There’s a Pose for That

Headache? Back pain? Anxiety? Neck tension? Insomnia?…There’s a yoga pose for that. Believe it or not, yoga postures have many benefits to our overall well being. Each pose or posture aims to alleviate ailments of the body, mind and heart, keeping us healthy and strong. When practiced with intention these postures can have very positive, energizing & healing effects. With the help of Yoga Journal, this article will identify some of the most common yoga postures and discuss the physical, mental and emotional benefits, as well as the intention associated with each.

Standing postures

Triangle Pose (Uttitha Trikonasana)

Triangle pose is one of the most common standing postures.

when we practice a-symmetrical poses, we are challenged with balancing the body and our instabilities surface. This gives us the opportunity to find equilibrium both internally and externally.

– Yoga Journal

Benefits

Stretches and strengthens the thighs, knees, and ankles
Stretches the hips, groins, hamstrings, and calves; shoulders, chest, and spine
Stimulates the abdominal organs
Helps relieve stress
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Relieves backache, especially through second trimester of pregnancy
Therapeutic for anxiety, flat feet, infertility, neck pain, osteoporosis, and sciatica

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

An excellent starting position that’s great for improving posture and can even act as a resting pose. Aim to find balance between grounding and lifting to achieve the true intention.

Benefits

Improves posture
Strengthens thighs, knees, and ankles
Firms abdomen and buttocks
Relieves sciatica
Reduces flat feet

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

A balance posture that challenges the nervous system as well as the mind. A pose that can truly reveal the importance of one’s gaze (dristhi).

Benefits

Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine
Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders
Improves sense of balance
Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet

Seated Postures

Bound Angle Pose (Badha Konasana)

An ideal hip-opening posture designed to release tension and emotion thatis often stored in the hips. Promotes inwardly-focused reflection and observation.

Benefits

Stimulates abdominal organs, ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys
Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation
Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees
Helps relieve mild depression, anxiety, and fatigue
Soothes menstrual discomfort and sciatica
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Therapeutic for flat feet, high blood pressure, infertility, and asthma
Consistent practice of this pose until late into pregnancy is said to help ease childbirth.
Traditional texts say that Baddha Konasana destroys disease and gets rid of fatigue

Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavistha Konasana)

A good prep posture for most seated forward bends. This pose is a deep stretch for the hips and a nice release for the hamstrings.

Benefits

Stretches the insides and backs of the legs
Stimulates the abdominal organs
Strengthens the spine
Calms the brain
Releases groins

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

This posture energizes the spine, tones spinal nerves, and promotes digestion, in particular the large intestine. One on Sivananda’s 4 top most healing postures for the body.

Benefits

Stimulates the liver and kidneys
Stretches the shoulders, hips, and neck
Energizes the spine
Stimulates the digestive fire in the belly
Relieves menstrual discomfort, fatigue, sciatica, and backache
Therapeutic for asthma and infertility
Traditional texts say that Ardha Matsyendrasana increases appetite, destroys most deadly diseases, and awakens kundalini

Back-bending Postures

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

A highly energising & uplifting or restorative heart-opening posture. This pose opens the front of the body and creates a sense of new space.

Benefits

Stretches the chest, neck, and spine
Calms the brain and helps alleviate stress and mild depression
Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid
Rejuvenates tired legs
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Relieves menstrual discomfort when done supported
Reduces anxiety, fatigue, backache, headache, and insomnia
Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and sinusitis

Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

A deep backbend that opens the heart and can create a sense of vulnerability. It strengthens the lower back and core.

Benefits

Stretches the entire front of the body, the ankles, thighs and groins,
Abdomen and chest, and throat
Stretches the deep hip flexors (psoas)
Strengthens back muscles
Improves posture
Stimulates the organs of the abdomen and neck

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

This posture promotes flexibility of the spine while opening the heart. Stimulation of Anahata (heart) chakra offers a sense of love, compassion and joy.

Benefits

Strengthens the spine
Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen
Firms the buttocks
Stimulates abdominal organs
Helps relieve stress and fatigue
Opens the heart and lungs
Soothes sciatica
Therapeutic for asthma
Traditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, and awakens kundalini

Forward-Bending Postures

Big Toe Pose (Uttanasana)

A standing forward fold that lengthens and strengthens tight hamstrings, releases the low back and offers traction to relieve the neck and spine.

Benefits

Calms the brain and helps relieve stress, anxiety and mild
Stimulates the liver and kidneys
Stretches the hamstrings and calves
Strengthens the thighs
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Helps relieve headache and insomnia

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

The ultimate rest posture.Child’s pose is a posture that offers opportunity to surrender into total relaxation and internal observation.

Benefits

Gently stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue
Relieves back and neck pain when done with head and torso supported

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottonasana)

A forward fold that helps to unwind a distracted mind and tight hamstrings. Another of Sivananda’s top most healing postures.

Benefits

Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings
Stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort
Soothes headache and anxiety and reduces fatigue
Therapeutic for high blood pressure, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis
Traditional texts say that Paschimottanasana increases appetite, reduces obesity, and cures diseases

Inversions

Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

One of the most recognised yoga postures. It is highly rejuvenating and provides an overall deep stretch while lengthening throughout the back body and back of the legs.

Benefits

Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Energizes the body
Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands
Strengthens the arms and legs
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with head supported
Helps prevent osteoporosis
Improves digestion
Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue
Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, sinusitis

Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana)

An inversion that is very healing for the body and rejuvenating for the mind. One more of Sivananda’s top most healing postures. By reversing circulation the heart gets a break and the mind is revitalised.

Benefits

Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Stimulates the thyroid and prostate glands and abdominal organs
Stretches the shoulders and neck
Tones the legs and buttocks
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Reduces fatigue and alleviates insomnia
Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, and sinusitis

Headstand (Sirsasana)

Strengthening for the body and calming for the mind, Headstand is the final of Sivananda’s top most healing postures and creates a very invigorating effect.

Benefits

Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression
Stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands
Strengthens the arms, legs, and spine
Strengthens the lungs
Tones the abdominal organs
Improves digestion
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Therapeutic for asthma, infertility, insomnia, and sinusitis

So the next time you find your body telling you that something is out of sorts, remember, there’s a yoga pose for that. Investigate which posture would best suit your needs, slow things down and give yourself some time to explore the pose and all the positive, healing effects that can arise through it.

There’s A Pose For That