"Yoga is not just physical exercise. It's an emotional integration, spiritual elevation, with a touch of a mystic element, which gives you a glimpse of something which is beyond all imagination."
~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Yoga is a complete science; it unites body, mind and spirit and also the universe. It brings peace and bliss to every individual. It also creates a significant difference in one’s behavior, thoughts, and attitude. Daily practice of yoga increases our tranquility, sensitivity, intuition, and awareness.
What are yoga asanas?
Our mind is like a pendulum; swinging from the past to the future, regret, and anger to anxiety and fear, happiness to sorrow. It is ‘Yoga asana’ that enables us to maintain equanimity. Yoga asana is not a mere workout or exercise!
As described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra -“sthira sukham asanam”–it means Yoga asana is a balance of effort and ease. We give the effort to get into the posture and then we relax. Yoga asana brings that balance in every aspect of our life. It teaches us to put effort and then let go, to get detached from the result. Yoga asana increases our physical flexibility and expands our mind.
Yoga has to be done with the breath, and with awareness. When we lift our hands for yoga, first we become aware of the arm, and then we slowly lift it, synchronized with the breath. It is as graceful as a dance, gliding into one posture from another. The key is to stretch a little more, in each asana, than what we are comfortable with and then relax and let go. This little effort to take the body beyond its agreeable limit expands our mind.
Another Yoga Sutra by Patanjali says “prayatna shaithilyaananta samapattibhyam”–Again it reiterates the same philosophy. Give effort and then let go and by doing so Infinity dawns in our awareness, our awareness expands!
1. Standing yoga asana:
| English Name | Sanskrit Name |
| Standing Sideways Bending One arm | Konasana |
| Sideways Bending Using Both arms | Konasana 2 |
| Standing Spinal Twist | Katichakrasana |
| Standing Forward Bend | Hastapadasana |
| Standing Backward Bend | Ardha Chakrasana |
| Triangle Pose | Trikonasana |
| Warrior Pose | Virabhadrasana or Virabhadrasana |
| Standing Forward Bend with Feet Apart | Parsarita Padotanasana |
| Tree Pose | Vrikshasana |
| Reverse Prayer Pose | Paschim Namaskarasana |
| Eagle Pose | Garudasana |
| Chair Pose | Utkatasana |
2. Sitting yoga asanas:
| English Name | Sanskrit Name |
| One-Legged Forward Bend | Janu Shirasasana |
| Two-Legged Forward Bend | Paschimottanasana |
| Upward Plank Pose | Poorvottanasana |
| Sitting Half Spinal Twist | Ardha Matsyendrasana |
| Butterfly Pose | Badhakonasana |
| Lotus Pose | Padmasana |
| One-Legged Pigeon Pose | Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana |
| Camel Pose | Ustrasana |
| Child Pose | Shishuasana |
| Mill Churning Pose | Chakki Chalanasana |
3. Lying down on stomach yoga asanas:
| English Name | Sanskrit Name |
| Side Plank Pose | Vasisthasana |
| Downward Facing Dog Pose | Adho Mukha Svanasana |
| Dolphin Plank Pose | Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana |
| Cat Stretch | Marjariasana |
| Bow Pose | Dhanurasana |
| Cobra Pose | Bhujangasana |
| Sphinx Pose | Salamba Bhujangasana |
| Superman Pose | Viparita Shalabhasana |
| Locust Pose | Shalabasana |
4. Lying down on back yoga asanas:
| English Name | Sanskrit Name |
| Boat Pose | Naukasana |
| Bridge Pose | Setu Bandhasana |
| Fish Pose | Matsyasana |
| Wind-Relieving Pose | Pavanamuktasana |
| Shoulder Stand | Sarvangasana |
| Plow Pose | Halasana |
| Lying-down Body Twist | Natrajasana |
| Lying-down on sides | Vishnuasana |
| Corpse Pose | Shavasana |
Learn yoga asanas and experience yoga: Find a yoga center near you.
