Most people don’t really have a solution for indigestion – except perhaps lying down for a while, or complaining a little. Neither of these gives any relief to your poor old gut. So the good news is that this pose can actually help the situation.
Supta Virasana: Beginners and Injuries
With the right modifications, anyone can do Supta Virsana. Though some props are necessary for total beginners and less flexible people, it is not off limits to anyone - regardless of age or fitness. The only possible exception might be someone who has just had a serious knee injury or reconstruction, but even these candidates can take a modified version. Supta Virasana, or "Reclining Hero" is one of yoga’s beautifully relaxing poses, taken lying down, and usually found in a class sequence for warming up or cooling down.
Supta Virasana Helps Digestion
The main reason this can help with indigestion is that the abdominal region is given an intense stretch, creating internal pressure that stimulates the whole digestive tract. It’s a little like wringing excess water out of a garment or piece of cloth - at first it's heavy and bloated, but once it's twisted, stretched and unravelled, a good deal of the water has been forced to move out a lot faster than drip-drying in the sun. Or by the human body equivalent, much quicker than food breaking down through chemical absorption and natural movement of the intestines alone.
Supta Virasana Tones Muscles
Apart from this, there are other good reasons to do Supta Virasana. Most major muscle groups in the body are activated and stretched - mainly the rectus abdominis, rectus femoris and gluteus maximus, which in normal speak translates to abs, thighs and butt. Pretty good for something done lying down! The shoulders and chest muscles are also released, which can be great for anyone that spends a lot of time slouched in front of a computer. The longer you can hold this for, the greater the benefit your body will derive from it.
Supta Virasana Still Challenges Professionals
Paul Vercoe, one of the directors of Kozen Yoga Melbourne, had a knee reconstruction less than 12 months ago. Even prior to this, tightness at the front of the body prevented him from ever performing the full pose with his back on the floor. If anyone should be forbidden this pose it would probably be him, but not so. He reports that when warmed up, he can take Supta Virasana by lying back on a bolster- and that it feels very nice. The key point is really that he found a way to do this comfortably- as a rule, never force any part of the body into a position that causes intense pain or pressure.
How to Perform Supta Virasana
"So, how do I actually do this pose," you ask? To come into the pose, first sit in a kneeling position. Move your bent legs out to the sides, so that the buttocks are on the floor, rather than resting on the soles of the feet. From here, take a deep breath, and as you exhale let the top half of your body drop back lightly, as if to lie down. If you can’t get your back down on to the floor, either stay propped up on your elbows, or have a thick pile of blankets, or a bolster, underneath your back to lie on. Lift the arms back over your head and clasp the elbows on either side, and let them relax into the floor. Again, it’s important to be aware that forcing your body into positions that feel painful can be potentially damaging; so make sure you execute the pose in a way that’s fairly comfortable – and therefore safe. The aim here is to stretch the hips and groin, not to get to the floor.
Move slowly and listen to your body as you do this. When you first kneel down and position your bent legs on the sides, notice how the knees feel. If there’s pressure or force beyond a mild sensation, put a thick cushion under the buttocks; elevating yourself immediately gives half the work to gravity, taking it off your knees. Next, as you exhale and begin to drop back, notice the sensation at the top of the thighs and front abdominal region; again, a mild stretch is perfect, but the moment intense pressure arises, stop. Lying on blankets is actually an incredibly relaxing way to take the pose, regardless of your flexibility, especially in the given scenario of indigestion. Lastly, bringing the arms overhead is simply a version of the pose that increases the overall stretch. If it's too much, leave your arms by your sides and you’ll still get the benefits.
Supta Virasana, or in English, "Reclining Hero" is definitely worth remembering. For those days when you’ve eaten way too much, or just something that doesn’t agree with you, this could well prove to be the hero of the day.
Bernadette Burke - Bernadette Burke is currently completing a Master of Arts (Journalism) at the University of Technology, Sydney.
Join the Conversation