Imagine the body as a city with its own road way network (arteries and veins), major buildings (organs), water treatment plants (kidneys), energy generators (cells), communication networks (nervous system), food processing factories (digestive system) and command headquarters (brain) etc. A city like this is incomplete without a fully functional sewage system. The drainage and treatment of waste products in the body are managed by the lymphatic system. A clear liquid called lymph bathes cells in life-giving oxygen and nutrients, removing the waste products from them. The lymph then drains into strategically placed lymph nodes, which in turn rely on movement to exit the body. Just as stagnant sewage and blocked drains cause disease, stagnant lymph nodes can cause build up of toxins in muscles, making the limbs feel heavy for no apparent reason. If there is no conscious intervention, the body’s vital systems become sluggish and can cause fatigue in extreme cases. The following posture can be practised during the course of the day to rejuvenate joints and limbs. The stretching of and pressure on the lymph nodes in the armpits and upper thighs drains the lymph into the proper excretion channels. The action of bending forward also encourages the flow of freshly oxygenated blood to the brain and stimulates hair follicles, encouraging hair growth.
Dwikonasana (The two-angled pose)
Caution: If you suffer from high blood pressure do not hold the posture.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your feet pointing forward.
Warm up by placing your hands on your hips and rotating them clockwise 5 times.
Rotate each arm forward and backward five times.
Stand straight and lock your fingers behind your back.
Straighten your elbows as much as you can. Do not push and strain beyond that.
As you raise your arms behind you, exhale and bend forward from your hips.
Try and bring your head as close to your straightened knees as possible and breathe normally as you hold the posture.
Bring your attention to the center of your chest and hold the posture for 10 counts.
Slowly ease your way back up to a standing pose and only then release your arms.
