Jathara Parivartanasana – Benefits, Practice and Contraindications
| Common Name(s) | Belly Twist Pose and Revolved Abdomen Pose in English, Jathara Parivartanasana in Sanskrit |
| Meridians | Kidneys and Bladder |
| Chakras | Solar Plexus (Manipura Chakra) |
| Elements | Fire |
Jathara Parivartanasana is the Sanskrit name of Belly Twist Pose also called by other names such as Revolved Abdomen Pose or Reclining Twist Pose. It is a variation of the Supta Matsyendrasana and itself has a few variations of its own.
In this pose, the person lies down on back and twists the belly or abdomen to bring both the legs, ideally, on either side of the body one by one. This pose is known to be beneficial for stomach related ailments, particularly gastritis.
The pose influences the functioning of the Kidney, Urinary Bladder, Heart, Lungs and Small Intestines meridians of the body and activates the Solar Plexus, also called the Manipura chakra. As per Ayurvedic tradition, it balances the Pitta dosha of the body and controls and regulates the element of Fire in body whose center is at the navel.
It is recommended to be done with mindfulness, experiencing the sensations in different parts of the body.
Contraindications of Jathara Parivartanasana
This yoga pose is good for stomach but it shall be performed with certain precautions to avoid any adverse impact.
1/3. The pose is not to be done by people having suffered or are in the process of recovering from injuries of rib cage, spine, hips, knees, neck and shoulders.
2/3. It is prohibited for pregnant women. Post-pregnancy it is to be done under guidance.
3/3. People with arthritis of hips or back shall use adequate support and shall do this under guidance of someone.
How to do Jathara Parivartanasana In easy steps?
1/6. Lie down on your back with spine straight and grounded.
2/6. Open your arms and open these on either side.
3/6. Lift your knees and hold these close to chest.
4/6. Twist the belly on one side and let both the knees, ideally, go down as well. Let the gravity do the task for you. You do not have to push these down yourself. However, quick drop of knees to sides shall be avoided.
You can move the head in direction opposite to that of the twist.
5/6. Ensure that the chest and shoulders are straight and on floor. If there is a tingling sensation in shoulders and arms, it means that the blood supply is getting restricted. So, move down the arms and readjust shoulders a bit. You can even use the bolster to do away with this sensation.
6/6. Lift the knees from the side of the body and move these to the other side of the body and repeat the steps.
There are certain variations to this pose, which are discussed below. These can be resorted to if there is discomfort of any sort.
Alternatives or variations of Jathara Parivartanasana
1/5. While twisting the belly and moving knees on one side of the body, you can straighten the legs instead of bending for more impact.
2/5. You can even adjust the height of knee, lower or higher, as required in order to drive more stretch and flexibility to different parts of the body. For example, if the knees are higher, the twist will influence the upper part of the back. However, if the knees are kept down, the twist will affect the lumbar region of the body.
3/5. You can make use of bolsters under the shoulder for proper cushioning and positioning in case you are not comfortable having these on the floor.
4/5. You can even have the knees in Windshield Wipers pose while twisting. You can even twist the legs in Garudasana pose.
5/5. You can have one of the arms stretched overhead. This arm will be the opposite to the direction in which knees are twisted.
How To come out of the Pose?
You just have to bring the knees close to chest while lying straight and without twisting the belly. Slowly release the sacrum and lumbar. Move the knees down to the floor.
Benefits of Jathara Parivartanasana
1/6. Develops Stretch and Strength- Doing this pose imparts strength to muscles of stomach, calves, lower back, shoulders, arms, hamstrings and hips. It provides strength to these muscles.
2/6. Massages internal organs- By stretching one side of the body and compressing the other, there is simultaneous massage of internal organs of the body which help in improving their functions.
3/6. The pose reduces the level of stiffness and increases endurance levels in shoulders, neck and hips.
4/6. This is also good to avoid back pain issues as flexibility and strength in spine is attained with regular practice of this asana.
5/6. By having knees closer to the chest while doing this exercise, the condition of sciatica might also improve with time.
6/6. The asana is also good for mental health. Twists can be fun and these can bring about feeling of freshness by releasing tensions, stress and anxieties.
This is particularly good for people facing gastric or digestive issues.
How much time should be given To Jathara Parivartanasana?
Ideally, you shall practice this for such time duration during which you are comfortable. Recommended timing is 3 to 5 minutes. It shall be done slowly with mindfulness.