Pindasana (Embryo Pose) steps and benefits

• Lie down straight on your back. Keep your hands next to your body on the floor 
• Inhale and raise your legs, bringing them in Halasana or Plough Pose 
• Support your back with your hands; your elbows should be touching the ground
• Now inhale and then exhale a couple of times to check whether your body posture is stable
• Next, fold your legs in padmasana pose
• Instead of the steps mentioned above, you can also directly sit in dandasana pose, into urdhava padmasana and then lie down on your back
• Wrap your hands around your legs and bring them down to your face so that your face and your knees come closer to each other.    
• Keep your eyes on your nose or on your naval, whichever helps you maintain the final pose
• You can stay in the posture for 60-90 seconds depending on your capacity
• After that, slowly bring your legs back. Initially, you can do it for a short period of time (30 seconds is enough) then gradually increase the time period

Asanas to do before practising pindasana

• Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
• Hero Pose (Virasana)
• Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)
• Plow Pose (Halasana)
• Ear Pressure or Knee to Ear Pose (Karnapidasana)
• Inverted Lotus Pose (Urdhva Padmasana)

Asanas to do after Pindasana

• Fish Pose (Matsyasana)
• Raised leg pose (Uttana Padasana)
• Headstand (Sheershasana)
• Bounded Lotus Pose (Baddha Padmasana)

Like every physical technique/posture of yoga, pindasana combines physical, mental and spiritual aspects of the body and has a plethora of advantages. Some of them are mentioned below:

• Strengthens arms, shoulders and neck muscles
• Relaxes the spine, especially the lumbar spine
• Increases hip and knee flexibility
• Improves digestive health
• Provides relief from abdominal cramps and helps strengthen abdominal muscles
• Relaxes and stabilizes the mind and body

• If your neck is not flexible enough, you can put a towel beneath your shoulders. This would relax your neck and help you ease into the posture
• If performing padmasana is difficult for you then you may simply cross your legs in sukhasana posture

• Those who are affected with back pain, headache or high blood pressure should not perform this asana
• Those who have an injury in their knees, shoulders, neck or hips should not practise urdhva Padmasana
• Don't push yourself into this asana, give your body some time to adjust to it