Beginner Yoga Poses

Our physical well-being depends a lot on our mental well-being. If we are mentally disturbed, no amount of exercising can make us healthy. Yoga, an ancient Indian "spiritual discipline" is based on the same concept. 

It aims at providing a person with the right balance of mind and body, by way of various yoga "asanas" or poses. Yoga makes the body flexible while calming the mind and uplifting the spirit at the same time.

If you are new to yoga and are planning to incorporate some of these poses in your daily exercise routine, then below are a few yoga poses for beginners.

This is a breathing exercise which will help calm your mind and make you feel relaxed. Steps to perform this exercise are:

• Sit with your back straight on a chair or a bed.
• Close your eyes and breathe as you normally do for a few minutes until you can feel your breath.

• Close your right nostril with your right thumb and then take a deep breath with your left nostril.
• Cover your left nostril with your middle and ring finger, remove your thumb from your right nostril, and then slowly exhale.
• Repeat the same process again, this time inhaling from your right nostril, keeping your left nostril closed with your fingers.

• Follow it up by covering the right nostril with the thumb, uncovering the left nostril and then exhaling through the same.

This exercise should be repeated at least twenty times everyday, and like all yoga poses, should be done in a very comfortable position.

This yoga pose, also known as "cobra pose", is one of the most effective exercises, which helps strengthen the back muscles. Steps to perform this exercise are:

• Lie down on a yoga mat on your stomach. Your forehead should touch the ground, hands should be placed shoulder-width apart near the face with palms pressing on the floor, and the elbows should touch the body.
• Now, pressing your lower body as well as your palms, lift your upper body off the ground.

• Inhale and try to lift your upper body as much as you can while keeping your hips, legs, and feet firm on the mat.
• Hold on to this position for about thirty seconds and then come back to the starting position, slowly exhaling at the same time.

Bhujangasana is effective for flexibility as it stretches the back, chest, as well as the shoulder muscles. It is also believed to be capable of providing relief from asthma and sciatica.

Also referred to as the "corpse position", it relaxes both the mind and the body. Steps to perform this exercise are:

• Lie down on your back on a yoga mat. Keep your hands on the sides and close your eyes.

• Now, try to remove yourself away from all thoughts and activities. Initially you may not be able to do this, but with regular practice, total detachment from things around us can be achieved.
• Breathe normally, and stay in this position for about ten minutes.

Basic yoga poses such as these may seem very ordinary, but the positive effects they have on the mind and the body have to be experienced to be believed.

Mountain pose, as tadasana is commonly referred to, is amongst the best-standing yoga poses, as it improves the flexibility. Steps to perform this exercise are:

• Stand straight with your legs together and hands on the side.
• Looking straight, raise your hands without bending your arms till the level of your elbow. Both the palms should face each other.

• Next, raise the arms till the fingers point towards the sky.
• Take a deep breath and raise your heels off the ground slowly.
• Standing on your toes, stretch your body as much as you can, and later, exhale and bring your heels down.
• Come back to the starting position by lowering your arms to your sides.

Sukhasana, as the name suggests helps in providing "sukh" or pleasure to the mind and the body, by relaxing it.

Steps to perform this exercise are:

• Simply sit in the meditation pose i.e., cross-legged and hands on the knees facing upwards, with your middle finger touching the thumb.
• Keep your back straight, close your eyes, and take a deep breath. When breathing, do not think about the worldly things, instead, concentrate on your breath.

Although these yoga poses are quite easy to do, still to do them perfectly, it is better that you take advise from a trained-yoga professional, at least in the beginning. Of course, once you have seen the perfect way of doing them, you can practice them everyday on your own, and take pleasure in all the benefits that yoga has to offer you.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only. Always consult a physician before starting any physical fitness program in order to reduce the risk of injury.