Ardha Matsyendrasana | Lord of the fishes pose | Sitting Half Spinal Twist
Ardha = half; Matsyendra = king of the fish matsya = fish; indra = ruler.
Pronounced: ARE-dah MAT-see-en-DRAHS-anna
Ardha Matsyendrasana or the half spinal twist pose is one the main asanas practiced in hatha yoga. In sanskrit ‘ardha’ means ‘half’, ‘matsya’ means ‘fish’, ‘indra’ means ‘king’ and ‘asana’ means ‘pose’. Ardha Matsyendrasana literally means the half twist pose of the king of fishes. But the name Matsyendrasanaprobably came from the fact that it was promoted by one of the first Gurus of the Navnath tradition, Yogi Matsyendranath. He taught an asana called Matsyendrasana, which is the full spinal twist pose. Since it was very difficult to perform, the half twist pose was created and promoted. Today only the half twist pose or Ardha Matsyendrasana is commonly taught, as the full twist pose can probably be done only by yoga experts and gymnasts. ↑
Precaution of ardha matsyendrasana
- Should be avoided during pregnancy and menstruation due to the strong twist in the abdomen.
- People with Heart, abdominal or brain surgeries should not practice this asana.
- Care should be taken for those with peptic ulcer or hernia.
- Those with severe spinal problems should avoid and those with mild slipped disc can benefit but in severe cases it should be avoided. ↑
Procedure of ardha matsyendrasana
- Sit up with the legs stretched out straight in front of you, keeping the feet together and the spine erect.
- Bend the left leg and place the heal of the left foot beside the right hip (optionally, you can keep the left leg straight).
- Take the right leg over the left knee.
- Place the left hand on the right knee and the right hand behind you.
- Twist the waist, shoulders and neck in this sequence to the right and look over the right shoulder.
- Keep the spine erect.
- Hold and continue with gentle long breaths in and out.
- Breathing out, release the right hand first (the hand behind you), release the waist, then chest,lastly the neck and sit up relaxed yet straight.
- Repeat to the other side.
- Breathing out, come back to the front and relax. ↑
Benefits of ardha matsyendrasana
- Makes spine supple.
- Increases the elasticity of the spine.
- Opens the chest and increases the oxygen supply to the lungs.
- Ardha matsyendrasana is one of the best poses to improve the flexibility of the spine. It keeps your spine young.
- It stretches the muscles along the spinal column and tones the spinal nerves. This can relieve some mild pains caused by stiff back.
- It is good for mild cases of slipped disk.
- It massages the organs in the abdominal region.
- It improves digestion.
- It tones the kidneys and improves secretion of the adrenal glands.
- It activates the pancreas and helps to manage diabetes.
- Increases the circulation to the pelvic region and therefore providing fresh blood, nutrients and oxygen, improving the health of the reproductive organs as well as the urinary system.
- Useful for preventing urinary tract disorders.
- Beneficial for menstrual disorders.
- Loosens the hip joints, relieving stiffness.
- Releases tension in the arms, shoulders, upper back and neck.
- Increases purification of the blood as well as the internal organs.
- Improves round shoulders. ↑
