Tadasana (Mountain Pose): How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
Tadasan/ Samasthiti Sanskrit words meaning: Tada – mountain Asana – pose Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Method: Stand with feet together, big toes and heels touching. Arms by your sides. Lift your toes off the mat and spread them back down – one by one. Lift the inner ankles and knees and engage the thighs. Engage the abdomen by slightly drawing it in, lift your chest, roll the shoulders back and down, away from your neck. Gaze forward, hands by your sides, fingers alert but not strained. Feel the energy lifting up and rooting into the earth at the same time. Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Health benefits Back pain Anxiety Digestive issues Back pain Flat feet Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Precautions Avoid practicing this asana for too long as prolonged standing may cause strain…
Read More

Vrikshasana or Tree Pose: How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
Vrikshasana or the Tree Pose is so called because the final position of this asana resembles the shape of a tree. This is derived from two words ‘vriksha’, which means tree in Sanskrit, and ‘asana’, which means posture. This ‘tree pose’ dates back to ancient mythology, and there are in fact references of it in the Ramayana. Lord Ravana stood in vrikshasana for penance, praying to Lord Shiva for a boon, and the posture has been considered powerful ever since. Since vrikshasana is primarily a balancing posture, it aids in improving balance – both physical and emotional. Just as a tree is able to balance while staying firmly rooted, the posture aims to keep your body and mind from wandering and stay balanced while being in the moment. You’ll find…
Read More
Navasana or Naukasana (Boat Pose): How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Navasana or Naukasana (Boat Pose): How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
This posture is named after the shape it takes – that of a boat, and is commonly called Boat pose.It forms a part of the Padma Sadhana sequence, where this yoga pose is practiced after Dhanurasana (Bow Pose). Navasana or Naukasana (Boat Pose) Method:Lie on your back with your feet together and arms beside your body.Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, lift your chest and feet off the ground, stretching your arms towards your feet.Your eyes, fingers and toes should be in a line.Feel the tension in your navel area as the abdominal muscles contract.Keep breathing deeply and easily while maintaining the pose.As you exhale, come back to the ground slowly and relax. Navasana or Naukasana (Boat Pose) Benefits:It helps in strengthening the back and abdominal muscles and tones…
Read More

Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose) : How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
BaddhakonasanaTranslated as Butterfly poseBaddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose) Method:Step by Step Instructionssit with legs straight out in front of you. Exhale and bend your knees, and pull your heels towards the pelvis.Drop your knees out to the sides and press the soles of feet together.Bring your heels as close to pelvis as you can.Grab the big toe to each foot with first two fingers and thumb. Try to keep the outer edges of feet on the floor.Sit with tailbone in back and pubis equidistant from the floor. Lengthen the front torso through the top of the sternum.Don’t force knees down. Instead release the heads of thigh bones towards the floor.Stay in the pose for 1-5 minutes. Inhale and lift your knees away from the floor and extend the legs back to…
Read More

Garudasana (Eagle Pose) : How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
Garudasana Also known as Eagle pose.Garuda was considered King of birds and also represented as Lord Vishnu's vehicle.Garudasana comes from the ancient Hatha yoga practice. It is an intermediate hip-closing pose which requires the practitioner to intertwine their arms and legs and balance all their body weight on one foot.This pose improves balance, calms the mind and strengthens the ankles, knees and calves while gently stretching the hip, shoulders, thighs, upper-back.Garudasana (Eagle Pose) Step by Step Instruction1) Stand in tadasan, slightly bend left leg and firmly plant it on the floor, slowly lift right leg up.2) Place your right thigh high across the left thigh(cross-legged) and aim to wrap your right leg on top of left leg, by taking your right shin behind your left calf.3) Try to hook your…
Read More
Gomukhasana or Cow Face Pose: How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Gomukhasana or Cow Face Pose: How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
GOMUKHASAN Gomukhasan is a Cow face posture which is basically a seated yoga posture in hatha yoga. Steps -1- Sit on the mat with your straight back and legs should be extended.2- Bend your right leg and place it under the left buttock and simultaneously your left knee should be placed Over the right knee.3- Raise your left arm above your head and bend the elbow towards the back. The same time right arm should be kept behind the back and both the arms should be interlocked at the back.4- Breathe normally and stay in the asana as long as you are comfortable.5- while exhaling, come out of the Asana.6- Same procedure should be done with the opposite leg and arm.Gomukhasana or Cow Face Pose Precautions1- Your body has certain limits.…
Read More

Ustrasana, Ushtrasana, or Camel Pose : How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
Ushtrasana, also known as Camel Pose is a kneeling back-bending asana. The name comes from the Sanskrit words,  Ustra meaning "camel", and  Asana meaning "posture" or "seat". Ustrasana, Ushtrasana, or Camel Pose Step-by-Step Instructions Starting Position: Vajrasana Stand on the knees. Keep the thighs fully straight. Keep the knees and feet together. Lean in the backward direction. Slowly move more backward. Reach the right heel with the right hand, and the left heel with the left hand. Avoid straining the body. Push the hips in the forward direction. The thighs should be kept vertical. Then bend the head and the spine as backward and as far as possible without straining. Relax the body and the muscles of the back. Support the body weight equally on the legs and arms. Keep…
Read More

Vakrasana or Half Spinal Twist Pose: How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
Vakrasana or the Twisted Pose makes the spine flexible and removes fat around the waist. In Sanskrit Vakra means twisted and asana is a pose. In Vakrasana, the trunk is twisted to either side and is practiced in the sitting position. It is a good twisting pose for beginners. Those who cannot perform Ardha Matsyendrasana can perform Vakrasana to get similar benefits. It's one of the postures which is explained in traditional hatha yoga, it’s a sitting posture technique: How to Do Vakrasana or Half Spinal Twist Pose? - Step by Step Instructions Sit in dandasana, the stick pose, both legs together and arms by the side of buttocks, upper body is an angle of 90 with lower body 2.fold right leg, place the ankle aligned with opposite knee, knee…
Read More
Shirshasan (Headstand Pose) : How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Shirshasan (Headstand Pose) : How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
Shirshasan (Headstand Pose) Procedure ⁃             Sit in vajrasan ⁃             Relax the body and close eyes for few seconds ⁃             Now lean forward and interlock the fingers on the back of the head and head and arms on the mat ⁃             Distance between Elbows should be equal to distance between interlocked finger and an elbow ⁃             Now lift your back of the body to form a right triangle where your back and legs represent hypotenuse. ⁃             Now walk slowly towards the elbows ⁃             Bend the knees slightly, bend the thighs against the chest and abdomen ⁃             Now slowly raise one leg above the mat by 20 cms and do the same with other leg. ⁃             Now raise the lower legs in a controlled movement, adjust the trunk slightly to counter balance…
Read More
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) : How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) : How to Do It, Benefits, Step by Step Instructions & Precautions

Yoga
Adho Mukha Svanasana Translation  Downward facing dog pose Adho mukha svanasana is performed in almost every type of yoga practice be it Ashtanga vinyasa hatha yoga , Vikram yoga , Iyenger yoga etc. It may be done in slight different e.g. In the sequence of Ashtanga vinyasa it is one of the most frequently practiced posture throughout the sequence,  it is part of Sun salutation A and Sun salutation B as a resting and restoration posture which allows practitioner to regulate the breathing for maintaining the physical, physiological,  and mental calmness. This Asana is also used as the transition of all seated poses in Ashtanga vinyasa yoga style. In Hatha yoga this posture could be seen in different variation Named as Parvatasana(mountain pose) also part of traditional Surya namskar practice.…
Read More