CHENNAI: Games occupy an important place in our cultural consciousness. Indoor games are a great solution for many situations. A variety of indoor games are available for different age groups like table tennis, chess, carrom, touch sense test, jumping on the trampoline, dice, indoor basketball, card games, billiards, boxing, etc.
In yoga, asanas and meditation play an important role, physically and mentally. The modern practice of asana focuses primarily on its health benefits by preventing diseases. Asanas and meditation involve different techniques of healing physiologically and benefitting by a sense of calm, peace and balance.
N Elumalai, PhD scholar (Yoga Science) at Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, brings seven important asanas and meditation postures for indoor game players.
VIPASSANA (MEDITATION)
STEPS
- Choose a quiet place with no distractions.
- Sit on the ground, crossing your legs comfortably.
- Engage your core, straighten your back, and relax your body.
- Close your eyes and breathe normally. Focus on your natural breath.
- Observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without reacting or judging.
- If distracted, simply observe it and return to your breath.
- Initially, do this for 10 to 15 minutes. With constant practice, hold longer.
- Meditation focuses the mind and promotes relaxation, mindfulness, and a better sense of inner peace.
- Known as insight longer meditation, it helps to practise self-observation by focusing on your inner self.
BENEFITS
- Brings one to understand the truth, both theoretically and practically.
- Gives the mind motivation, effort, patience and contentment.
- Improves recollection, and memory and makes one not be negligent.
- Cultivates morality, concentration and wisdom of Buddha’s teaching.
- Makes people love one another and live in harmony.
- Purifies one’s thoughts, speech and deeds.
- Allows us to obtain seven types of happiness – human, divine, meditative, from insight, noble path, fruit path, and Nibbana.
- Causes defilements – greed, anger, delusion, conceit and views, etc. to decrease.
- Helps students and scholars to study well.
- The best meditation for players, especially dice, chess, carrom, basketball, table tennis, kids play, athletes, etc.
- Makes one virtuous, cultured, and well-behaved.
VIRABHADRASANA II (WARRIOR POSE II)
STEPS
- Begin in Tadasana. Exhale, and take a big step back with your left foot, hands on the hips.
- Point the right toe toward the top of the mat, and the left foot parallel to the back edge of the mat. Align the heel of the front foot with the arch of the back foot.
- Bend right knee, stacking knee over ankle, thigh parallel to floor rotated externally.
- Lengthen left thigh, engaging muscles, grounding through the outside edge of the left foot.
- Hips are square to the side edge of the mat, lower abs firm and up, and front ribs find length in the front, sides and back of the torso.
- Now shoulders stacked over hips, inhale and bring arms up overhead, exhale arms parallel to the floor, palms facing down.
- Look at the right middle finger. Breath is steady, legs, abdomen and arms energised and engaged, soften tops of shoulders away from ears.
- To come out, heel your left foot to shorten your stance, and use the abdominal muscles to step back to Tadasana.
- Do the whole process with the other leg.
BENEFITS
- Helps to strengthen and stretch legs and hips.
- Improves balance and concentration.
- Helps indoor game players, especially those who play basketball.
- Opens the shoulders and chest.
- Energises the body and strengthens your will.
- Relieves lower back pain and sciatica.
- More useful for grounding.
- Keeps your mind calm and helps to relieve stress.
- Stimulates the stomach organs, and improves digestion.
- Relieves carpal tunnel syndrome.
TRIKONASANA (TRIANGLE POSE)
STEPS
- Stand with feet one leg-length apart, knees should be unbent.
- Turn your right foot completely to the outside and the left foot less than 45 degrees inside, heels in line with the hips.
- Spread out arms to the sides, parallel to the ground, palms facing down. The trunk is extended at your convenience to the right.
- If the trunk is fully extended, drop the right arm to the floor in front of the right foot, with the palm down.
- Extend left arm vertically with the spine and trunk gently twisted counterclockwise using the extended arms as a lever, spine parallel to the ground.
- Stretch the arms away from one another and turn the head to look at the left thumb, intensifying the spinal twist.
- Hold for 5 to 10 breaths.
- Repeat the posture but change your leg’s position.
BENEFITS
- Helps get rid of obesity.
- Relief from skin problems.
- Increase your height and expands your chest.
- Brings more oxygen to your lungs and increases stamina.
- Makes you feel light and maintains your energy.
- Helps to prevent diabetes.
- Cures back pain and sciatica problems to a great extent.
- Helps those with constipation.
- Aids in digestion.
- Makes your body flexible and prevents muscle stiffness.
- Creates balance in the body.
- Improves & strengthens thighs and leg muscles.
- Improves concentration.
- Maintains mental balance while keeping the nerves healthy.
NAUKASANA (BOAT POSE)
STEPS
- Lie down on your back in the supine position.
- Inhale and raise the body to 30 degrees so that you can see your toes.
- Keep your feet, palms and head in one line.
- Remain in this particular pose comfortably. Initially, you can do it for 20 seconds and then increase the time up to 2 minutes.
- While you maintain this pose, feel the stretch in the navel area.
- Now, bring the body down while deep exhaling and relaxing.
- Inhale and exhale slowly in the pose.
BENEFITS
- Excellent asana for indoor game players, helping them improve concentration.
- Helps in getting a slim waist and reduces fat around it.
- Great for the secretion of gastric juices and effective for the process of digestion.
- Stimulates the peristaltic movement of the intestine.
- It regulates the function of the pancreas, curing diabetes.
- Provides comfortable stretching for abdominal muscles.
- Improves blood circulation by burning excess fats in the veins and arteries.
- Cures kidney problems and strengthens back muscles.
- Removes toxins, and makes the body more active and energetic.
- Strengthens the entire body systems lie digestive, muscular, circulatory, hormonal and nervous systems.
VAJRASANA (THUNDERBOLT POSE)
STEPS
- Kneel on your mat keeping the knees close together.
- Big toes must be touching each other while the heel remains separate.
- Lower the body placing buttocks in the space between both feet.
- Heels must be touching the sides of the hips.
- Place the palm on the thighs/knees in any mudra.
- Keep the spine and head straight and relaxed.
- Be careful about the spine arching backwards excessively.
- Close your eyes and relax your whole body while breathing normally.
- Be aware of each and every breath moving in and out of the body.
- Stay in the pose for at least a minute.
- Most beneficial when followed by some breathing exercises.
BENEFITS
- Improves blood circulation.
- Strengthens pelvic muscles by altering the blood flow.
- Improves digestion and combats constipation, indigestion and acidity.
- Stimulates spinal nerves; corrects rounded back and drooping shoulders.
- Regulates the functioning of reproductive organs and the thyroid gland.
- Beneficial for people suffering from sciatica.
- Helpful in curing menstrual disorders.
- Useful for attaining spiritual gains and peace of mind.
- Regular practice rejuvenates the whole body.
- Relieves piles and stomach disorders such as peptic ulcer, hyperacidity.
- Rhythmic breathing can induce a meditative state.
MANDUKASANA III (FROG POSE III)
STEPS
- Sit in Vajrasana. Balance your buttocks on the outer part of the heels.
- Make fists and keep them on the sides of the navel.
- Bring the clenched fist close to the lower abdomen and press them deep into the tummy.
- Inhale from the upper abdomen filling maximum air into the chest while pulling in the lower abdomen deep inside.
- Exhale, bring the upper torso forward reach for the floor with the forehead.
- Breathing deeply, ensure the chest expands and the tummy is still pulled in.
- Reach for the floor with the forehead first and then with the nose.
- With every exhalation, take a deeper stretch and bring the face close to the floor, expanding the neck.
- Remain here for about 8 breaths.
- To release, raise the forehead with an inhalation. Exhale completely.
- Take a few breaths in Vajrasana. Relax and repeat.
BENEFITS
- Tones all the abdominal organs.
- Improves the functioning of the pancreas.
- Helps in relieving constipation.
- Reduces belly and waist fat.
- Improves excretory and digestive functions.
- Gives a good stretch to the muscles of the back.
- Relieves pain in the legs, knees, and ankles.
PREKSHA MEDITATION (PREKSHA DHYANA)
STEPS
- Sit in Padmasana (lotus pose), Ardha Padmasana (half lotus pose), or Sukhasana.
- Keep your body erect with your spine straight.
- Rest your hands on your knees in Gyan Mudra. Gently close your eyes.
- Recite any mantra, like Om, nine times.
- It has seven techniques. Beginners may practise the first three techniques. 1. Kayotsarga (Deep relaxation with self-awareness).2. Antaryatra (The journey within). 3, Shwas Preksha (Awareness of breath). 4.Sharir Preksha (Awareness of body). 5. Chaitanaya Kendra Preksha (Awareness of psychic centers). 6. Leshya Dhyan (Awareness of psychic colours). 7. Anupreksha (Contemplation).
BENEFITS
- Purifies emotions and consciousness.
- Helps improve concentration.
- Helps overcome negative emotions like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, fear, etc.
- Increases willpower, memory, self-confidence, decision making and understanding.
- Cleanses the mind.
CHENNAI: Games occupy an important place in our cultural consciousness. Indoor games are a great solution for many situations. A variety of indoor games are available for different age groups like table tennis, chess, carrom, touch sense test, jumping on the trampoline, dice, indoor basketball, card games, billiards, boxing, etc.
In yoga, asanas and meditation play an important role, physically and mentally. The modern practice of asana focuses primarily on its health benefits by preventing diseases. Asanas and meditation involve different techniques of healing physiologically and benefitting by a sense of calm, peace and balance.
N Elumalai, PhD scholar (Yoga Science) at Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, brings seven important asanas and meditation postures for indoor game players.
VIPASSANA (MEDITATION)
STEPS
Choose a quiet place with no distractions.
Sit on the ground, crossing your legs comfortably.
Engage your core, straighten your back, and relax your body.
Close your eyes and breathe normally. Focus on your natural breath.
Observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without reacting or judging.
If distracted, simply observe it and return to your breath.
Initially, do this for 10 to 15 minutes. With constant practice, hold longer.
Meditation focuses the mind and promotes relaxation, mindfulness, and a better sense of inner peace.
Known as insight longer meditation, it helps to practise self-observation by focusing on your inner self.
BENEFITS
Brings one to understand the truth, both theoretically and practically.
Gives the mind motivation, effort, patience and contentment.
Improves recollection, and memory and makes one not be negligent.
Cultivates morality, concentration and wisdom of Buddha’s teaching.
Makes people love one another and live in harmony.
Purifies one’s thoughts, speech and deeds.
Allows us to obtain seven types of happiness – human, divine, meditative, from insight, noble path, fruit path, and Nibbana.
Causes defilements – greed, anger, delusion, conceit and views, etc. to decrease.
Helps students and scholars to study well.
The best meditation for players, especially dice, chess, carrom, basketball, table tennis, kids play, athletes, etc.
Makes one virtuous, cultured, and well-behaved.
VIRABHADRASANA II (WARRIOR POSE II)
STEPS
Begin in Tadasana. Exhale, and take a big step back with your left foot, hands on the hips.
Point the right toe toward the top of the mat, and the left foot parallel to the back edge of the mat. Align the heel of the front foot with the arch of the back foot.
Bend right knee, stacking knee over ankle, thigh parallel to floor rotated externally.
Lengthen left thigh, engaging muscles, grounding through the outside edge of the left foot.
Hips are square to the side edge of the mat, lower abs firm and up, and front ribs find length in the front, sides and back of the torso.
Now shoulders stacked over hips, inhale and bring arms up overhead, exhale arms parallel to the floor, palms facing down.
Look at the right middle finger. Breath is steady, legs, abdomen and arms energised and engaged, soften tops of shoulders away from ears.
To come out, heel your left foot to shorten your stance, and use the abdominal muscles to step back to Tadasana.
Do the whole process with the other leg.
BENEFITS
Helps to strengthen and stretch legs and hips.
Improves balance and concentration.
Helps indoor game players, especially those who play basketball.
Opens the shoulders and chest.
Energises the body and strengthens your will.
Relieves lower back pain and sciatica.
More useful for grounding.
Keeps your mind calm and helps to relieve stress.
Stimulates the stomach organs, and improves digestion.
Relieves carpal tunnel syndrome.
TRIKONASANA (TRIANGLE POSE)
STEPS
Stand with feet one leg-length apart, knees should be unbent.
Turn your right foot completely to the outside and the left foot less than 45 degrees inside, heels in line with the hips.
Spread out arms to the sides, parallel to the ground, palms facing down. The trunk is extended at your convenience to the right.
If the trunk is fully extended, drop the right arm to the floor in front of the right foot, with the palm down.
Extend left arm vertically with the spine and trunk gently twisted counterclockwise using the extended arms as a lever, spine parallel to the ground.
Stretch the arms away from one another and turn the head to look at the left thumb, intensifying the spinal twist.
Hold for 5 to 10 breaths.
Repeat the posture but change your leg’s position.
BENEFITS
Helps get rid of obesity.
Relief from skin problems.
Increase your height and expands your chest.
Brings more oxygen to your lungs and increases stamina.
Makes you feel light and maintains your energy.
Helps to prevent diabetes.
Cures back pain and sciatica problems to a great extent.
Helps those with constipation.
Aids in digestion.
Makes your body flexible and prevents muscle stiffness.
Creates balance in the body.
Improves & strengthens thighs and leg muscles.
Improves concentration.
Maintains mental balance while keeping the nerves healthy.
NAUKASANA (BOAT POSE)
STEPS
Lie down on your back in the supine position.
Inhale and raise the body to 30 degrees so that you can see your toes.
Keep your feet, palms and head in one line.
Remain in this particular pose comfortably. Initially, you can do it for 20 seconds and then increase the time up to 2 minutes.
While you maintain this pose, feel the stretch in the navel area.
Now, bring the body down while deep exhaling and relaxing.
Inhale and exhale slowly in the pose.
BENEFITS
Excellent asana for indoor game players, helping them improve concentration.
Helps in getting a slim waist and reduces fat around it.
Great for the secretion of gastric juices and effective for the process of digestion.
Stimulates the peristaltic movement of the intestine.
It regulates the function of the pancreas, curing diabetes.
Provides comfortable stretching for abdominal muscles.
Improves blood circulation by burning excess fats in the veins and arteries.
Cures kidney problems and strengthens back muscles.
Removes toxins, and makes the body more active and energetic.
Strengthens the entire body systems lie digestive, muscular, circulatory, hormonal and nervous systems.
VAJRASANA (THUNDERBOLT POSE)
STEPS
Kneel on your mat keeping the knees close together.
Big toes must be touching each other while the heel remains separate.
Lower the body placing buttocks in the space between both feet.
Heels must be touching the sides of the hips.
Place the palm on the thighs/knees in any mudra.
Keep the spine and head straight and relaxed.
Be careful about the spine arching backwards excessively.
Close your eyes and relax your whole body while breathing normally.
Be aware of each and every breath moving in and out of the body.
Stay in the pose for at least a minute.
Most beneficial when followed by some breathing exercises.
BENEFITS
Improves blood circulation.
Strengthens pelvic muscles by altering the blood flow.
Improves digestion and combats constipation, indigestion and acidity.
Stimulates spinal nerves; corrects rounded back and drooping shoulders.
Regulates the functioning of reproductive organs and the thyroid gland.
Beneficial for people suffering from sciatica.
Helpful in curing menstrual disorders.
Useful for attaining spiritual gains and peace of mind.
Regular practice rejuvenates the whole body.
Relieves piles and stomach disorders such as peptic ulcer, hyperacidity.
Rhythmic breathing can induce a meditative state.
MANDUKASANA III (FROG POSE III)
STEPS
Sit in Vajrasana. Balance your buttocks on the outer part of the heels.
Make fists and keep them on the sides of the navel.
Bring the clenched fist close to the lower abdomen and press them deep into the tummy.
Inhale from the upper abdomen filling maximum air into the chest while pulling in the lower abdomen deep inside.
Exhale, bring the upper torso forward reach for the floor with the forehead.
Breathing deeply, ensure the chest expands and the tummy is still pulled in.
Reach for the floor with the forehead first and then with the nose.
With every exhalation, take a deeper stretch and bring the face close to the floor, expanding the neck.
Remain here for about 8 breaths.
To release, raise the forehead with an inhalation. Exhale completely.
Take a few breaths in Vajrasana. Relax and repeat.
BENEFITS
Tones all the abdominal organs.
Improves the functioning of the pancreas.
Helps in relieving constipation.
Reduces belly and waist fat.
Improves excretory and digestive functions.
Gives a good stretch to the muscles of the back.
Relieves pain in the legs, knees, and ankles.
PREKSHA MEDITATION (PREKSHA DHYANA)
STEPS
Sit in Padmasana (lotus pose), Ardha Padmasana (half lotus pose), or Sukhasana.
Keep your body erect with your spine straight.
Rest your hands on your knees in Gyan Mudra. Gently close your eyes.
Recite any mantra, like Om, nine times.
It has seven techniques. Beginners may practise the first three techniques. 1. Kayotsarga (Deep relaxation with self-awareness).2. Antaryatra (The journey within). 3, Shwas Preksha (Awareness of breath). 4.Sharir Preksha (Awareness of body). 5. Chaitanaya Kendra Preksha (Awareness of psychic centers). 6. Leshya Dhyan (Awareness of psychic colours). 7. Anupreksha (Contemplation).
BENEFITS
Purifies emotions and consciousness.
Helps improve concentration.
Helps overcome negative emotions like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, fear, etc.
Increases willpower, memory, self-confidence, decision making and understanding.
Cleanses the mind.
