| Six minutes at home and six minutes at work. That?s all you need of a form of yoga that is rooted in the Bihar school. It is a new approach and is named ?6+6 yoga?. Shall we start? We present four important asanas today, two of which can be done at home in six minutes and two more at work in the same time. Try them out today, synchronise the physical movement with your breath, try to slow down the movements, hold the stretch in the final position for a few seconds and notice how wonderful it feels. But relax for a while after the practice. An asana does not end when the physical movement ends, but after we take a few moments to observe its effects on the body, breath, blood circulation and emotions. | |
| Asana 1 (on waking up): Supta Udarakarshanasana | |
When you wake up in the morning, continue to lie in bed (on your back). Bend both knees and keep the soles of both feet flat on the bed just below the buttocks. Both knees and ankles should be together. Interlock the fingers of both hands and place your palms under the head. This is the starting position. As you exhale, turn both legs simultaneously to the right and try to bring the knees down to the bed. While doing this, keep the knees and ankles together. Simultaneously, turn the head to the left and look at your left elbow, keeping the shoulders and elbows on the bed. Hold this position for about five seconds and enjoy the stretch on the entire spine. Then, as you inhale, slowly return the head, neck and feet to their starting position. | |
| Go through the same motions but, this time, turn the knees to the left as you exhale and the head to the right, looking towards the right elbow and making sure that the knees and ankles are together. Hold for five seconds and then, as you inhale, return to the starting position. This is one round. Do this a few times more (you choose how many) and then get out of bed. Drink two glasses of water and try out the second practice. Apart from giving the spine a good stretch, asana 1 induces relaxation of the nerves and helps to remove the stiffness we experience when we wake up. It helps regularise bowel movements and prepares the body for the day ahead. | |
| Asana 2 (after two glasses of water): Tadasana | |
Stand comfortably with feet slightly apart. Distribute your weight uniformly on both feet. Raise the arms above the head, interlock the fingers, turn the palms towards the ceiling and place the hands on your head. This is the starting position. Inhale steadily and deeply and simultaneously go up on your toes as you raise the palms upwards till the elbows lock. Imagine yourself hung from the ceiling by a thread going through your head and the spine. Feel the stretch and hold the position and the breath. Then, as you exhale, release the stretch, bring the hands back to rest on your head and bring your heels down to the floor. You are now back to the starting position. This is one round. To get better balance, fix the gaze at a point in front of you slightly above eye level. Try seven more rounds slowly, holding the final stretch. Notice how you feel? You should be able to complete both asanas well within six minutes. | |
| Asana 3: Dwikonasana | |
Stand comfortably with the feet apart. Take both arms behind the back. Interlock the fingers of both hands and lock the elbows. This is the starting position. As you inhale, raise the arms behind the back as high as possible without causing discomfort and hold the position for a few seconds. Then, as you exhale, slowly lower the arms back to the starting position. Repeat this a few times. Feel the effect on the upper back, neck and shoulder blades. Notice how you enjoy it. If you wish to do a deeper stretch, and if you don?t have vertigo, slipped disc or high blood pressure, after you assume the starting position, bend forward at the hip so that the upper body is parallel to the floor. Then try the practice above. | |
| Asana 4: Greeva Sanchalana: | |
Sit back comfortably and bring the chin in contact with the point between the collarbones. Gently and slowly, turn the chin towards the right shoulder and when you reach it, turn the chin upwards towards the ceiling by tilting the head back. Then, turn the chin towards the left shoulder, turning the head downwards, bringing the chin back to the centre of the chest. This is one round, anticlockwise. Do four more rounds, but slowly. After 10 seconds of rest, do five rounds clockwise very slowly to complete the practice. Those with high BP or cervical spondylosis should avoid the forward bend. | |
| Try these four asanas every day till the next 6+6 yoga article. Send us your comments and be sure to increase your intake of water steadily over the month. Water can work wonders! Try to reach two litres a day in about a month from now. In forthcoming articles, we will take the same six minutes from you at home and another six minutes at work to introduce you to a few more practices. | |
| Remember that the Bihar school of yoga?s approach emphasises simplicity and an awareness of the beauty of the simple things in life. Do continue with whatever else you enjoy doing ? going on walks, visiting the gym, swimming, aerobics, homemaking, dancing, singing, working, studying ? whatever. The 6+6 yoga will only complement these activities. | |
Friday, 13 February 2026
