DavidWolfe.comIf you are looking to cleanse or detox, one of the vital organs you definitely want to address is your liver. This Kundalini asana promotes liver stimulation that will help you balance your hormones and detoxify.
I want to share with you a beautiful, powerful and graceful Kundalini asana you can bring into your daily life to gently cleanse the liver and over time bring more blood flowing into this vital organ to rejuvenate and cleanse.
Liver Stimulation Through Kundalini Yoga
If the liver is full of of toxicity, chemicals, clogged up and stagnant from repressed frustration, resentment and anger, chances are you may experience a variety of the following – hormonal swings, menstrual cramps, painful periods, skin eruptions and other skin conditions, physical stiffness especially on the right side of the body, restless night’s sleep and severe menopause symptoms.
This is an amazingly beneficial exercise for women, as it will not only work directly on the liver but also open up circulation into your reproductive organs such as the ovaries, support your kidneys and adrenals, release lower back tension, stretch out the legs, hip flexors and balance your hormones. Healthy hormones equal a happy, healthy YOU! With so many benefits it really is an asana practice you want to include in your life.
Known as ‘Tiger Pose,’ start by holding this pose for 2.5 min and slowly increase the time until you can hold the posture for 5.5 minutes to each side. Over time as you hold this posture steady, a purifying sweat will occur along on your back – this is a great sign and indicting that it’s working for you as this sweat is induced by the stimulated secreting glandular system. That’s what will give you over time a radiant shiny glow that comes from a healthy glandular system, liver, kidneys and proper hormonal balance.
To Practice:
Before beginning any practice of Kundalini Yoga please tune-in with the Adi Mantra – Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo x 3. This mantra translates as – ‘I call on the infinite creative consciousness, I call on divine wisdom.’ This is to ensure you are guided by your higher awareness and inner wisdom rather then the ego and personality aspect of ourselves. It creates a sacred space and place of reverence.
1) Come to sit on your heels.
First, extend your left leg way behind you keeping the knee straight. The extended leg is completely parallel and the big toe nail anchored into the floor.
2) Now bend the arms.
Make sure that the elbows are pressed downward and close to the sides of the rib cage, and that hands are at the level of the shoulders, palms facing upward to the sky. Gently allow your head to fall back in alignment with the arched spine. Think of lengthening the chest upward elongating the entire spine (lifting the Heart Center) so as not to compress the lower back. The eyes stay open and fix your gaze at one particular spot either on the ceiling or in the sky.
3) Hold this posture steadily.
Focus on your breath. Breath long, slow and deep breaths bringing each breath right down into the lower abdomen. Exhale each breath completely.
4) On the inhale…
Mentally, hear within your mind the sound ‘Sat’, and on the exhale the sound ‘Nam’. This will help you detach from any negative thoughts that will come up as you hold this posture.
5) Allow whatever thoughts come up to do so.
As you keep mentally hearing ‘Sat’ on the inhale, and ‘Nam’ on the exhale, think of this as cleansing also – not only for liver stimulation but also for deeply imprinted emotions that may be stored within your musculature and organs.
6) Hold for 2.5 minutes.
Then slowly increase the time until you can hold and sustain the pose for a full 5.5 minutes on each side.
7) If you need to, use extra support.
If you are a beginner, place your hands down on the floor to help support you until you feel strong enough to maintain the posture with both hands off the floor. Also use support for the lower back if needed.
8) After holding the pose…
Hold the pose for your duration of time that is do-able for you. Then to end – Inhale deeply, suspend the breath and gently squeeze in and up the rectum, navel, and sex organs. Suspend for 15 seconds. Exhale and relax.
9) Finish gently and as gracefully as you can.
Come out of the pose and switch to the other side. Repeat the exercise extending your right leg back. Hold the pose on this side for the same amount of time that you did the first side.
10) After both sides are completed…
Come to lie down on your back and hug your knees into your chest for a few minutes, and then relax down. Let go and rest for as long as you feel.
Tips:
# Be sure to fully warm-up the spine before practicing this asana with either Cat-Cow stretches and/or Spinal flexes.
# Play some inspiring uplifting mantra music as you practice each side.
# Drink 1 litre of spring water with two tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar either before or after the practice to assist flushing out and promote liver stimulation.