International Yoga Day: Easy asanas for beginners

Yoga is a technique you’ll be able to heal each the physique and thoughts.

By Reya Mehrotra

The pandemic has taught us the significance of each psychological and bodily well being. A powerful immunity, correct train, the appropriate respiratory strategies, every little thing is essential within the struggle in opposition to the lethal virus. Yoga is a technique you’ll be able to heal each the physique and thoughts. With Yoga Day on June 21, we carry to you some straightforward asanas you’ll be able to start your yoga journey with.

Vrikshasana
Additionally known as the Tree Pose, Vrikshasana is a balancing pose and is without doubt one of the few standing poses in hatha yoga. In historic instances, sadhus are believed to have disciplined themselves with this pose. It has additionally been described within the Sanskrit yoga textual content Gheranda Samhita within the seventeenth century. However even earlier than that, a determine standing on one leg, indicating the asana, was seen on a Seventh-century stone carving in Mahabalipuram.

Trikonasana
Additionally known as Utthita Trikonasana, the triangle pose is a standing asana, which is part of fashionable yoga. It was first described within the teachings of Indian yoga instructor Tirumalai Krishnamacharya within the twentieth century. His e book Yoga Makaranda—which was written in 1934, in addition to the writings of his college students—describes the pose. The time period utthita in Sanskrit means ‘prolonged’. Its two components embrace dealing with left and dealing with proper. With toes aside, the practitioner has to face with knees unbent and proper foot dealing with exterior and left foot lower than 45 levels to the within. The palms face down because the arms stay parallel to the ground.

Adho Mukha Svanasana
Additionally known as downward canine pose, this posture is concerning the head touching the ground with the bodily weight on the palms and toes. Whereas the legs are straight, the hips are raised excessive. It’s principally practised as a sequence of poses, particularly surya namaskar. It’s named in order the posture resembles a stretching canine getting up. The pose helps the musculoskeletal system, stretches the calf muscle groups, shoulders and hamstring.

Tadasana
It is usually known as samasthiti or the mountain pose and is a standing pose in fashionable yoga. It types the idea for a lot of different asanas in yoga. It’s believed that it was adopted into fashionable yoga by Krishnamacharya after which turned a basis for clean transitions between asanas. It consists of standing on each toes along with palms on the sides. A foundation of many asanas, it’s entered into by standing with the toes collectively, and lifting the physique up by means of the top’s crown. The thighs and the waist are lifted and the backbone is elongated.

Virabhadrasana
The warrior pose is a standing lunging asana that commemorates the exploits of Virabhadra, a legendary warrior. Historical rock sculptures at Ellora Caves present the warrior Shiva in a pose much like Virabhadrasana whereas combating demons and wooing goddess Parvati. It may be entered from a standing place by leaping with the toes huge aside. There are three sorts of Virbhadrasanas with the third one being essentially the most troublesome of all three, requiring the physique to steadiness on one foot. The Virabhadrasana is known as essentially the most recognisable and iconic pose of yoga.

Paschimottanasana
The seated ahead bend is an asana in hatha yoga that requires one to bend ahead whereas sitting with the legs stretched out. The Fifteenth-century handbook on hatha yoga known as Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes the pose. Its variations embrace urdhva mukha paschimottanasana (balancing type of the pose), parivritta paschimottanasana (reverse type of the pose), trianga mukhai paschimottanasana (one leg bent) and ardha baddha padma paschimottanasana (one leg crossed over the opposite).

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Supported by the shoulder, that is an inverted back-bending asana the place the again and hips are lifted whereas balancing the burden on the top and toes. The knees stay bent and the ankles are caught by hand. Within the Nineteenth-century Karnataka treatise, the pose seems as kamapithasana. It’s exited by leaping again into the shoulder stand or mendacity down.

Shavasana
This hatha yoga asana is known as the corpse pose and is usually meant for leisure on the finish of a yoga session to calm the thoughts and remove tiredness. The Fifteenth-century hatha yoga handbook Hatha Yoga Pradipikaa mentions the pose. It’s carried out by mendacity on the again with legs as aside because the mat, whereas arms are relaxed on the aspect. The eyes stay closed.

Balasana
Additionally known as a baby’s resting pose, balasana is a kneeling asana. It may be entered by kneeling and bringing the top ahead to the touch the bottom with the arms alongside the physique and palms dealing with upward. A few of its variations embrace ananda balasana (glad child pose), uttana shishosana (prolonged pet pose) and shasangasana (rabbit pose).