Yoga Poses
Yoga Postures at a Glance
Yoga asanas bring wonderful health benefits. They let you feel the power of your body and the importance of keeping it healthy. When done in right way, Yoga is just fun and relaxing. You feel good, feel the blood surging through your veins, and the energy pulsating through your nerves.
Here are some popular Yoga postures at a glance. So just have a quick look at these Yoga positions.
Shirshasana (Head Posture)
It increases blood circulation to brain. It promotes hair growth and quality sleep.
The posture looks imposing to beginners and is extremely powerful. Place your mat into a comer, kneel down and place your interlocked fingers in the comer close to the walls. Keep your head into the hollow of the palms, rise off the knees and take a step or two towards the comer. Raise one leg and place it in the comer against the wall. Ask a friend to help you if you are doing it for the first time. Just pull the other leg up. Keep the posture for about 15 seconds and then come out the headstand, lowering one leg at a time.
Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
It helps regulates the thyroid and sex glands. It also vitalizes the nerves and purifies the blood. Neck muscles are also strengthened.
Lie on your back. Inhale while raising your legs and spine till the toes point to the ceiling. Your body now rests on the shoulders and the back of the neck. Hands are placed on the center of the spine between the waist and the shoulder blades, thus supporting the body. Keep spine and legs straight. Stay in the position for two minutes and then slowly come out of the posture.
Sukhasana (Easy Position)
This posture helps gain awareness on breathing and body, strengthen lower back and open the groin and hips.
Just sit cross-legged with hands comfortably on knees. Focus on your breath while you keep your spine straight. Push the sit bones down into the floor. If you find hard sitting hard sitting on hard ground, sit on a cushion or block. This will strengthen your back and hips. Do a few times the exercise of inhaling and exhaling air.
Tadasana (Mountain Posture)
The posture benefits your balance and self-awareness.
Stand with legs together, hands at your sides, eyes looking straight. Raise your toes, open them, then put them back down on the floor. Tilt your pubic bone a bit forward. Raise your chest slightly up and out. Raise your head up and lift the base of your skull toward the ceiling. Push into the floor with your feet and raise your legs, first the calves and thereafter the thighs. Inhale and exhale the air.
Trilokasana (Triangle Posture)
The posture benefits the spine, opens the torso, improves balance and concentration.
Sit with your feet spread apart. Turn your left foot to the left and the right foot inwards. Raise both arms so they are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your left knee is aligned with your left ankle. Stretch outward to the left, tilting the left hip down and the right hip up. Pivot your hands, till your left hand comes to rest against the inside of your calf. Repeat the process with your right hand. Process of inhaling and exhaling continues through the asana.
Virbhadrasana (Warrior Posture)
It strengthens legs and arms; improves balance and concentration and builds confidence.
Stand with feet together and hands at side. Stretch your feet apart. Turn your right foot to the left. Gradualy bend the left knee till the thigh is parallel with the floor. Keep the knee either behind or directly over your ankle. Raise your arms over head and slowly lower them. Focus on a spot in front of you and inhale/exhale.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Posture)
It benefits adrenal glands, uterus, liver and back muscles. People suffering from gas problems find it very beneficial.
Lie down on your stomach. and place the hands on the floor beside the pectoral muscles. Put the hands, palms down, under the shoulders on the floor. Take in the air, without lifting the navel from the floor. Stretch your body as much as possible. Retain the breath and then exhale. Repeat the process two to seven times.
Ardha Sarvangasana
Yoga is one of the oldest form physical disciplines in existence. There are numerous types of asana that are performed in Yoga, one of them being Ardha Sarvangasana. It is the Queen of all the asans. Just as the name ‘Sarvang’ suggests ‘all parts’, the asan is essentially concerned with all the parts of the body. A unique pose, Ardha Sarvangasana ensures rejuvenation of the whole system. It is also referred to as The Shoulder Stand, Candle Posture and Pan Body Posture.
In this form of asan, the entire weight of the body lies on the shoulder blade. The exercise proves to be beneficial in strengthening the abdomen. It also helps in proper thyroid functioning. Ardha Sarvangasana can be done two times a day – once in the morning and then in the evening. In the following lines, we have mentioned the exact steps needed for performing Ardha Sarvangasana, its benefits and people who should not do the exercise.
How To Do Ardha Sarvangasana
The first step would be to lie flat on the back. Then, with the help of your hands, lift your legs up into air.
The position of the hands should be such that it should be on the lower back. Make sure that your elbows and lower arms rest on the ground.
The weight of your body should be on your shoulders and from mid to upper back, but not on the neck.
Once you have attained the desired posture, hold at the posture and breath deeply for 5 to 10 minutes. Increase the duration of holding the posture, gradually, over time.
At the time of coming down, slowly lower your legs. In the process, do not forget to keep them straight. This would mean a little workout for your abdominal muscles as well.
Make sure that in the process of doing the asan you face no jerks.
For the beginners, it is not possible to attain the correct posture, as the abdominal muscles are not strong enough. In that case, the best bet would be to allow the legs to come forward towards the face.
To attain best results, performing Matsyasan immediately after it.
Benefits Of Ardha Sarvangasana
Helps in proper thyroid functioning
Strengthening of abdomen
Stretches upper back
Increases blood circulation
Encourages relaxation
Accentuates the flow of blood and energy to the brain
Stimulates mental functions
Enhances memory and concentration
Relieve from some headaches
Cures dyspepsia, constipation, appendicitis, other gastro-intestinal disorders and varicose-veins
Supplies large quantity of blood to the spinal roots of the nerves
Stops loss of hair or premature greying
Enhances facial complexion
Helps alleviate rheumatism
Cures malfunctioning of the sexual organs
Sublimes emotions of depression and neurasthenia
Treats problems of insomnia
Who Should Not Do The Asan
There are some specific requirements for an aspirant to perform Ardha Sarvangasana. He/she should be in the best of health, before trying the asan. People suffering from cervical spondylitis, low back pain, inflammation of the throat, blocked sinuses and high blood pressure should not perform the asan. Also, people with heavy hips should not attempt the asan, as the entire weight of the body is borne by the shoulder blade.