What is Dwi Pada Kandharasana
Dwi Pada Kandharasana consists of three Sanskrit words: dwi means ‘two’; pada means ‘foot’; and kandha means ‘shoulder’. Therefore, this advanced inverted forward bend posture and challenging yoga asana are also called the ‘two feet shoulder pose’ in English. In this yoga asana, both feet are folded over the two shoulders. This pose is also known as yoga nidrasana or ‘the yogic sleep pose’ because the practitioners who practice this advanced yoga asana could feel comfortable sleeping in the final stage.
How to do Dwi Pada Kandharasana step by step
- Sit on the floor and lie flat on your back.
- Bend one leg upwards.
- Place the foot behind the head and the leg under the armpit of the arm on the same side of the body.
- Kindly note, don’t take any strain while performing the pose.
- Now, repeat the same process with the other leg so that both arms rest above the two legs.
- Try to cross the feet behind the head and place the palms together.
- This is the final pose.
- Relax the whole body, keep your eyes closed, and breathe slowly and deeply.
- Stay in the final pose at your convenience.
- Now, unfold the legs and straighten them.
- This is the one round. Do two to three rounds as per your flexibility and suitability.
Benefits of Dwi Pada Kandharasana
The two-legged Shoulder pose is an advanced and challenging yoga asana. Practising it with the technique mentioned above ensures many benefits.
- The asana helps to revitalise the nerves of the entire body.
- It is an excellent yoga pose for the smooth functioning of abdominal organs, especially the kidneys, liver, spleen, intestines, and pancreas.
- It provides adequate massage to the sexual organs, thus helpful in combating sexual-related ailments.
- It also massages the urinary system, thus good for the health of the eliminative system.
- It removes lethargy and brings vitality because of the profound massage of adrenal glands.
- In Ashtanga yoga, it is believed to induce pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga, known as withdrawal of the senses.
- The asana is believed to balance the svadisthana chakra, which is associated with creativity, emotional stability, and inner strength.
- The pose is also beneficial to ease stress & tension, increase concentration, and improve self-control.
Dwi Pada Kandharasana preparatory pose
Eka pada sirasana is an excellent preparatory yoga pose for dwi pada kandharasana. Dwi pada kandharasana shouldn’t be practised until one masters eka pada sirasana.
Dwi Pada Kandharasana counter pose
- Bhujangasana
- Matsyasana
- Shalbhasana
Precautions of Dwi Pada Kandharasana
There are some contradictions and cautions of Dwi Pada Kandharasana. It shouldn’t be performed in the following conditions.
- Back pain
- Sciatica
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Hernia
- Stiff spine
- Pregnancy
- Knee pain
- Spinal injury
