Forward bend asana - with Wings

This asana begins from the standing position and contains a forward bend, an inversion an upright stretch - and a semi shoulder-rotation which gives the impression of the arms as wings, during the inversion.  
The entire movement is exaggeratedly slow, slower than you might normally like to practice using spectacularly slow breathing. Deeply slow breathing and movement.   Refer to bottom of page for cautions regarding this practice.

One complete round is:

• Stand with the feet and knees close together
• Arms, relaxed, alongside the body.  Eyes closed.
• INHALE slowly, through the NOSE - and raise the hands - super slowly - straight out and up in front of the body - stretching torso, arms and hands right up to the ceiling 
• EXHALE super-slowly through the MOUTH making a haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah sound, aloud, but softly, not harshly – while at the same time
• Bending forward with the head and torso - slowly slowly down into a deep forward bend, the arms stretching right out in front of the body as they bring the hands to the floor
• Brush the hands onto the floor on the outside of the feet, smoothly taking them up behind you while bent fully forward, rotating the shoulder joints as the arms lift, pressing the head right down
• Keep the knees bent enough to bring the nose as close to the knees or shins, as possible
• Hold the position, fully exhaled, nose to the shins, arm fully raised up behind you for 5 seconds
• Then, INHALING slowly: lower the hands to the floor, brushing them forward of the body and up to the ceiling, raising the torso and arms also until you are completely upright again, hands to the ceiling ...
• This is one complete round. If you need to rest between rounds, lower the arms and relax the body and breath for 30 seconds.  If you do not require rest, continue round after round, super-slow breath and super-slow movements. Complete between 3 and 20 rounds.

Benefits

The inversion gently stimulates and vitalises the brain, spinal cord & spinal nerves and the forward bend stretches all the muscles of the back, neck and hamstrings. The whole body is stimulated from the top of the head, right through to the tips of the toes. 
Because the feet have to grip the floor to keep you from over-balancing, the leg muscles must also work strongly this activates into the torso, so the whole body is also stimulated & strengthened from the tips of the toes, to the top of the head. 

It is a practice which will activate your entire field of prana - this stimulates the chakras, the panch pranas and the nadis (meridians) and fires energy through all the cells of the body at the molecular level.

Stimulation of the spinal cord and brain nourishes the central nervous system with oxygentated blood and prana; all the glands of the endocrinal system are vitalised; the respiratory system is cleansed and cleared, releasing toxins from the lungs and oxygenating the tissue of the alveoli, bronchii and lungs; the lympoid organs and lymph glands are stimulated, strengthening the immune system; the digestive system is squeezed, stretched and massaged - as is the reproductive, urinary and excretory systems; the cardio-vascular system is gently vitalised; endorphins are released by the neural-peptide system.

Practice Cautions

Where there is pregnancy, ulcer, hernia or High Blood Pressure seek medical advice regarding the suitability of this practice for you. The internal pressure caused by the upward and downward movement may cause injury in these health situations.