Music

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
- Setu meaning bridge or dam in sandskrit, Bandha meaning lock, Sarvanga meaning support, and asana meaning pose.
- Can be translated to 'Supported Bridge Pose' in English
- Is typically called 'Bridge Pose'

Step by Step into/out of the asana
-First lie back on the floor. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, placing your heels as closely to the sitting bones as possible.
-Exhale while pressing your inner feet and arms actively into the floor. Push your tailbone upwards and tighten your bottom, lifting it off the floor.
-You can clasp your hands together under the pelvic region and extend right through your arms to keep you on the tops of your shoulders.
-Lift till thighs are parallel the floor and knees are directly over the heels.
-Push the knees forwards away from the tail bone to extend and lengthen through the spine and thighs
-Lift chin to keep it slightly away from the chest. Push shoulders into the ground and the sternum up towards the chin.
-Broaden the shoulders, keeping the heart-center open, while pushing the area between the sholder blades up into the torso.
-Release the pose with an exhalation, making sure to roll the spine slowly as you make you way back down towards, once again, laying on the floor.

Benefits/Effects of the asana
-Stretches the hips, neck, spine, and chest.
-Strengthens spinal muscles, hamstrings, buttocks, and back muscles.
- This pose is good for maintaining the nervous system and helps keep the spine flexible.
- Helps to reduce headache and back pain.
-Improves blood circulation.
-Gives relief for menopausal symptoms in women.
- Helps with falling asleep before bed.
-Enhances digestion and helps stimulate abdonminal organs.

Awareness
- The asana is very calming and soothing through the spine. You can feel the strength through the firmly planted feet and the sholders. You can feel the work done by the hamstrings, thighs, back, and knees. You can feel a relaxation effect as the blood moves towards the head. You can feel as breathe and your abdominals moves in and out pushing against and away from the core.

http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/1238
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/472
http://yoga.ygoy.com/2009/11/04/setu-bandha-sarvangasana-and-its-benefits/