Physical Education · Ch 3 — Yoga as Preventive Measure for Lifestyle Disease
Yogamudra
Yogamudra
Yogamudra is not strictly an asana but a mudra (a yogic gesture or seal); even so, it can be performed as an effective remedy for diabetes. It is regarded as a sign of deep understanding and wisdom.
Drawn by us to help you understand the concept clearly, and verified to make sure it's accurate. For exams, practice from your NCERT textbook's own diagram.
A side-profile shaded drawing of a person seated in the cross-legged lotus posture (Padmasana), folded fully forward from the hips so the forehead reaches toward the floor, with the hands and arms held behind the bac …
Technique
- Sit in Padmasana (the lotus posture) and close the eyes.
- Hold one wrist behind the back with the other hand.
- Inhale deeply.
- While exhaling, bend forward, keeping the spine straight.
- Bring the forehead down to the floor.
- Stay in this final position for as long as is comfortable.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
Breathing Awareness
- Inhale slowly and deeply in the starting position.
- Exhale while bending forward, then breathe deeply and slowly in the final position.
- Inhale while returning to the starting position.
Benefits
- Helps stretch the posterior (back) muscles of the trunk and the neck.
- Improves muscle toning and the venous circulation of the spinal column.
Contraindications
- Should be avoided during pregnancy.
- People who have undergone heart, abdominal or brain surgery should not practise it.
- Care should be taken by those suffering from a peptic ulcer or hernia.
- Those with severe spinal problems should avoid it; while it can benefit a mild slipped disc, it should be avoided in severe cases.
The NCERT/CBSE Class 12 syllabus specifically notes that Yogamudra, though a mudra, is included among the practices for diabetes because the deep forward fold massages the abdominal organs.
Why Yogamudra specifically helps manage diabetes
Folding forward fully with the arms locked behind the back increases the depth of abdominal compression beyond what a simple forward bend achieves, because the fixed arm position stops the torso from "cheating" the fold by using the arms for support. This deeper compression presses firmly on the pancreas and the liver, the two organs most responsible for processing blood sugar, and is believed to improve their blood supply with repeated practice, the same mechanism, taken further, that makes Paschimottanasana and Ardha Matsyendrasana useful for diabetes elsewhere in this unit.
Common mistakes
- Gripping the wrist too tightly and yanking it to force a deeper fold, rather than letting the fold deepen gradually with each exhalation, strains the shoulders without adding any extra benefit to the abdomen.
- Rounding only the upper back while the hips stay upright gives the appearance of a fold without the abdominal compression that makes the mudra effective; the fold should hinge from the hips, with the spine staying long. …