SHANK PRAKSHALANA MOVEMENT SERIES
For water to enter and advance into the digestive tract, it is necessary to make the following series of movements. Every movement must be done eight times, alternating 4 times per each side. Rate must be quite cheerful, but without abusing speed. You should not take more than 2-3 minutes for the entire series.
FIRST MOVEMENT
Initial position: stand up with your heels separated about 30 cm from each other, your hands raised with your fingers interlaced, and your palms up. Stretch your arms and straighten your back, breathing normally. Stretch your body up as much as possible, and lean to the left from your waist without turning the body. Do not maintain this position but return to the starting position and continue leaning towards right. Repeat this movement four times each side, a total of 8 inclinations. This exercise opens the pylorus of the stomach and every inclination allows water to leave the stomach towards the duodenum and the small intestine.
SECOND MOVEMENT
This movement helps the advance of the water through the small intestine. The initial position is the same as in the previous exercise, keeping your feet apart about 30 cm. Then raise your right arm up to the height of your shoulder, your palms down in parallel to the ground. Turn the left arm from your elbow until your fingers and thumb touch the right clavicle. Turn then your body towards right, moving your stretched right arm as far as possible, while watching your fingertips. Without stopping, return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Do this movement 4 times per side, a total of 8 in rotational movements.
THIRD MOVEMENT
This movement helps water to move forward from the small intestine to the large intestine. It is a variant of the cobra pose, but in this one, only toes and palms touch the floor, holding the body´s weight. It is very important that feet are spaced about 30 cm. one from the other. When we are in this position, we must turn our head, arms and body until we can see the opposite heel. We start from the right, looking towards our left heel and vice versa. Then return to the starting position and repeat towards the other side. Do this movement 4 times per side, a total of 8 in rotational movements.
FOURTH MOVEMENT
This movement pushes the water through the large intestine towards the rectum. Keeping your feet about 30 cm apart, bend down and put then both hands on your knees, bending your elbows. Heels have to finish facing the exterior parts of the thighs (and no below the buttocks). Turn then the body and keep the left knee in front of the sole of the opposite foot. Palms push your right thigh towards left and the left thigh to the right. This presses the respective half of the stomach and empties the small intestine. To increase the efficiency of this movement, we have to look back as far as possible when turning in order to increase pressure on the abdomen. It is absolutely necessary to begin with our left knee on the floor so we press our right side of the stomach first. This helps to flush the ascending colon before. Do this movement 4 times per side, a total of 8 in rotational movements.
ALTERNATIVE VERSION
This one is indicated for those people with knees problems who cannot make the previous movement normally. Sit on the floor, with your legs outstretched and your body in a right angle, with both arms relaxed. Turn your right leg, passing it over the left and placing your right palm under the right heel at the same time. Turn then your body towards left and look back as far as possible. Then return to the starting position and bend your left leg passing it above the right one, placing your left palm under the left heel, and turning your body to the right to look back. Do this movement 4 times per side, a total of 8 in rotational movements.
Adapted text. I perfect my Yoga. André Van Lysebeth. Ed. Urano
