Yoga is one of the ancient exercise practices that synchronizes with our soul because it is an amalgamation of physical exercises and breathing exercises. As a result, it helps to tone the body as well as internal organs. The most benefited organ by sitting yoga poses are the heart and the lung, and the sync of exercise and breathing patterns oxidizes the body. Oxygen is the fuel for the body, and it rejuvenates one to the core.
Today, Yoga is globally acclaimed, and it is recognized as a healer to the body and the soul. Yoga evolved in ancient India by the sages and the hermits of India, and they found it worth adopting in our daily lifestyle. Due to western impact, it had almost lost its significance. When people started having health issues that directly affected their mental health, people started drifting towards Yoga and discovered its benefits.
Six Yoga Poses
We will discuss six yoga poses that help relax and reconnect with your body, mind, and soul.
- Vajra Asana
Start with Vajra Asana. It is a simple seated pose and it helps to strengthen your muscles and joints, adding flexibility around your knees, thighs, and calves.
How to: You need to sit in a sitting position with your spine erect and your toes should touch each other and ankles bent in an inward direction.
For beginners, it might hurt your ankles and knee joints, but as you practice, it will ease your joints, and the benefits of this asana will show in your body.
- Child Pose
This pose is called child pose because newborns and infants tend to sleep in this pose. It is a pose of relaxation which is involuntarily done by the infants but we need to volunteer to have its benefit.
How to: Slide forward sitting in vajra asana bringing your head down on the floor in front of you. Relax the upper part of the body, moving your arms on your sides. Exhale and inhale remaining in this pose. You can add variation to this pose by turning your head right and left resting your forehead on the ground.
- Kapalbhati
Kapalbhati is a breathing exercise, inhaling fresh air inside the body, exhaling the stale air out of the body.
How to: After completing child pose asana, recoil back in sitting position. You need to be seated in mediation posture, keeping your spine erect with both hands resting on the knees.
Start inhaling from one of the nostrils slowly, stop inhaling and hold your breath for few seconds and thenceforth exhale forcefully through both the nostrils. The inhalation process should be such that you feel the relaxing of abdominal muscles.
With regular practice, you will develop good holding power of breath. It is best for the whole body, mind, and soul.
- Cat/cow pose
Cat/cow pose is a total spine exercise that makes the spine supple and adds strength to the muscles around and circulation is increased into the upper part of the body.
How to: Sit in a cat pose, bending your body on all fours, bringing hands just under your shoulders. Begin on your hands and knees, with your hands flat on the floor directly under your shoulders. Point fingers straight ahead and lock the elbows. Bend the pelvis forward, arching your back, and inhale. Lift your head up and back in cow position. Exhale tilting the pelvis in the reverse direction and at the push up through the shoulders, arching the back simultaneously, tucking the chin into the chest, just like the cats do. Inhale through the nose into cow position. Exhale through the nose into cat position. Discipline your movements with breaths.
- Cobra Pose
This asana benefits your spine, chest, and abdomen muscles and enhances your body flexibility.
How to: Lie on the abdomen, placing your hand’s palms down on the ground beneath your shoulders. Now lift your chest off the ground straightening your arms, hold yourself for few seconds, gazing upwards keeping your abdomen straight and return. Repeat this exercise.
- Shavasana/ Corpse Pose
This asana is the most relaxing technique to relax the whole body, bringing complete attention to one’s own body. If it is done with practice, it keeps you away from distraction while doing the asana.
How to: Lie on your back stretching your legs, keeping your arms to your sides. Relax your body and position like a corpse lying. Close your eyes and breathe naturally and gradually reduce the pace of normal breathing to slow breathing. Concentrate on the midpoint of your body. Keep your body in a still position initially for five minutes, gradually increasing the time. Gradually, start moving your toe and hands fingers like you are coming back to life after a dead sleep. Turn sideways slowly and rise slowly from this position.
You will feel beautiful, light, and refreshed doing these above-mentioned exercises. Adopt in your daily routine and mark the difference in your physique, strength, stamina, and mental awakening.
For reaping the benefits of Asana, take the help of professionals who can guide you and make you aware of the dos and don’ts of Yoga.
Professional aid is a must for beginners to learn under guidance and do not injure your body in any way.
