Poorna Bhujangasana
Full cobra pose
Learn this posture in person with a teacher.
Poorna means "full": the complete form of the cobra.
Technique
- Assume Bhujangasana and breathe normally.
- Take the head, neck and shoulders further back and try to touch the back of the head with the toes or the soles of the feet.
- Stay in the final position for a while.
Awareness
Initially on synchronising breath and movement, relaxing the spine and the stretch in the abdomen and chest; eventually on Swadhisthana chakra.
What it gives
- A deep opening of the spine, chest and abdomen.
Precautions
No specific precaution in the handbook. Practise progressively, never force, and learn intermediate postures with a teacher first.
Learn it with Acharya Lokesh
Intermediate postures are safest when a teacher watches you. Book a free trial session at home in Delhi or online, or take the illustrated guide home.
Text from Acharya Lokesh's handbook Yogasana for Intermediates (Agastya Yoga School, 2022), edited for clarity. General information about a traditional practice, not medical advice: if you have a health condition, are pregnant or recovering from surgery, ask your doctor first.