Vajrasana Diamond Pose (Thunderbolt Pose) Method, Benefits, Side Effects

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Vajrasana makes the body of the doer or practitioner (of this asana) as stronger as a diamond. Breathing poses or exercises like kapalabhati, Pranayama and Anulom-Vilom are performed in the Vajrasan position.

Word meaning

Vajrasana or Diamond / Thunderbold or Adamintine or Kneeling Pose
Meaning –
Vajra = Diamond
Asana = Pose, Posture

Note-worthy about Vajrasana

Generally most asanas are advised to be done on empty stomach or before taking food, Vajrasana is exception for this rule. It can even be done after taking food. In fact it gives good results when performed immediately after taking food especially in proper digestion.

Method

Method of doing Vajrasana
Come to the Kneeling down position
Stretch your legs backwards, keep them together such that the big toes of each foot either touch each other or cross each other and the heels should be separated

Now lower your body such that your buttocks are resting on your heels and your thighs rest on calf muscles
Place the palm surface of your hands on your knees i.e. place the right hand on your right knee (palm down) and left hand on your left knee (palm down)
Lift and keep your head absolutely straight and see forward to set a forward gaze

Now start focusing on your breathing. Be aware of the pattern of breathing while carefully observing the inhalation and exhalation patterns
You could close your eyes to concentrate on your breathing and also to concentrate on your mind
Be in this position for 5-10 minutes

Purva Asanas

Purva Asanas (Preparatory Asanas)
Before Vajrasana, you can do one or more of the below mentioned Asanas –

• Ardha Shalabhasana
• Shalabhasana

Paschat Asanas

Paschat Asanas (Post-Vajrasana Poses)
After performing Vajrasana, you can perform the below mentioned asanas –

• Makarasana
• Balasana
• Shavasana

For how much time can Vajrasana be performed at a stretch?
One can perform Vajrasana for 5-10 minutes at a stretch.

Tips to perform Vajrasana

At the beginning, when you have started practicing Yoga in general and Vajrasana in particular, the legs might hurt after few minutes. In that case you need to stop doing this asana and stretch your legs forward. A light soothing massage shall be given to the ankles, knee and calf muscles. You can master this asana with constant practice. Vajrasana looks an easy pose but it is quite challenging and tough to do it in the initial days of practice. It gives you leg pain and unrest in mind, but you have to conquer them and master this asana. This is possible with constant practice and investing your mind over the pose.

Health Benefits

Health Benefits of Vajrasana – Diamond pose
Below mentioned are the benefits of Vajrasana –

• Helps in improving digestion
• Relieves constipation
• Prevents ulcers and acidity
• Prevents piles, fistula
• Prevents formation of gases in abdomen and gaseous distension of abdomen
• Provides good relief from low back ache issues and sciatica, strengthens the back
• Helps in strengthening the pelvic muscles
• Strengthens legs and back
• Stretches ankles, thighs, knees and hips
• It helps cure the rheumatic pains, gout and flat foot, heel pain, myalgia
• Beneficial to control excessive sleep, also beneficial for those who work late night
• Helps ease labor pains
• Helps ease menstrual cramps
• Easy pose to meditate (meditative pose)
• Helps in regulating blood supply in the pelvic region
• Helps to keep blood pressure under control
• Helps in reducing obesity if practiced before food
• Helps in rejuvenating and strengthening the genital system and cures problems related to genital organs. It also helps in relieving urinary disorders.

Vajra, in Sanskrit means diamond. It is also the strongest material. In the human body there is a naadi called Vajra Naadi. This Naadi (nerve or nerve plexus) is related and connected to the genital organs. Vajrasana empowers this Nadi and hence strengthens all the genital organs and also cures the problems related to genital system. Regularly practicing Vajrasana will make genital organs and sexual strength similar to the strength of Vajra (diamond). Vajrasana also affects the naadis known as Kanda which is related to 72,000 other Naadis.

Impact on Chakras

While in Vajrasana, all the seven Chakras of the body are aligned in a straight line. This makes it easy for the practitioner to raise his or her Kundalini Shakti (serpent energy located at the bottom of the spine) and experience its movement along the spinal cord, in an upward motion.

After regularly practicing Pranayama, Anuloma Viloma, Kapalabhati, sitting in this Vajrasana Pose one’s body is believed to become as strong as a diamond.

It equally and simultaneously stimulates Ajna and Anahata Chakras. With this, one will experience an extraordinary state of huge inner force. This happens because while doing Vajrasana, you put together the energies of the two force centers.

Contraindications, precautions

Who should not do?
Vajrasana is generally considered safe. But the below mentioned cautions and contraindications should be kept in mind before starting Vajrasana –

• People who have severe knee pain should avoid Vajrasana
• Those who have undergone knee surgery recently should also avoid doing Vajrasana
• Pregnant women should keep their knees slightly apart while practicing Vajrasana. This avoids pressure over the abdomen.
• Vajrasana shall be avoided when one has ailments related to spinal column and cord, especially in the region of lower vertebrae
• Vajrasana shall be practiced under the guidance of a Yoga instructor by those suffering from diseases related to small intestine and large intestine, including those suffering from intestinal ulcers or hernia

Supta Vajrasana

Supta Vajrasana is the advanced variation of Vajrasana. Once you sit in Vajrasana, you should bend backwards and place both your forearms and elbows on the floor. This helps in strengthening the neck, back and chest muscles. It helps in expanding your chest and relieves lung related problems and disease.

Effect on Doshas

Effect of Vajrasana on the Doshas and their subtypes
Activates and balances Pachaka Pitta and Samana Vayu, maintains their harmony with Kledaka Kapha – Vajrasana balances Pachaka Pitta and Samana Vayu axis, aids good digestion. By maintaining the symphony of pitta and vata with kapha in the stomach, Vajrasana helps in creating a protective buffer in the gut, thus prevents ulcers and acidity.

Balances the activities of Apana Vayu – By balancing the activities of Apana Vayu, Vajrasana helps in relieving constipation and gaseous distension of the abdomen, piles and fistula, eases menstrual cramps and labor pains, enhances blood supply to pelvic region, rejuvenates the genital system and relieves diseases of uro-genital tract. Vajrasana mainly makes one sexually strong and going, also owing its stimulating and balancing act on Muladhara and Swadishtana Chakras, which are again the locations of control of Apana Vayu.

Balances Prana-Udana-Vyana Axis – By balancing the Prana Vayu-Udana Vayu-Vyana Vayu axis, Vajrasana helps in preventing and curing hypertension, keeps the heart and lungs healthy, aids proper circulation of blood, nutrients and oxygen, provides energy. This also is due to the activating and balancing role of Vajrasana on Anahata and Ajna Chakras.

Effect on Dhatus

Effect of Vajrasana on the Dhatus

Strengthens Mamsa Dhatu – Vajrasana helps in strengthening the muscle tissue and fine tunes them, makes them flexible. It strengthens the muscles of the pelvis, lower limb, back, helps cure muscle pains and rheumatic pains.

Strengthens Asthi Dhatu – Vajrasana helps in strengthening the bones of the low back, lower limb and spine. Thus Vajrasana helps in curing rheumatic pains, gout, heel pain, bone pain, low back pain, sciatica etc. Vajrasana also strengthens the bony joints of the lower back and lower limb effectively and helps in curing the pain and discomfort located in these joints.

Strengthens and nourishes Shukra Dhatu – Vajrasana helps in strengthening and nourishing the reproductive tissue (semen, sperms) and also the reproductive organs; it helps in better performance in sex and removes sex related debilities.

Effect on Malas

Effect of Vajrasana on the Malas
Helps in proper excretion of Pureesha and Mutra – By controlling Apana Vayu functions, Vajrasana helps in proper elimination of feces and fart, thus relieves one from constipation and distension. By proper elimination of urine, Vajrasana helps in maintenance of health of urinary apparatus.

Just Before Finish
Vajrasana is one of the best asanas which serves in strengthening the body and also in enhancing ones capacity of focusing the mind. Therefore it is a comprehensive body-mind asana. In this article I have explained the procedure of doing Vajrasana and the benefits derived from its regular practice.
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