Bikram Posture #14 – Wind Removing

Did you know that there’s a whole lot more to Bikram Yoga than what you see on the surface? The flow of hot yoga has been created to help nourish the deepest parts of the body all the way to the surface of the skin – and the wind-removing pose is a great example. This asana goes deep into the gut where it works on the digestive system and provides a powerful yet gentle massage to organs that often get overlooked.

One of the most common complaints of people in the world these days revolve around the digestion. People deal with bloating, gas, indigestion, slow digestion, poor absorption of nutrients, and a whole lot more. The Wind Removing Pose, known as Pavanamuktasana in Sanskrit, is a champion asana for dealing with these and many other issues.

When in the Wind-Removing Pose, you’ll feel a gentle, comforting pressure that goes from the ascending colon to the descending colon. This gentle pressure is actually a deep massage running the length of the colon. It helps tone and strengthen the colon while also helping with natural detoxification.

The Pavanamuktasana also offers the same massage and compression to the transverse colon which means you end up with a complete colon massage from the inside that can work wonders for overall digestive and elimination health.

The hip and hip flexors play a big role in this pose. In order to focus movement and compression on the colon, the knee is drawn up into the abdomen with the arms. This helps relax the hip and pelvic floor leading to greater flexibility and a firmer abdomen.

As its name implies, this pose also helps expel any trapped wind from the gut. It can help relieve pressure, pain, and bloating so that the body can get back to a healthy digestive environment.