Kurmasana

Kurmasana (Kurmasana or Tortoise Pose) is a Sanskrit word derived from two words, in which the first word “Kurma” means “tortoise” and the second word “asana” means “posture or position”. This is a position similar to that of a turtle. Just as a tortoise goes inside its shell or cover when it feels any kind of danger, similarly doing Kurmasana draws you inwards and escapes from the chaos of the outside world. This asana is known as Tortoise Pose in English. This asana will give you a wonderful feeling of connecting with your inner world. This pose is designed for inner awareness and relaxation.

Do this asana before doing Kurmasana

Before doing Kurmasana, you should do some of the asanas given below, which will make it easier for you to do Kurmasana.

• Uttanasana
• Garudasana
• Parivrit Parsvakonasana
• Baddha Konasana

Method of doing Kurmasana

• First of all, sit in Vajrasana.
• Then put your elbows on both sides of the navel and keep the palms together and keep them straight upwards.
• After this, while exhaling, bend in front and rest the chin on the ground.
• During this, keep the vision in front and keep the palms touching the chin or cheeks.
• After staying in this position for some time, come back while inhaling.
• This asana is done in many other ways, but this is the simplest way.

Another method of doing Kurmasana

• First of all, sit in the Dandasana position.
• Then raise both the knees slightly and bend them at the waist, keeping both the hands under the knees, make them backward.
• In this position, the arms of the hands will touch the knees and the palms will remain on the ground behind.
• After this, slowly rest the chin on the ground.
• This position is of Kurmasana.
• Come back after staying for some time as per convenience.

Benefits of Kurmasana

• In reducing stress: Every person has to face stress at some point in his life whether he is a student or a job worker, everyone has tension. Kurmasana is a very good posture to reduce stress. It improves your memory by increasing the blood flow to the brain. This asana is a tension buster, which reduces stress. Turtle Pose calms your mind and prepares it for meditation.
• For Longevity: It is said in the scriptures that just as the life of a tortoise lasts for a long time, in the same way, a person can attain a long life by practicing this asana.
• Befifical For Knees: This is a suitable yoga exercise for knee pain. Along with the knee, it stretches the muscles of the hips, back, and legs and keeps it healthy.
• For Concentration: This asana calms you and takes your mind towards concentration.
• In Kundalini awakening: This yoga has an important contribution to the awakening of Kundalini Shakti.
• Best yoga for stomach: Turtle pose stretches your abdominal muscles, which eliminates stomach problems and keeps your digestive system healthy. Kurmasana stimulates the abdominal organs and helps in relieving problems like gas formation in the stomach, constipation, and indigestion. This asana is beneficial for people suffering from diabetes and abdominal fat. This asana improves the functioning of the digestive and respiratory systems.

To keep the body fresh

• It keeps you fresh while stimulating various parts of the body. Gradually, it gives flexibility to the body while reducing back pain. In this way, this asana is an important yoga practice for dance artists.
• Mobility of the hips: It increases the mobility of the hips while reducing its stiffness.
• To reduce constipation: It helps in reducing constipation of the stomach.
• Diabetes Yoga: Kurmasana stimulates the pancreas and helps in the secretion of insulin in the right amount. In this way, it is beneficial in the control of diabetes.
• For Hernia: With regular practice of this asana, hernia ends forever.
• To reduce belly fat: It is also very beneficial in reducing belly fat.
• For the navel: This asana plays an important role in keeping the navel in the center.
• Makes the back flexible: To do Kurmasana, you have to bend completely in the front, which puts strain on the back muscles, this stretch helps in making our back flexible. This asana helps to overcome all kinds of problems related to the back. Apart from this, the tortoise pose opens the spine and shoulders. These asanas focus on bringing flexibility to the whole body.
• Diabetes: This asana relieves diabetes as it helps in activating the pancreas.

To control diabetes, you can also do this asana-pranayama- 1. Shavasana, 2. Halasana, 3. Pawan Muktasana, 4. Shalabhasana, 5. Dhanurasana, 6. Vakrasana, 7. Ustrasana, 8. Yogamudra, 9. Tadasana and Anulom-Vilom.

Precautions

• If you have knee pain then do not do this asana.
• Women who are pregnant should not do this asana.
• Women should avoid doing this asana during menstruation.
• You should not do this easy on a damaged disc (herniated disc).
• If you are troubled by shoulder pain, hip pain, and arm pain then you should not do this asana.
• People suffering from sciatica or chronic rheumatism should not do this asana.
• Those who are suffering from back pain should not do this yoga.
• People who have pain in the spine should not do this asana.