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Vajrasan

A yoga instructor leads a class through shoulder rotations and explains the benefits of Vajrāsana.

"This posture has many benefits; it is one of the best. When everything is best, nothing is worst."

"It is said that for the digestive system, if anyone has a problem with digestion, this posture helps very much. Every day after eating, sit like this for five minutes."

The instructor guides students through shoulder rotations, emphasizing their effect on the spine and chest. He then details the extensive physical and nervous system benefits of Vajrāsana (the thunderbolt pose), describing it as balancing the Vajranāḍī nerve, aiding digestion, preventing various ailments, and promoting overall relaxation. He briefly integrates the cat pose for abdominal and thyroid benefits before concluding the session.

Filming location: Auckland, New Zealand

Can you place your hand like this? Good. Now, to the front, like this. And back, up. With your elbow, make a circle. Good. Now do it with both arms. This affects your spinal column. It’s not only for your shoulder; all the muscles from the spine come together, which will help balance and improve the condition, though it may not heal immediately. When you go like this, then up further, and then back, try to touch your shoulder blades on the back. We can all do this. First, touch your shoulders, with elbows here, and begin by going up. Now, touching the shoulder blades, slowly go down, and then come up again. One. That was too quick. One—go up, touch your shoulder blades, and stay there for a while to stretch your chest. Continue, please. One, two. When you come to the back, remain there with the shoulder blades touching. If you are sitting straight, continue: one, two. When the elbows go up, you will feel the side muscles stretching, as well as the muscles below. Touch your elbows together and stay there. Now, from below, move very slowly. Close your eyes and try to understand your whole anatomy—which muscles are affected or engaged by this posture. Let the shoulders go ahead, but very slowly. Exhale as the elbows come to the front; inhale as they move back. Very good. Now place your hands down. Can you sit in Vajrāsana? Hands on the thighs, with elbows folded. When the elbows are folded and relaxed, our shoulders become very relaxed. This posture has many benefits; it is one of the best. When everything is best, nothing is worst. So, we must take out the best of the best. There are many nerve systems in the body. Yesterday I spoke about prāṇa and the 72,000 nerves. One nerve is called Vajranāḍī, which balances the whole body. It is said that within this nerve, there are three: left, right, and center. These three nāḍīs go through the spinal column. One comes from below, beginning between the big toe and second toe. From there, the Vajranāḍī comes through. The nerve that irritates us, like sciatica, is here. This Vajranāḍī can control that troublesome nerve. By sitting like this, we activate all the nerve systems. This is one of the nerves that takes care of our brain activities. For example, if the Vajranāḍī is strong, there is little danger of brain hemorrhage. It also supports the heart. This nāḍī protects the whole nerve system in the body. In yoga, it is like an earthing cable—just as we put an earthing cable in a building, so does this nāḍī function. It is said that for the digestive system, if anyone has a problem with digestion, this posture helps very much. Every day after eating, sit like this for five minutes. If you feel discomfort, you can change your posture. When you sit in Vajrāsana with a straight spine... Kiran, you are not sitting in Vajrāsana? Then come here. Good. Now, our Premasāgara Bhaktisadā... Amritsagar will show us. Can you come to this side? Look this way. Good. When we sit in this posture, with hands here, our shoulders are very relaxed, elbows are relaxed, and the neck is relaxed. All leg tensions are removed. Automatically, the spine becomes straight without any problem. The spine is completely relaxed and straight, and all the side muscles holding the spinal column are in the proper way and relaxed. This posture protects you from two things: sciatica problems and slipped discs, because it puts the spine in a straight way. The muscles are aligned correctly, and everything is in the best way and relaxing. When the elbows are relaxed and folded, our shoulders drop down. Otherwise, tension remains in the center of the chest, by the navel in the spinal column, and at the end of the spine. This posture is one of the best. When the elbows are relaxed, the shoulders drop, and the neck is straight and relaxed. The stomach muscles become very relaxed. When our stomach is so relaxed, the digestive process begins to function in a nice, easier way. This is one of the best ways to remove gastric problems. Whether you have constipation or very loose stool, both are controlled by this posture. My dear, yoga in daily life is a scientific system; it is not training for going to the circus. It helps our whole digestion. I could give you a whole week’s worth of benefits from this one posture, but I have no time, so I am giving you only a glimpse. It helps prevent gallbladder, kidney, or other stone problems. Your gallbladder will always be very good and empty in the best way. When the gallbladder is in order, there is an 80% chance of no infections in the urinary tract. This is the effect of this posture. You can also sit in this posture to eat; it is very good. After eating, if you want to eat something more, like nuts, you can, but not ice cream, as ice cream affects our digestive fire. This posture removes many problems. It keeps our knee muscles stretching and flexible, so we will not have problems walking properly. Knee problems will be alleviated. It is said that eyesight will be best. You can do tratak or concentrate in this posture. This is one of the best postures, like a lion or tiger looking at a far distance. It removes many difficulties. If you have had an operation on your knee, meniscus problems, or ankle joint problems, and cannot sit, you should avoid it. But if you still want the benefit, you can sit on a stool or an āsana. You will get 90% of the same benefit. How nice it is—you are relaxed. When the whole body is relaxed properly, many symptoms of disorder in the body will be released. Now, the second point: the problem of constipation will be released after some days of practice. Practice every day. If you have gastric pain or, for females, pain during menstruation, this posture is very good. Sit in this posture; you will see your whole belly and abdominal muscles relax. Then, you can go into the marjari posture, the cat pose. Remain there. One, and go back. Two. Now, observe these three ladies. And this is the fourth one. One, and back. These two were perfect. Kiran was very good. Observe her back, how she is standing on her knees. One, two, three, four. Continue, please, and you will see that all the abdominal muscles are stretching and relaxing, so the pain will be released. It is like a miracle. At the same time, this is for the thyroid gland, because you were asking about the thyroid. The thyroid muscle is massaged and stretched, so it is very good. This is for the thyroid, as well as for the stomach and back pain. There are many, many good benefits of this one posture. Do it slowly, and you will feel so much energy. You will think, “Oh, really, today was the best exercise.” See how her back is moving? The best back is a cat’s. When a cat sits for a long time, it stands up and stretches like this: the knee, the back, pressing back down and then coming up, exhaling. This is for the thighs. When you go further, your muscles are engaged, but when you first straighten and then come back, it is training for our thigh muscles. So, this is Vajrāsana. Plus, we did shoulder rotation. When we do shoulder rotation, we look at our shoulders and move ahead, up, looking at our elbows, and going down. We automatically get exercise for the neck as well as for the thyroid. So, Vajrāsana and this shoulder rotating posture are very, very good for our health: for elbows, shoulders, back muscles, stomach, digestion, ankle joints, and many other things, including the sciatic nerve. But if you have a problem, you must be careful and do different postures slowly. Hurry home now; today is enough. The class was only until 10, and it is now quarter to 11. Good. Any questions? Not on the top, between two toes? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Wish you all the best and a very good day.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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