10 Best Yoga Poses To Add To Your Daily Routine
Connect your mind, body, and spirit through channeling an inner state of serenity.
The Eastern practice of yoga has become a modern-day symbol of peace, serenity, and well-being. With more than 36 million practitioners, according to the 2016 Yoga in America study, it’s definitely a practice that has become highly ingrained in everyday life. This is most likely due to the fact that, for many people, yoga provides a retreat from their chaotic and busy lives. This mind-body practice is frequently looked towards for its ability to reduce stress and boost well-being, while also offering an endless number of physical health benefits that rival other forms of exercises. Through yoga’s ability to help you become more aware of your mind and body, yogi’s can live a calm, balanced life while reaping physical benefits as well. If you’re in desperate need of escaping reality and tuning in to your inner Zen, here are the 10 Best Yoga Poses To Add To Your Daily Routine.
Relaxing – Child’s Pose (Balasana)
By placing your head (namely your ‘third eye,’ the spot just between your eyebrows) on the mat, Child’s Pose has an instant calming and soothing effect on the brain through its ability to alleviate stress and anxiety. The inward fold of the body with the eyes looking back towards you sends a signal to your brain that you’re safe and that it’s okay to rest.
Energizing – Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
The gentle heart-opening stretch of the Camel Pose (performed either with the hands on the lower back or reaching down to touch the heels) can be highly invigorating for the entire body. It’s a total front-body opener, as it expands the chest in order for the lungs to expand and get a full breath – giving you a much needed boost of energy.
Improved Focus – Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
That balancing poses can help improve concentration is pretty obvious and intuitive, but Eagle Pose is especially beneficial for cultivating focus. Fun fact – the pose gets its name from the Hindu god Garuda, known for his power, strength, and, naturally, his focus.
Calming – Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
The Supine Twist is a great way to decompress and squeeze out any lingering anxiety and frustrations experienced throughout your day — just like squeezing every last drop of juice from a lemon. If you often find yourself feeling worn out at the end of a long day, twist poses are great poses to help ease your mind.This pose can be done either laying down, or sitting up.
Detoxifying – Locust Pose (Salabhasana)
Locust Pose is a great pose for detoxing the body as it flushes the kidneys with a fresh blood supply of blood, which helps eliminate toxins. Since the abdominal muscles play such a crucial role in this pose, it helps to improve digestion and aids in gastrointestinal problems.
Increased Circulation – Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Chair Pose helps to improve blood and oxygen flow throughout your body. By practicing this pose, which stimulates the abdominal organs, diaphragm, and heart, you’re teaching your body to optimize circulation from your head to your toes.
Strengthening – Boat Pose (Navasana)
Boat Pose targets the rectus abdominus (six-pack muscles) of the core, while strengthening the hip flexors, quadriceps, and erector spinae muscles of the back. It also stretches various parts of your body, including your hamstrings and spine, serving as a gentle yet beneficial yoga pose.
Increased Flexibility – Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Standing Forward Bend is a great stretch for your hamstrings, calves, hips, thighs, knees – basically your entire leg. In addition to stretching your body, it relieves tension in the spine, neck, and back, which leads to a calm mind and soothed nerves. There are different variations of this pose, but if you’re a beginner or aren’t too flexible, a standard forward bend is more than enough.
Better Sleep – Left Nostril Breathing (Surya Bhedana)
Left Nostril Breathing can be done either sitting up crossed-legged, or lying down on your right side. In the ancient science of Kundalini Yoga we are taught that there are two energies called Ida and Pingala, the Ida energy, on the left, being the moon energy: reflective, calming, and cooling. By breathing through your left nostril, you’re helping your body automatically run its day to day jobs, including managing your sleep cycle.
Meditative – Lotus Pose (Padmasana)
While Lotus Pose may not be physically challenging, many teachers believe it’s the most important pose because it allows the mind and body to integrate the benefits of yoga. Lotus pose is proven to have many various health benefits, including stress relief, an increased self-acceptance, the openness to peace, and the ability to connect inwardly with your breath. Try to end each yoga session with a meditation in this pose.
