Naga asana

Posture:		Naga-asana - The Cobra Pose
Translation:		The Sanskrit word naga means snake or serpent. The naga-asana is also known as the bhujanga-asana. The Sanskrit word bhujanga, which also means snake, is derived from the root bhuj which means to bend or curve.
Pronunciation:		na-gah-sa-na
Difficulty:		(4)

The Cobra Pose (Naga-asana) Instruction:

1		Lie on the stomach with the head turned to one side and the arms alongside the body with palms facing upward.
2		Turn the head and place the chin on the floor. Inhale then exhale slowly through the nostrils and swing the arms around until the hands are placed just below the chin with the palms down and the finger tips of each hand almost touching and the elbows on the floor.
3		Inhale slowly through the nostrils, press down on the hands and lift the torso from the waist up off the floor, arching the spine backwards and straightening the arms. Keep the hips on the floor.
4		Tilt the head as far back as possible and hold the posture for the duration of the inhaled breath.
5		Exhale and reverse the process to return to position #1.