; catch hold of the left ankle with the left hand and the right ankle with the right hand.
• While inhaling (Radhey), gently pull your legs up by lifting the knees above the floor, and simultaneously raise the chest and look ahead.
• Raise your head and draw it backward—without any strain.
• Make sure your abdomen bears the body-weight.
• Let the knees be separated so that the body can be raised higher and also try to arch the back as much as possible.
• Stay in this pose for 15-20 seconds, with normal breathing.  
• With an exhalation (Krishna), gradually lower your legs and trunk, and return to the floor.
• Repeat the process twice.
• Finally, come into either Balasan, or Matsya Kreedasan and relax.

Awareness

• On your bodily movements and the breaths synchronized with them
• On the stretch of the abdominal region and the back
• On unbroken rememberance of “Radhey Krishna” with every breath, and feeling Their presence everywhere

Benefits

• Dhanurasan keeps the liver, kidneys, and abdominal organs and muscles healthy by massaging them well.
• It tones up the pancreas and adrenal glands to maintain the balance in their secretions. 
• It improves the functionality of the digestive and reproductive organs.
• It even assists in rooting out gastrointestinal disorders, dyspepsia, chronic constipation, and the poor functioning of the liver.
• Many Yog experts believe it as a very beneficial posture for the treatment of diabetes, incontinence, colitis, menstrual disorders, and even cervical spondylitis. 
• The spinal column is realigned properly.
• Besides, it alleviates urinary disorders, which are a common concern nowadays.

Contraindications

• People with a weak heart, high blood pressure, hernia, colitis, peptic or duodenal ulcers should avoid this asan.  One should not do it before sleeping as it activates the adrenal glands and the sympathetic nervous system.