Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Abdomen Pose)

<h2> Jathara Parivartanasana (Revolved Abdomen Pose)</h2>

Jathara means «belly», parivartan - «turning around», «revolving». In this asana the abdomen receives an internal massage.

Jathara Parivartanasana in brief

1. Lie flat on your back.
2. Stretch the arms out to the sides in line with the shoulders; the palms face the ceiling. Take one or two breaths in and out.
3. Exhale and raise both legs together so that they form a right angle with the trunk. Do not bend the knees. Stay in this position for some time; breathe normally.
4. Exhale and slowly take the legs towards the right palm, but do not let the feet touch the floor, for then the grip of the internal organs is lost and the proper contraction does not take place. Keep the knees and the thighs touching each other.
5. Keep the left side of the back on the floor.
6. Stay in this position for 10-15 seconds. Breathe normally. While doing so:
      (1) as you move the legs to the right, turn the trunk to the left; extend both thighs and draw them towards the buttocks so that the left side of the back twists to the left;
      (2) turn and twist the abdomen and the pelvis to the left so that the abdominal organs are tensed and exercised;
      (3) as you move to the right, the right leg tends to lose its firmness - keep it firm;
7. Exhale and return to position 3, pressing the left buttock and the left side of the trunk into the floor. Stay in this position for a few seconds, then repeat the pose to the left, taking the legs to the left and turning the abdomen to the right.
8. Stay in this position for the same length of time, breathing normally. Bring the legs back to the perpendicular position and wait for a few seconds. Take one or two breaths in and out.
9. Exhale and slowly lower both legs to the floor.

Special notes:

(1) Those who cannot raise the legs straight may bend the knees first and then straighten the legs.
(2) When the legs move to the right, the left shoulder tends to lift off the floor; ask a helper to press it down, or take hold of something heavy with the left hand. Ask the helper to press the pelvis down if the opposite side comes off the floor. The same has to be done when the pose is performed on the other side.
(3) All the movements of the legs - upwards or to the sides - should be made very slowly, without jerking. The slower the movement, the better its effect on the abdominal organs. If the pose is done quickly, only the legs are exercised. In the beginning the asana is done only once. Later on, with practice, it can be done 2-4 times without lowering the legs and without taking them out of the perpendicular position. Do the cycle to the right and to the left.

Jathara Parivartanasana in detail

Jathara Parivartanasana has two variations: one in which the legs simply rest on the floor, and one in which they are held in the air close to the floor by the strength of the trunk muscles.
We shall take the first variation as the basic one, since it is suitable even for people who are inflexible or overweight; in this pose almost anyone can place the legs on the floor either at a right angle to the trunk or at an acute angle. You can also hold both big toes with the hand - if you are flexible enough. When you are not, the legs should simply be placed parallel to one of the arms, which lie in a «cross», or a strap should be looped over the feet and held with the hand.
This pose is used when, for whatever reason, the usual twisting poses of the «Matsyendrasana» type are not available; then you should begin with precisely this one. Moreover, if there are difficulties in the lower back and you have had sciatica and lumbago in the past, then it is better, lying on your back, to lower to the side, onto the floor, not legs that are straight at the knees but bent ones, which can then be straightened once they are on the floor.
In the final phase of this asana you should lie freely on your back, with the neck and the throat relaxed and the face turned upwards. The shoulder opposite the legs will hang in the air at first; it should not be forced down to the floor, in time it will come down by itself. In this pose the abdomen is completely relaxed, and the attention is on the breath.
When both shoulders rest freely on the floor, you should notice that the feet are not at the same level: the upper foot is, as it were, nearer and the lower one further away, that is, the pelvis is in fact tilted. Then, while staying relaxed and making sure that the shoulders (the shoulder blades) do not come off the floor, you should gradually turn the pelvis until the upper foot is flush with the lower one and the soles of the feet form a single plane. And, I repeat, the hand should be holding the big toes of both feet.
The pose is held for no more than two minutes on each side; the main thing in this position is to relax the body completely and not to hold the breath. If the lumbar spine has problems, the legs should not be brought back to the starting position straight; it is better to bend them at the knees first, then raise them, untwisting the body, and lie down on the back in «Savasana». (V. Boyko, YIK)

A variation of Jathara Parivartanasana

Lie on your back with the arms spread out to the sides. On an inhalation bend the left leg at the knee and place the foot on the right leg just above the knee. On an exhalation slowly lower the left knee to the floor on your right side, pressing the knee lightly with the right hand. Extending the spine into one line, turn the head to the left and let the left shoulder drop to the floor. Repeat the twist on the other side. (Yoga Journal)

The effects of practising Jathara Parivartanasana

Jathara Parivartanasana reduces fat deposits, relieves congestion in the liver, the spleen and the pancreas, gets rid of gastritis, eases pain and spasms in the lower back, and helps to correct strains and impingements in the lumbar and pelvic region. With regular practice all the abdominal organs will be in good order.