Matsyasana

Matsyasana is a cultural asana mentioned in several noted Hatha Yogic texts, wherein the practitioner assumes a pose suggestive of floating like a fish. 

Meaning of Matsyasana 
Matsya means fish in Sanskrit. Unlike other asanas which are named after the resemblance of the body to a particular creature during the final position of the asana, the body does not resemble a fish during this asana. The asana is suggestive of the quality of floating like a fish - a state of mind and body induced by assuming this posture. 

Yoga Texts and Matsyasana 

Matsyasana has been mentioned or described in various classical yoga texts. It was first mentioned in the Brihan Naradiya Purana, a Puranic text compiled around 850 AD. It was latermentioned intermittendly in various Puranic texts until being described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (1400 AD), the foundatinal text of Hatha Yoga. It was described regularly in the Yoga Upanishads (1400 AD) and in later texts like the Gherand Samhita and the Shri Tattva Nidhi. In sum, Matsyasana has had an unusually long history, and is hence a major yoga asana.

Practice of Matsyasana: 
* Sit in Padmasana and slowly take the help of the elbows to lie down on the back. Then slowly lie on the back completely.
* Now with the help of elbows or palms bend the head backward and place middle of the head on the ground.
* Catch hold of the toes with the index fingers and place the elbows on the ground.
* While returning to original position, release the toes and taking the help of the hands straighten the head.
* Now taking the help of elbow sit in Padmasana. To know more read:

http://www.indianetzone.com/1/matsyasana.htm