Common Yoga Asanas and Their Benefits
For ages, man has benefited from the rewards of yoga. Yoga postures or 'asanas' have the ability to rejuvenate tired limbs, tone internal organs, and refresh stressed minds. Some common yoga poses involve different limbs to sit, stand, twist, balance, or bend backward and forwards. Irrespective of their ages, strength, litheness, and levels of stamina, people in general, can practice yoga easily.
A variety of exercise postures are commonly known for their wide range of merits. Some basic postures that are practiced in a sitting position like the Child pose, the Easy pose, the Extended Dog pose, stretch, and lengthen the spine. They bring inner peace to the body. The flexibility of the back is also brought about by them. The Child poses further massages and tones the muscles of the abdomen which facilitates the digestion and elimination of food.
Twists of various limbs and the back are also basic but effective yoga exercises. Both the Belly-twist posture and the Knee-down twist give a stretch to the muscles of the back; they also realign the spinal column and keep the spinal discs hydrated. Threading-the-Needle posture works well for the elongation of the shoulders, arms, upper back, and neck. Bending exercises are another key feature of yogic performance; in this routine, the body is either bent forward or backward. The digestive, nervous and endocrine systems of the body are greatly benefited by the Standing Forward fold. The Plow pose similarly improves blood and lymph circulation, stimulates the thyroid and builds the immunity of the body, and relieves shoulders and back from strains. Bridge pose, another bending exercise, makes the lower body stronger. By stimulating the endocrine and nervous systems, it contributes new spurts of energy in the body. The cobra position employs bending of the back and has multifarious rewards. It acts as a core strengthener; the chest is widened, the kidneys are re-energized and the nervous system is recharged. Two other overall empowering stances are Half Forward fold and Plank pose. Both these positions build up the central reserves of energy in the body, elongate the spinal column and provide reinforcement to the muscles of the back Merudandasana Yoga and its benefits.
Balancing the body can be learned through yoga practice and once the art is and mastered its fruits can be earned. Tree pose helps in enhancing balance as it makes ankles and knees strong. This exercise largely aids the mind to focus attention and improve memory. Attaining perfection in the Headstand develops retaining power and concentration; it fortifies the skin and hair, makes blood circulation better, and acts as a stimulant for the immunological system. The vital point of the body 'crown chakra' is kindled by it. A yoga posture is never experimented with by itself. A whole sequence including warm-up, breathing, actual stance taking, meditating, and relaxing exercises, is chosen and completed for best results. The corpse pose is essential for relaxation. This position uplifts the body, mind, and spirit. It is a great posture to alleviate physical and mental anxiety on the whole.