Yoga, today, has moved from being a self-nourishing practice to something with tangible benefits. If you look around, weight loss, flexibility, and stress relief are three major reasons why people practice yoga. But, if you take a closer look, you will realize that yoga has much more to offer. The 5 yoga poses outlined below offer these benefits. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of yoga before moving on with the poses.
On a physical level, yoga
- Promotes detoxification
- Enhances blood circulation
- Eases digestive issues
- Helps with weight loss
- Shapes and tones your body
- Improves flexibility
- Eases stress
- Improves breathing potential
- Shields you from injuries
- Improves bone density
- Helps to sleep better
- Corrects the posture
- Protects the spine
- Boosts immunity
- Improves cardiovascular strength
- Regulates the functioning of adrenal glands
- Therapeutic for sciatica, back pain, depression, diabetes, sinusitis, constipation, and a wide array of other ailments
There are some other benefits of yoga that are not tangible. Those include:
- Increased level of peace and calmness
- Ability to remain stable during turbulent times
- Ability to ground
- Increased happiness and joy
- Able to remain serene
- Maintain the positive attitude
- Become assertive
- Better focus and concentration
- Better productivity
- Better relationship and crisis management
- Lesser aches and pains
- Ability to connect with your Inner self in a comprehensive way
- Ability to accept and love oneself without criticism and judgment
The goal of yoga is not to do a posture the perfect way. In fact, its goal is to teach us to accept and love ourselves as we are. It aims to restore that harmonious connection that once existed among our bodies, minds, and souls. In short, yoga is a beautiful art that will help us become our True Selves.
The five poses outlined here are simple, but have the potential to give us an opportunity to explore ourselves.
5 Yoga Poses for Daily Life
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Malasana – Garland Pose – The Complete Squat
On a physical note, it helps to open up the hips and groins. It is one of the best yoga poses to ease constipation and other digestive qualms. It also stretches and strengthens your knees and legs. But, if you have a pre-existing knee injury, place a block beneath your heels to avoid putting extra pressure on your knees.
Stand with your legs as wide as your hips. Inhale and as you exhale, engage your abdomen and squat completely. Let your toes point away from your body. Bring your hands inside your thighs, pushing your knees open with your elbows. Join your palms and elongate the spine. Hold the posture, while practicing Ujjayi breathing, for 5 minutes. You can begin with one minute and gradually increase the duration.
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Uttanasana – Standing Forward Fold Pose
Give your brain and face a rush of blood with this simple forward bend cum inversion posture. It eases your stress, clears your face, and promotes hair growth. Well, it gives a good stretch for your hamstrings while relieving the trapped gas from your abdomen. It also helps you to look inward and stay grounded.
From Malasana, place your palms on the floor. Inhale, place your palms on your waist, and slowly straighten your legs. Exhale and fold forward from your hips, pushing your hips back and rest the palms on either side of your feet. Let your abdomen rest on your thighs and the chin close to the shin. Let your head hang and allow the gravity to do its job. While 5 minutes is a good deal, you can hold as long as you can.
If you want a deeper stretch, you could try Padahastasana or Hand to Foot Pose.
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Chaturanga Dandasana – Four Limbed Staff Pose
A lower plank, as it can also be called, it works on your entire body. It aids to sculpt your core and strengthen your arms and legs. Talking about its metaphysical benefits, this posture improves your balance and focus.
Place the palms firmly on the floor in Uttanasana. Then, walk or jump back to come into plank position. From there, lower your body closer to the floor, pushing your elbows backward. Keep your toes tucked. In the final posture, your body should be in a straight line, parallel to the floor. Engage your core, butt, and thigh muscles to hold the posture. Hold it for 30 seconds, increasing the duration to 3 to 5 minutes.
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Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose
Strengthen your entire back while sculpting and toning your glutes and abdomen with this simple backbend. It is also a wonderful heart opener. It works on five chakras – Mooladhara, Svadhishtana, Manipura, Anahata and Vishuddhi. It teaches you to love and accept yourself without judgment.
From Chaturanga Dandasana, inhale and scoop forward lowering the body on the floor. Push your torso, until the navel, off the floor. Keeping the elbows bent, gently tilt your head back and gaze up to give your neck a good stretch. Simultaneously, push your elbows closer to the body to open up the heart. Engage the glutes and thighs and stretch a little deeper until you feel a tingle on your lower back. Hold the posture for 1 minute, extending to 5 minutes with practice.
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Shavasana – Corpse Pose
It is now time to let go… Wind up your practice with this posture. Learn to focus, let go, and live consciously with the Corpse pose.
Once you complete Bhujangasana, gently bring your head to neutral position and slowly release the backbend, resting the chin and forehead on the floor. Gently roll to your right and lie down on your back. Spread your legs out wider than your hips and let your feet fall away from your body. Stretch out your hands, giving your armpits enough space to breathe. Keep your spine in neutral position. Let your body relax. Close your eyes and focus on your breath.
Lie down in the posture for 5 minutes with conscious awareness about your body and breath. At the end of 5 minutes, gently move your fingers and toes. Move your head from side to side. Stretch your arms over your head and interlace your fingers. Extend the toes away from your body. Inhale and give your body a nice, deep stretch.
Roll to your right and sit upright in a comfortable seated posture. Join your palms at the Heart center and bend forward to extend gratitude to Mother Earth for the wonderful practice.
What are your thoughts now? How are you feeling?
Practice these 5 poses daily for 21 days, setting an intention to help you become what you are truly, and see the way your life changes!
Thank you very much for sending those valuable teachings on Yoga. I did not know Malasana and will include it in my daily practice and try some day your suggested 5 asanas sequence. I’ve appreciated it a lot, including the described benefits.
Light, life and love.
Hello Sir/Madam
Thank you for sending this information.
Regards
Arun Kumar.R