Makar refers to crocodile. The posture of a Makarasana practitioner resembles to a crocodile resting or taking a sun bath in solitude, hence the name.
Note - This Asana is practiced intermittently after practicing every effortful Asanas of prone position (lie down by stomach) for relaxation.
Note – This sequence should become Sadhakas’ usual practice of lying down or preparing for sleep. Whenever you want to get up, adopt the reverse order of practice. The main reason for adopting this practice or sequence is to avoid jerks and protect spinal column from any smallest possible injury or sprain that may interrupt the regular Yoga practice. A Yoga practitioner will never want to come across such an undesirable situation.
Type 1
1.Lie down with the support of right hand and turn to Left by chest.
2. Keep palms near thighs and facing up.
3. Stretch the body lengthwise, bring palms under forehead, overlapping each other and facing floor.
4. Rest the chin or cheek or the temple of either side over palms.
5. Make a comfortable distance (say one to two feet) between feet, turn feet so as to bring toes outwards and heels inside, elbows resting in line with forehead.
6. Adjust and loose down your shoulders, elbows and complete body so that maximum surface of body touches to floor.
7. Transfer whole of your body weight to holy mother earth and become weightless.
8. Breathe freely and diaphragmatically through nostrils.
9. Remain in this resting posture for some time and relax.
Type 2
1. In the second stage, lift head and shoulders with navel resting on floor.
2. Raise forearms, join elbows firmly placed over floor making a stand, and rest chin over cup shaped palms.
3. Now gently strike hips by heels alternately by each leg 10 to 20 times.
4. Repeat the same action by both legs with feet joined together.
Benefits of Makarasana (Crocodile Posture) – Makarasana is recuperating like Shavasana. Provides complete relaxation to tired or exhausted body. Helpful in slip disc, cervical spondylitis and sciatica problems. Helps in Asthma and lungs related problems. Strengthens thighs and hips. Its practice (a), is advised for relaxation after performance of every Yogasana of lying down postures (with chest down).
Many Yogies and Yoga teachers term it as Yoga Nidra (sleeping in Yoga), if practiced for prolonged time and with awareness, after active or dynamic meditation or Kriya-Yoga as concluding part.
