Makarasana

The Gheranda Samhita places Makarasana among its thirty-two: lie face down on the earth, chest on the ground, legs extended. The makara is the great water-beast of Indian mythology — patient, grounded, unhurried. Classically the pose is rest itself: after the effort of the standing and prone postures, the body is set down like the crocodile on the riverbank, and the breath is watched where it moves the belly. The tradition treats this watching as practice, not pause — the diaphragm''s movement against the floor gives the mind a living object, and the pose becomes a doorway into the breathing practices that follow.

1. Lie face down with the legs extended and slightly apart, toes falling outward.
2. Stack the hands or forearms under the forehead or rest the cheek to one side.
3. Alternatively, for the fuller classical pose, fold the arms and rest the forehead on them so the chest lifts slightly.
4. Let the whole front of the body soften into the floor.
5. Rest for one to five minutes, simply feeling the belly press the earth on each inhale and release on each exhale.

Prone resting positions with the head turned or supported are used clinically to settle breathing after exertion. The pressure of the floor against the abdomen provides clear tactile feedback of the diaphragm''s movement, which is why breath-awareness exercises are often taught in this position — studies on diaphragmatic breathing training show faster acquisition when an external tactile cue is present. The pose also gently extends the lumbar spine without muscular effort.