‘Shashanka’ in Sanskrit means the moon.

Position of Readiness

Sit in the Vajrasana position and hold your ankles with hands of the same side.

Steps

Take a deep breath and raise both the hands in one line with head up (palms facing each other).

Bend forward while exhaling and let the forehead touch the ground.

Retain this position as long as you feel comfortable and come back to Vajrasana position. Relax for some time and repeat the asana.

Daily practice

Shashankasana can be performed three to five times in succession.

Benefits

It exercises the lower abdomen and improves digestion. It also relieves stiffness of the spine. Yoga-Mudra and Shashankasana produce similar beneficial effects. It remedies uterine inversion.

Note

When the forehead touches the ground, the buttocks should still remain on the floor.