Samakonasana or Straight Angle Pose

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/samakonasana-or-straight-angle-pose/ Samakonasana or the center split pose is the straight angle pose and is said to be one of the most effective poses of yoga.  This pose is great when it comes to flexibility in your leg joints, ankle, back, lower back, etc. Along with your back, it is a great posture for your hamstring, hip bones, and the side hip bones. Along with stretching out your most tense muscles, it will provide you with a good productive state of mind throughout the day.  This asana surely requires a little bit of patience and effort but is a great practice when considered in the long run for your physical as well as mental health. With the busy days and stuffed schedule we usually don’t realize the importance of stretching out our bodies and releasing the tension from the same. Samakonasana is a simple asana which requires least effort when practiced religiously and maximum benefit. Importance of Samakonasana in Daily Life It is a great posture for a daily dose of revitalization and rejuvenation. Along with stretching out your muscles, it helps to make them more flexible which in turn improves the workability of your muscles. Helps in increasing the blood circulation in the lower abdomen is usually not an area we give much attention to but holds an important aspect. It helps in providing good stability along with improving your psychological health. Step-by-Step Guide Sit on a hard surface with your back straight. The surface should be firm enough to support you and hold your posture when you will split your legs. Sit with both your legs straight and start to breathe in and out slowly. Breathing in and out will help to relax your muscles and will help your body to go into more intense positions. Slowly, start to separate your legs towards either side. Don’t stretch beyond your capacity. Split your legs till they are perfectly straight on either side and keep breathing in and out while holding the posture. Repeat this process a few times. Benefits  of Samakonasana Inner thigh muscles or hamstring are stimulated through this pose, which helps in toning your inner thigh as well. Very effective in reducing pain in the hip joints as it stretches your hip muscles, groin, etc. Very good posture for the children in their growing age as it provides good flexibility and stretches your body to its optimum. Blood circulation is increased in your lower belly is improved. A very good posture for better functioning of your lower abdomen which in turn helps in better digestion. Very useful pose in the strengthening of your hip joints, lower back joints, etc. People suffering from neck pain can practice this asana regularly for relief. This pose helps relief from stress and provides good mental health. It helps to give a nice boost of hormones to the body. Samakonasana Precautions This asana should be practiced with an empty stomach or 5-6 hours after you have taken your meal. People with severe back pain or injury should avoid this asana. People with leg problems should practice this asana under professional guidance. Contraindications In case of any severe injury or surgery, you should let your instructor know about the problem and should practice this asana only under professional guidance. People having a slip disc problem should avoid this posture. Pregnant women should particularly avoid this posture. Conclusion To sum it all up, Samakonasana is a typical posture but can be mastered with regular practice and patience.Make sure you are not exceeding your capacity while stretching your legs. There are several benefits to this single posture which makes this asana unique. It is a great posture for daily stress-relieving and gaining a balanced spectrum. It can be easily performed in the comfort of your house but will require a bit of professional guidance especially when you are a beginner. There is plenty of matter and guidance available on the internet regarding this posture in the form of articles or videos.   Read More...  Read Less...

Savasana (Corpse Pose): Benefits and Precautions

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/savasana-corpse-pose-benefits-and-precautions/ Savasana is a pose that is used to rejuvenate or relax your body at the end of yoga sessions. Savasana is a Sanskrit word where sava means ‘corpse’ and asana is denoted to a ‘posture’ or ‘pose’. Though savasana is usually practiced at the end of yoga sessions to provide a complete sense of freshness to the body, it can also be practiced in the beginning or middle of the sessions to provide a better start or break. This pose is also known to revamp root chakra, Muladhara and helps us to be more stable and secure in life. To practice this pose, you have to lie down facing up with your hands on either side, relaxed. Place your legs a little apart from each other along with eyes shut and proceed with taking a long and deep breath. This pose is not only important for relaxing the body but gives you an actual sense of freshness and freedom just as the name says, savasana. Why Savasana is Hard to Perform Savasana or corpse pose might look very easy to perform but is not. People with great flexibility and good performance in yoga class finds it a lot harder to lie down and relax the body than to perform critical poses. It is never easy to tell your brain to relax, just like that. There are several researches out there supporting the fact of how difficult it has become to rest your body when your state of mind is constantly stuck in the hustle of life. Therefore, Savasana is a bliss that prepares your body to gradually adapt to the good and benefits of the poses and postures provided by yoga and help your body and mind to relax. Initially, it might look and feel difficult to just lie there and try to relax. Many of the times you will start feeling drowsy and sleepy while performing the pose. “Savasana is being aware of your surroundings, your state of mind while being completely relaxed.”   Importance of Savasana in Daily Life Practicing yoga can change the way to proceed and dwell your life and to maintain that sacred relationship between you and yoga, savasana is performed before you enter the hustle of your life. Yoga is a practice that helps you to perform different  breathing activities by putting pressure on your nervous system. Practicing to put pressure on your body in a hypothetical situation such as performing a normal activity will help you in real life to go through different situations in a very calm manner. Savasana helps you absorb the qualities provided by yoga in a very subtle manner before entering in the real, usual world. Step-by-Step Guide: How to Perform Savasana Pose   Lie down on your back on a hard surface without any cushion or pillow, preferably floor. Close your eyes and place your hands a little far from your stomach with the palm facing up. Part your legs with a little distance between the two and feet relaxed so that they are making a 45-degree angle. Stay conscious of your surroundings but don’t get too distracted. Start breathing in and out involving all of your senses. Since the whole purpose is to rejuvenate, you don’t have to put much pressure on any part of the body. Repeat the breathing process for a couple of minutes after, before or in the middle of your yoga session to take a break and refresh. After completing the practice, slowly start to open your eyes and come back in your normal position.   Now while performing Savasana you have to focus on your state of mind since the whole point of this practice is to increase concentration. Benefits of Savasana Pose Savasana helps reduce blood pressure by infusing more fresh air in your arteries and hence increasing the circulation pattern. Help reduce muscle tension extensively as you have to leave your body as relaxed as possible while performing this posture or asana. Helpful in decreasing anxiety levels by stimulating the root chakra, Muladhara and helping us in being more calm and grounded. “It is quite easy to get caught in the undesirable situations that life throws at you but dwelling on them can cause you to suffer from anxiety, stress, etc. Savasana helps you to relax and stay calm in such situations and proceed with a clear state of mind.” Increases productivity and energy levels by helping us attain a good state of mind. “Everyone is running behind being more productive and hustle more but nobody is putting much concern towards why there is a need to be more productive. Your body is naturally more productive when you are focused and clear in actions you perform and Savasana helps you build the foundation for such concentration.” it Improves focus, concentration, and memory. Savasana Pose Precautions Avoid moving your body while performing Savasana as it might disturb the practice and will fuel your distractions. Make sure to perform it on a hard, flat surface. Practice this in an environment that offers quiet and relaxing surroundings.   Contraindications  People with back pain should perform this practice with a pillow or cushion support under their knees. Your body should be warm while performing this practice. Try to practice it in a dark place or while covering your eyes as light may fuel as a distraction as well. People with neck pain should take the support of a pillow or cushion under their neck.   Conclusion Savasana is not only the need of the body but the need of the hour too. We all tend to get too busy in our daily lives trying to be a better version of ourselves that we forget to take a break and rejuvenate. Our bodies tend to develop stress and results can be quite severe in extreme cases such as suffering from anxiety attacks or getting severely ill. Savasana is a simple solution to all the stress that we humans built inside our bodies. You don’t need to be an expert while doing this and can comfortably perform this practice in your house without any hustle.   Read More...  Read Less...

Top 8 Sitting Yoga Poses and Their Benefits

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/top-8-sitting-yoga-pose-and-their-benefits/ Sitting can be hardest of a task when your prime role is to handle information and records, mailing and maintaining the daily ins and outs at your office. You are more vulnerable to have bad posture that even lead to ill effects on your physical wellness. Besides curing the pain and physical stress, Sitting Yoga Pose and their Benefits are to provide you with maximum flexibility and strength. Beneficial during pregnancy, some of these Easy Sitting Yoga Pose are also known for their efficacy. People from different professions are drawn to Yoga and its diversified forms to get a better outcome and alleviate their career further. With a limitless spectrum of purposes, the ancient techniques of Yoga are now emerging as a vital source of healing, curing, strengthening, and shaping humans. Lifestyle Today: Lifestyle today is unquestionably demanding, with stressful work hours. You stay seated at your desk filling customer data. Handling queries and emailing information is a bit of a challenging task as there is zero or no mobility at all. Time is shifting rapidly that there is barely moments for you to look at the rights and wrongs about your posture. It is in human nature we pay less attention to it unless it becomes severe. In the rush of the hours, many of us fail to notice whether we sit in the right pose or not. It is time to improvise further and look at Sitting Benefits of Yoga. Most important is How to Improve Posture through Yoga. Scope of Sitting Yoga Pose: Sitting Yoga is most beneficial for office-goers Athletes, and Choreographers, and is effective for women during pregnancy. Overall posture is retained to an optimum level and vulnerability to develop back and joint pains are reduced to almost zero. These Asana Pose benefits in maintaining flexibility and muscles and bones remain in action throughout the course. These aren’t just to provide strength to your spine, but also form the backbone of Yoga. Best 8 Seated Yogas and Their Benefits    Since the stress and pressure on our spines are caused due to long hours of sitting, these asanas are performed while you sit in a particular posture for a given time. 1) Sukhsana (Easy Yoga Pose) It is known for bringing peace and joy to the practitioner as the main motive of performing this posture is to attain calmness and rid the stress. It is considered the foundation of all the Sitting Yoga Pose on which other Seated Asanas are based. This posture is easiest of all the 8 Best Sitting Pose of Yoga to strengthen your spine and cure anxiety. To practice Easy Yoga Pose, sit down crossed legs and slip your feet under the opposite knee. You must sit with an erect spine in such a way that your thighs and crossed legs should form a triangle. Your tailbone and pubic bone must be balanced in a manner that they stay equidistant from each other. Place your hands on the knees with palms facing down and inhale and exhale with eyes closed. Repeat inhaling and exhaling and keep in the same position for about 10 to 15 minutes. 2) Vajrasana (The Diamond Pose) This Sitting Yoga Pose can be practised moment after one finishes meals. It is best known for emulsifying the process of digestion. Performed for stronger spine and neck, this asana helps keep you stronger and healthier. [caption id="attachment_9354" align="alignnone" width="679"] Diamond Pose[/caption] You can start this pose by sitting on the floor and with legs folded. Keep your spine straight neck with the face at 90 degrees. Place the right palm at the right knee and left palm of the left knee. Inhale and exhale and repeat for about five to ten minutes initially. The Diamond Pose keeps the mind stable, calms the digestion system and gets rid of constipation and gas troubles. Vajrasana is known for clearing urinary tract and boosts functioning in reproductive organs. Vajrasana cures bloating and since thighs and knees are also in action, this pose strengthens the limbs and thighs. 3) Baddha konasana (Butterfly Pose) This is another pose from the Best and Easy Sitting Asanas that helps women during menopause and childbirth with several other benefits. The butterfly pose amplifies blood circulation, strengthens knees and thigh muscles, and stimulates prostate glands and kidneys. This Sitting Yoga Pose is performed on an empty stomach. [caption id="attachment_9355" align="alignnone" width="679"] ButterflyPose[/caption] To practice this pose, sit straight with erect spine, knees bent and bring your feet as close as possible. Hold your feet-ends by your hands and respire with your elbows pressing against the thighs. Flap your thighs like a butterfly and repeat it for about five to fifteen minutes with constant inhaling and exhaling.   4) Balasana (Child’s Pose) Balasana is one of the Easiest and Best Sitting Asana in Yoga which as mentioned is a childlike posture. This posture helps in improving back muscles and digestion. This Pose is performed to relieve back pain and is most recommended to the people suffering from such. It also helps in blood circulation and digestion. [caption id="attachment_9356" align="alignnone" width="679"] Childpose[/caption] To perform Balasana, sit on your knees with hips touching your heels and place your hands on the respective thighs. Sit in straight pose and bring your hands down forward leaning your chest between your thighs. Breathe slowly and hold still in the same position for 2 to 3 minutes. Recoil to the initial position and repeat the same for about five to ten times. 5) Dandasana (The Staff Pose) [caption id="attachment_9357" align="alignnone" width="679"] The Staff Pose[/caption] To get back muscles, chest, and spine in better shape Dandasana Pose is a perfect fit for people with ill posture. As the name suggests, “Dandasana” refers to a pose that is similar as Staff/Stick. Those with bad posture must practice it as an equal stretch is given to the spine and legs. To practice Dandasana, sit on the floor with erect spine and stretch your legs forth. Both the feet should be touching together with legs stretched straight. Bend your toes inward with your palms stretched straight and touching the ground without bending your Spine and head. Hold this position for 30 seconds and relax. Repeat this for about 5 to 10 minutes. 6) Simhasana (The Lion Pose)   This pose comes means to seat in a posture as of the king of the jungle. The body is seated as a roaring lion hence, gets its name ‘The Lion Pose’. While practising this pose, Platysma (a flat muscle at the front of the throat) is also stimulated. This posture is beneficial for body posture, face muscles, throat, and bad breath. [caption id="attachment_9358" align="alignnone" width="799"] Lion Pose[/caption] To practice Simhasana, sit in the Vajrasana position and spread your knees placing your palms in front of the respective knees. Tilt your face backwards and stretch out your tongue. While inhaling try to focus on your eyebrows and while exhaling, make a sound like a Lion’s Roar (“Haa”). Hold this pose for about 20 to 30 seconds minimum after producing the sound. Repeat this process for about 5 to 8 times. One should not inhale quickly and needs to keep the spine straight but relaxed. 7) Bhadrasana (Gracious Pose) Bhadrasana is helpful for beginners and is also an effective asana to strengthen your legs hence providing them flexibility. Benefits of Gracious Pose also include strengthening the backbone, thighs, and immunes us against fatigue. This pose is proved to be helpful for digestion and developing brain power and calmness. For women, this pose is a blessing during childbirth as it eases the pain during contractions. [caption id="attachment_9359" align="alignnone" width="600"] Gracious Pose[/caption] To perform Bhardrasana, sit straight on the mat and stretch your legs outward. Fold the legs and bring them close to each other so that both the feet touch each other. Keeping your spine/neck/head straight, bring hold your toes with hands and rest the hips ad perineum flat on the floor. Keep taking a rhythmic breath and focus your eyes on your nose-tip. Keep up this posture for as long as it is possible. Once you feel tired eyes, take a break and repeat the process. 8) Paschimottanasana (Forward Bend Pose) Derived from the Sanskrit language, Pashima refers to back, and Uttana means to stretch. So the asana is centred at your back more hence providing flexibility and strength to the legs, abdomen, and increases height. The Forward Bend Pose Benefits in balancing the menstrual cycle as well. [caption id="attachment_9361" align="alignnone" width="679"] Forward bend pose[/caption] To perform the Forward Bend Pose, sit on the mat with legs stretched out forward and straight. Inhale with spine, neck and head erect, bend your head and trunk towards so as to catch your toes without bending your knees. Exhale slowly and try to bend your elbows so they can touch the ground. Recoil after staying in this position for at least 30 seconds. Upon release, inhale again and repeat the steps 3 to 4 times. Caution: This pose should not be practised during pregnancy. Practitioners can try any one or many from these Best Yoga Pose for Back Problems. Some of them may require prior consultation and guidance. Patients with Slip Disc and arthritis need to consult a Yoga Teacher prior to practising these Postures. The most vital benefit of performing these 8 Sitting Asana for Spine is you do not require to be any particular age to practice. Read More...  Read Less...

7 Major Benefits of Yoga for Stress Management

https://www.rishikeshyogisyogshala.org/7-major-benefits-yoga-stress-management/ We all come across stress, anxiety, and depression; these issues have become evils in our daily life. Due to changing lifestyle, a lot has changed in human life. Many new forms of stress management techniques have arrived today. Despite this fact, the roots and practice of ancient yoga have remained consistent. Yoga has helped many people overcome various issues related to their life. It is undeniable that stress brings a lot of physical and mental issues; you become drained and exhausted. Some more common problems that arise out of stress are; Migraines Depression Lack of sleep Hypertension High and Low blood pressure Heart issues Weight gain Spondylitis and more... Issues are many but the solution is one – Yoga! Yoga is the answer to all the above issues and much more that could disrupt your life from living normally. The technique of yoga is not magic but practice. Both men and women can avail various benefits out of Yoga and live a stress-free life. The question is, how does yoga help in getting rid of stress? The postures, techniques, and exercises in yoga comprise of asanas, pranayamas, relaxation, meditation, and breathing exercises that help you overcome stress. Due to more number of people coming forward to experience the benefits of Yoga, a world Yoga day is celebrated on 21st June every year. It’s a fascinating sight to notice a massive number of people joining hands to get rid of their painful issues in life. How can yoga help to overcome stress? Regular practice and belief are the key points before you expect any positive result. You must believe in yourself and the fact that you will get rid of stress with the help of regular practice. Some postures in yoga help you to feel relaxed, at ease and relieved from all that has been running in your mind. Notice the children in your family or around you; they often forget their worries by playing and cracking jokes with their friends. The like-minded kids around them and the body movements while they play help them ease down the stress. That is exactly what yoga does to you! As we grow, our responsibilities increase and we forget to be cheerful. It adds to our stress and we often fall into negative ways of overcoming stress such as alcoholism, drugs, and antidepressants. Some even take catastrophic steps. Yoga helps combat this by managing the stress for you. Let’s understand the different advantages of yoga for stress management. Benefits of yoga for stress management: Union of mind, body, and soul: A combination of breathing exercises and asana unites the mind, body, and soul. Imbalance of these three gives birth to health issues and unwanted mental stress. Health experts and yogis have confirmed that yoga has relieved people from stress to a great extent. Improved sleep: Some forms of exercises in yoga help you sleep peacefully. Most people complain of the inability to sleep properly due to various issues troubling them in and out in their life. People bring more focus in life with regular yoga practice. Increased energy: Breathing exercises are extremely important in yoga for stress management. The slow breath patterns along with inhaling and exhaling techniques bring more positive energy to your body. Scientifically, it helps the oxygen to pass through your organs by making you feel relaxed. Increased concentration: Yoga asanas relax your body by overcoming stress. We all must have noticed forgetfulness when we are worried about something that’s disturbing us. It leads to a confused state of mind. Yoga brings an improved concentration to deal with situations with a calm mind. Experience deep Relaxation: Meditation is an important factor in yoga for stress management. One of the essential things expected during stress management is the ease of mind. Yoga with meditation balances those alpha waves that are needed to relax your mind. While you do the breathing exercises, your heart rate tends to become normal and blood pressure normalizes. Boost in Confidence: Stress often breaks us and tears us apart from taking decisions in life with confidence. We start feeling confused and indecisive in everything and seek others’ support. Yoga for stress management is the best alternative for bringing back inner confidence. Inner healing: Our healing process gets shattered when we are stressed. We fail to react to situations with a calm mind and break down most of the times. Those who practice yoga postures will realize how it helps to build strength and utilize energy at the right channel during crisis or period of extreme stress. Lastly, yoga isn’t a magic wand to eliminate stress permanently from life; stress is a parcel that you will receive every day. However, with the practice of yoga, you build a positive personality and a confident approach to handle situations in a better manner. Start learning the different poses of yoga for managing stress from today! Located in the beautiful valley of Rishikesh – the ‘Yoga Capital of the Globe’, Rishikesh Yogis Yogshala is one of the most renowned schools for Yoga Instructor Training in Rishikesh, India. In addition to recognized Yoga Teacher Training Certification Courses, we also specialize in conducting highly invigorating, Yoga and Meditation Retreat Programs in India.   Read More...  Read Less...