YOGA POSTURES: Standing Position

Standing Alignment in Yoga: Asana is a Sanskrit word. It means to keep our body in a particular posture. Many yogis have devised these whole set of asanas, the postures. One of the great Yogis was Patanjali who had devised many postures, which were easy and comfortable. His teaching is known as Astang Yoga, too.

Most of the postures are devised to enable us to have better physical health and a peaceful mind. These yoga postures have deep impact on our whole body, and mind and soul. The yoga postures help keeping us in a particular physical position.

Nataraja Asana

The meaning of word 'Nataraj' is 'The Lord of Dancing'. Lord Shiva is believed to be the Nataraj. In fact the Natarajanasan is believed to be of difficult type of Yoga Postures. Yoga is one of the most useful and widely practiced exercise. It has been originated in India. Yoga or doing of the yoga postures, the yoga asanas, is famous for its spiritual touch. These postures provide extreme stretches to the human body. Yoga is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, but now a day it is practiced all over the world. Some use it as exercises for remain healthy and fit, and the rest for spiritual reasons.

Trikonasan, Triangle Pose: The word 'Trikona' means triangle. As our body looks like a triangle in this yoga posture this asana is called Trikonasana, the triangle pose. It is an important pose (asana) in Hatha yoga system of yoga exercises. This pose is done twice, in sequence. Once it is done by facing the left and another facing right.

Ustrasana, Camel Pose: Whle we do this posture our whole front body is stretches. the front of the body including the chest, abdomen, and quadriceps are stretched to their bearable limit. By doing so regularly for a period, we can improves the flexibility of our spinal cord and the area surrounding the spinal cord. It would those more who are suffering from mild backache. Camel Pose is beneficial in hip disorder, too.

Benefits by doing Standing Yoga Poses

It is necessary to know that the standing position provide us the knowledge about the principles having a proper alignment of our body. Here are some of the Yoga Asanas, the postures, which can be termed as Yoga Postures in Standing Positions. These postures would affect different systems of human body: muscular, respiratory, circulation, digestive, excretory, reproductive, endocrine, nervous system. These asanas are to be performed after keeping our body in standing position: legs together (fully stretched), spine erect and both hands resting on our sides.

Wearing The Yoga Clothes

While doing these postures you need feeling comfortable. So the importance of clothes increases. Yoga clothes are the outfits absorbing your sweat easily, as yoga exercise is bound to make you sweating heavily.

Yoga at the Beach

For women the outfits would be mainly same as the men. But wearing the shorts would be better, as it would help you knowing about how your legs and feet align during the yoga exercise. To cover the breasts fully is essential; for that women can use short bra made from cotton. The women yoga practitioners desiring to enjoy freedom of movement wear bikini while doing yoga postures. It is comfortable especially when you do yoga in open or at beach. (Image Yoga at the Beach Courtesy By karpidis (originally posted to Flickr as Yoga at the beach)[see page for license], from Wikimedia Commons) (Image Natarajasana, The Dance Pose courtesy By Sri Devi Nrithyalaya (http://www.sridevinrithyalaya.org/gallery2.html) [GFDL 1.2], from Wikimedia Commons )

Read more »

YOGA POSTURES: Sitting Position

Sitting Alignment in Yoga : Asana is a Sanskrit word meaning to keep our body in a particular posture. The great Yogi Patanjali had devised many asanas, the postures, which were steady and comfortable. His teaching is known as Astang Yoga, too. Most of the postures are practiced to achieve better physical and mental health, as these yoga postures have deep impact on our body, mind and soul.

Padmasana, Lotus Pose

The meaning of ‘Padma’, a Sanskrit word, is lotus. While sitting in this posture, the human body looks like a lotus. Thus it is named ‘Padma Asana’. Padmasana is basic posture for many yogic acts. If you want to do chanting for longer hours it is convenient to sit in this asana. As narrated by Patanjali, sitting in this posture makes the energy of human body takes it natural shape, helping to heal several disorders in the body. It is believed that those who practice Padmasana would get help in awaking Kundalini.

Sitting Yoga Postures

VAJRA ASANA,The Thunderbolt Yoga Posture : It has been noticed that regular practice of this asana increases the secretion from the glands, which are vital for the physical and mental health of a person. Along with other benefits of doing Yogic posture, Vajrasana, the Thunderbolt Yoga Posture helps the digestion process and assists in eliminating the gastric troubles. Those who suffer from the pain in knee would be benefited by doing this posture.

Paschimottanasana :This postures is relatively an easy one. You can feel very much relaxed after doing this asana. It provides good excercise to the muscles of back, legs and the hands. It is advised for weight loss and back pain.

Ardha Matsyendrasana: This asana was devised my a Yogi whose name was Matsyendra. So the Yoga Posture is named after his name. As the Purn Matsyendra is difficult for the beginners, the Half Spinal Twist Posture is devised. It is called the Ardh Matsyendrasana.

These sitting postures help keeping our body in a particular positions for a time. Here are some of the Yoga Asanas, the postures, which can be termed as Yoga Postures in Sitting Positions. These postures would affect different systems in human body like muscular, respiratory, circulation, digestive, excretory, reproductive, endocrine, nervous system.These asanas are to be performed after keeping our body in sitting position: both legs together and stretched, toes erect, spine erect and both hands straight and palms resting on floor. By Marcocarvalho [CC-BY-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Read more »