Garudasan

Procedure  

• Stand up straight—in an upright position—with both feet joined together and arms by your sides, i.e. Saral Tadasan.
• Fix your eyes at a fixed point in front of you—slightly below the eye level.
• Raise your right foot and intertwine the lower left leg with the right leg (especially left calf as shown in the figure) from the outer side.
• Make sure that your right thigh rests on the left thigh; the top of the right foot lies on the left calf, and the right big toe lies just above the inner side of the left ankle.
• As you inhale (Radhey), fold your arms and bring them in front of the chest; then place the right elbow crossing the left elbow.
• Now, intertwine the forearms around each other, and join the palms to resemble an eagle’s beak, or form Namaste Mudra.
• As you exhale (Krishna), slowly bend the left knee and lower your body until the right big toe touches the ground.
• Stretch your spine more; then turn the hips to the left, and force both knees on either side.
• Fixing eyes on a point, hold this final position to your capacity with normal breathing.
• Return to the initial position as you inhale (Radhey); then slowly raise the body and eventually release the legs and hands.
• Practice the same  process with the alternate set of legs and arms.
• Lastly, come into Shithil Tadasan and relax.

Awareness

• On the balance and the focus at a fixed point
• On the presence of “Radhey Krishna” in your each breath

Benefits

•   Garudasan is extremely good for sciatica, rheumatism, and hydrocele. 

• The nervous system gets toned very well. 
• The joints of the legs and the arms are made more flexible along with the rise of strength in the muscles. 
• It also removes stiffness in the shoulder.
• It offers a great relief in urinal problems. 
• It is even recommended in case of cramps in the calf muscles for healing naturally.
• Females are also benefited because reproductive organs are toned well, and the kidneys get activated with adequately oxygenated blood. 
• Most Yog experts even consider this asan helpful in controlling sexual passion.

Contraindication

• People with weak knees may avoid this practice.