The word yoga came from the word yuj, which is a Sanskrit term. Nataraj Asana Sanskrit has been used in India for ages. The word yuj means the method to unite. Therefore, yoga means the union of our consciousness, our breath, body, mind, and emotions. Yoga is said to have been born in India.

India also gave birth to many sages, yogis, and profound saints who established the foundation of yoga. The very first yogi in Bharat is said to be Lord Shiva. He is the one who brought yoga, who introduced yoga to humankind. Ages ago, nature was observed, and it was identified as a method that regulates the human body, be it physical, mental, or a spiritual form of a human self. In India, yoga is not just an exercise; it is a method of attaining natural energy. 

There are different asanas mentioned in the Upanishads and Vedas of India. India has always kept yoga preserved. The disciplines of yoga have been followed for ages. It includes different types of asanas, pranayamas, meditation, and the methods of living ethically. One of such poses that connects us to the divine self is the Natarajasana. 

Introduction to Nataraj Asana

Natarajasana represents the dancing form of the yogi Shiva. Yogi Shiva is none other than our Lord Shiv, who is dancing in a very blissful state. If you have seen the image of Shiva Nataraja, then you can see Lord Shiva in a dancing posture and all his attendant elements around. He is encircled by a halo.

This is actually the circle of fire. This circle around his dancing form represents samsara, which is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In the Nataraj posture, Lord Shiva is dancing very joyfully. He is not at all affected by the beginning or the ending of this mortal world. Taking the in-depth science behind this asana, yoga mentions it as one of the most effective poses for attaining physical, mental, and spiritual health. 

In this blog, we will understand Natarajasana, its benefits, and how we can perform it in the correct way.

Health Benefits of Nataraj Asana

Natarajasana is performed as one of the most effective yoga poses that aims at balancing the human body. It is astanding yoga asana that offers focus and good equilibrium. It is also used to strengthen our physical self and calm our mind and soul. In modern yoga practices, Nataraj asana is also practised widely to gain the numerous benefits of this wonderful yoga pose. 

Let’s talk about its unmatched benefits!!

1. Strong core

This yoga asana is known to involve our core while practising it. It helps in improving the balance of our core and strengthens it naturally. It makes us flexible and powerful. 

2. Thyroid activation

Many people are suffering from diseases arising from an imbalanced thyroid. When the thyroid glands are imbalanced, the hormone is not secreted properly, which can lead to hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Nataraj asana is a natural and holistic method to improve the functioning of the thyroid glands. It helps in activating the thyroid glands and making us healthy and fit.

3. Obesity

In modern times, we have a lot of hormonal imbalances. Along with that, our food habits and routine are such that are leading to obesity. Today’s population is severely affected by unwanted weight gain. Nataraj asana is a natural method of losing weight. It involves various parts of our body and removes the excess fat holistically without any surgery or modern methods. 

4. Relieves Stress

The lifestyle that we are living in today is taking us towards tension, stress, anxiety, and depression. The cases of mental-related illness have increased in recent times. Nataraj asana is a holistic method to remove tension, daily stress, and problems like anxiety and other mental-related issues. In short, it helps in attaining a good mental balance. 

5. Improved Mental Ability

In today’s world, we are stuck in a routine that is quite busy. We do not eat properly. Our routine is not that good. This is deteriorating our mental health. Many of us face a lack of concentration and focus that may affect our day-to-day work. Nataraj asana, when practised daily, helps in improving focus, concentration, and other mental powers. It helps in enhancing our mental ability and makes us wiser and more intelligent. 

6. Flexibility 

When we practice Nataraj asana, we involve major parts of our body, be it leg, back, arms, or core. This offers great strength and flexibility to our muscles and breaks our comfort zone. It makes us stronger and healthier physically. 

7. Hormonal Functioning

We have different glands in our bodies. Each gland has a task to secrete a certain hormone that regulates some part of our body. We also have different organs that keep us alive and working. When we lose our natural balance, all our organs and hormones are affected. Nataraj asana is a natural method of balancing the hormonal secretion and improving the health of all our glands like pancreas. thyroid, pancreas, pituitary, etc. It also helps in massaging and strengthening the functioning of our different organs. 

8. Good blood flow

When the blood is not flowing correctly in our body, it leads to problems like hypertension, hypotension, and weakening of our organs. Nataraj asana helps in improving the blood flow in our whole body and helps in strengthening our different organs. 

9. Good emotional health

Practising a strong asana like Natarajasana helps in strengthening our emotional self. It removes all the old, stale emotions and helps in gaining good emotional well-being. It makes us emotionally strong by letting all the suppressed emotions out.

How to Do Nataraj Asana

To perform Nataraj asana, follow the following simple steps:

1. You have to roll out your mat and stand in the middle of it. Make sure that your body weight is balanced between your two legs. 

2. Make sure that your arms are relaxed at either side of your body. 

3. Now you have to start bending your right knee. After that, lift your right heel, pointed towards your hips. 

4. Now you have to hold your right ankle with your right hand. 

5. Now you have to shift your body weight towards your left foot. Now you have to extend your left side arm and take it upwards towards the ceiling or sky. 

6. Next. Now you have to bend down through your waist. Start leaning very slowly in the forward direction until your left arm is aligned with your right side leg, which is in the air. 

7. Now you have to lift your right leg until it is comfortable to you. Now you have to bring your core and engage it while holding the pose. 

8. Then stand in this posture by balancing yourself for up to three to five breaths. If you are unable to balance yourself, try gazing at a certain point and practising balancing.

9. Now you have to repeat this whole process on the other side of your body. 

10. While doing this pose, make sure that you are aware every time you breathe! 

Preparatory Pose for Nataraj Asana

Let’s talk about the preparatory poses to perform Nataraj asana.

1. Locust pose

Now, this is a balancing pose, and it is also known as Salabhasana. In this, you have to lie down on your mat. You must be lying on your stomach. Now you have to stretch your spinal cord straight. You have to take a deep breath. After that, you have to tighten your body. Your toes should be flying high, and your head should also be flying. In short, you should be balancing yourself just using your stomach and your pelvic region on the floor. The rest should be in the air. Your hands must be stretched back. 

2. Plan pose

This is a wonderful pose that can be a preparatory pose for Nataraj asana. It is also known as Phalakasana. You have to engage your core muscle in this pose and bring your body in a plank-like position. 

3. The bow pose

Also known as Danurasana, it is a wonderful pose to prepare for Nataraj asana. In this pose, you have to perform a locust pose, but in this, you have to hold, you have to bend both knees towards your head and hold them using your hands while your stomach and pelvic region are only on the mat.

Read More: Parivrtta Trikonasana 

Why Practice Nataraj Asana Regularly?

We deal with a lot of stress! The stress is just not mental; it is physical as well. The life we are living is very, very hectic. It makes us work around the clock without giving us enough time to stretch our bodies. Practising Nataraj asana daily can help in achieving great flexibility and strength in the body.

It also helps us to control our mind, to manage our mind and make it calm and unbothered by any outside distraction. Nataraj asana makes us positive and blissful. This can be a daily dose of supreme energy and positivity. When you start your day with Nataraj asana, it really goes well. No matter what happens throughout the day, you remain unaffected, and your energy is preserved. Similarly, it also helps in preserving your physical and mental health. You become emotionally strong and prepared to conquer anything in your life.

Conclusion

Nataraj asana represents the blissful dancing position of Lord Shiva. This throws the light of the unbothered self, which is not affected by any beginning or end. It remains blissful throughout life. Nataraj asana offers great emotional health. Besides this, it also offers tremendous physical and mental health benefits. Nataraj asana has been practiced since ages as a holistic method of living. Practising Nataraj asana daily helps in leading a life naturally and positively. For those who are looking for a full-fledged yoga pose that involves most of our areas, most of the areas of our human form, then Nataraj asana is the best!