Vrisasana Yoga Asana

Vrisasana is a meditative Yoga Asana that resembles a seated bull posture. It is useful for meditative purposes. This Yogasana was first mentioned and described in the "Gheranda Samhita", a late Hatha Yogic Text. Most of the meditative postures have many things in common except the arrangements of the legs and arms and Vrisasana has similarity with many such asanas.

Meaning of Vrisasana
`Vrisha` means bull in Sanskrit and the "Vrisasana" putatively resembles a seated bull. Vrisasana is called the bull pose probably because it reminds one of the seats of Nandi, the bull of Shiva, or, may be due to its influence on the sex organs it is interpreted as bull-pose representing masculinity and sexual control.

Yoga Texts and Vrisasana
The Vrisasana is arguably a fairly recent posture, not having been mentioned in any of the older texts, Hatha Yogic or otherwise. Its first mention and description was in the Gheranda Samhita, a significant Yoga manual in the Hatha Yoga canon, although it is now a well known pose.

Steps of Vrisasana
The steps of Vrisasana are simple to perform but the novice should begin the exercise under the patronage of some yoga expert. The steps or Vrisasana is mentioned below:
•The person has to sit with the legs fully stretched out.
•Then, the person has to first bend the left leg and place the heel on the right side of the buttocks.
•Similarly he/she has to fold the right leg and place the right heel on the left side of the buttocks.
•The knees are supposed to be placed upon each other, i.e. the left knees at the bottom and right knee over the left. Some suggest using the legs alternately as convenient. However, variations have been created placing the right heel under the anus, and then crossing the left leg the opposite way touching the ground.
•The person has to interlace the fingers and hold the upper knee with the hands, while keeping the body straight and the head well poised.

Vrisasana is recommended for simple meditative purposes. It may be practised for a few minutes each day as physical training, but may be followed for any length of time during prolonged contemplation. Normal breathing is indicated, that is free from all posture accessories.