Also see: Yoga infographic by Ministry of Ayush
Yoga is useful to loosen the body and helps you to improve your concentration levels. This concentration capability is an important requirement in meditation and in daily life. For this purpose, we are presenting you 32 yoga elements, along with some stretches that you can practice daily and helps you in improving yourself.
This article is designed to be a daily assistant. You can open this webpage on your mobile phone and start following the phots included. If you want to know the benefits of each asana, search in Google. This daily routine includes the following parts.
Part 1 : Asanas while standing (5 asanas)
Part 2 : Asanas while sitting (9 asanas)
Part 3 : Asanas while laying on the stomach (4 asanas)
Part 4 : Asanas while laying on your back (7 asanas)
Part 5 : Pranayama (6 pranayamas)
Part 6 : Surya Namaskara
Before starting,
- Drink around 2-3 glasses of water and wear loose clothes
- Understand what you are about to do and don’t stretch yourself too much, or you may get hurt.
- Sit in Siddhasana or Padmasana, as per your convenience, and put jnana mudra on your hand
- Shavasana should not be skipped
- Try to empty your mind and dedicate about half an hour for this practice
Part 1 : Asanas while standing
This has 5 asanas. Do slight jogging to relax your body.
1. Urdhva Hastasana (5 times)
Stand straight and lock your fingers. Stretch the hands upwards with palms facing the sky. Lift your body on your toes and come back to normal position. Inhale while stretching and exhale while coming back. Do for 5 times.
2. Trikonasana (5 times each)
Expand your legs and hands in T shape. Bend towards left side at 90 degrees and then stand back. Bend towards right side and stand back. Exhale while bending and inhale while standing up. Do for 5 times on each side.
3. Parivritta Trikonasana (5 times each)
This is same as Trikonasana except that you bend forward, instead of sides, and touch the right toe with left hand, stand back and then touch left toe with right hand. Repeat for 5 times on each side. Exhale while bending and inhale while standing up.
4. Vrikshasana (20 seconds each side)
Put Anjali mudra by stretching the hands above your head and bring up one feet till thigh bone. Align yourself vertically and balance on one feet. Foot should point down and moved above the knee joint. After 20 seconds, do with other foot. In hale while stretching and exhale while relaxing.
5. Garudasana (1 time on each side)
Garudasana is an asymmetric position in which one leg, say the right, is crossed over the left, while the arm on the opposite side, say the left, is crossed over the right, and the palms are pressed together.
Part 2 : Asanas while sitting
Sit down in Padmasana or other relaxing position for 1 min.
1. Dandasana
The asana is entered from a seated position with the legs extended forward. The palms or the fingertips (if the palms don’t reach) should be rested on the ground either side of the body. The upper-body should be extending upward through the crown of the head, and the back should be completely perpendicular to the ground (as though sitting against a wall).
Stretches (These are simple exercises)
- Relax your spine and stretch the ankles front and back for 5 times.
- Rotate the toes clock wise and anti-clockwise for 5 times.
- Stiffen the knee and thigh for 5 times.
- Put left leg on right thigh and press the left knee towards your chest for 3 times. Do the same with right leg.
2. Baddhakona Asana (2 mins)
Join soles of both the feet near pelvic bone and lock them with both the hands. With the knees pointed outside, make slight movements to the knees to resemble a flying butterfly.
Stretches continued
- Sit back in normal position
- Stretch the arms forwards and fold the palms. Rotate them inward and outward for 5 times.
- Make your fingers and flowers and touch your shoulders by bending the elbows for 5 times.
- Keep your fingers on respective shoulders and rotate arms clockwise and anticlockwise for 5 times each
- Hold the wrists of each hand and stretch the arms to other sides, thereby stretching the shoulder blades for 3 times each side.
- Rotate the shoulders, by keeping the palms rested on knees, clockwise and anticlockwise for 5 times each
- Bend neck right side and left side 2 times.
- Press both the palms from behind the head and press the head towards the palm for 1 time
- Press right temple of head with right palm
- Press left temple of head with left palm
- Open your eyes and make a full circle clock wise and anti clock wise very slowly
3. Gomukha Asana (1 time each side)
Interlock the wrists behind your back and criss cross your legs as shown in the image. Do it once for each side.
4. Vakrasana and Ardha Matsyendra Asana (1 time each side)
Do this as per this image each side.
5. Vajrasana
Sit on the heels with the calves beneath the thighs. There is a four finger gap between the kneecaps, and the first toe of both the feet touch each other and sit erect. Relax and count 20 numbers.
6. Mandukasana (Not for back-pain complainers)
While sitting in Vajrasana, the fists are pressed together in front of the navel, and the trunk is bent forward and the head is stretched forward. Do for 10 seconds and come back to vajrasana. Exhale while bending and inhale while coming back. Do for 5 times.
7. Shashakasana (Not for back-pain complainers)
While in vajrasana, stretch the hands above the head and bend forward. Wait for 5 10 seconds and come back. Exhale while bending and inhale while coming back. Do for 5 times.
8. Ushtrasana (Back-pain complainers should be careful)
Deep backward bend from a kneeling position and place hands on heels. See the image.
9. Marjalasana (2 times)
Bend forward as given in the image below. Stretch your spine up and down. Exhale while going up and inhale while coming down. Do for 5 times.
Sit back in Vajrasana now.
Part 3 : Asanas while laying on the stomach
1. Makarasana
Put your hands below the chin and lay straight. You can also bring toes onto your hip. Wait for 30 seconds and relax. After this, bend down your head and put your hand beneath your head. Wait for 30 seconds.
2. Bhujangasana
Put your hands beneath your chest and raise up. Inhale while raising and exhale while going down. See this image. Do for 3 times and dont stretch too much if you have back pain.
3. Shalabasana
Legs are raised at around 30 degrees backward. Inhale while raising and exhale while coming back. This asana has some pose variations. See the image for the main pose. Do this for 3 times.
- Pressing both the hands near hips and raising only RIGHT leg
- Pressing both the hands near hips and raising only LEFT leg
- Pressing both the hands near hips and raising BOTH the legs
- Viparita Shalabasana
- Stretching right hand forward and raising LEFT leg
- Stretching left hand forward and raising RIGHT leg
- Purna Shalabasana
- Holding both the hands backwards and raising chest and BOTH legs at the sametime
4. Dhanurasana
Hold your toes with your hands and stretch a little as shown in this image. Inhale while stretching and exhale while relaxing. Do for 3 times.
Makarasana again
Do Makarasana again and relax for about 30 seconds.
Part 4 : Asanas while laying on your back
Turn towards your left side and lay on your back by looking at the sky (or roof). Wait for about 30 seconds before starting the next set.
1. Utthana padasana
Raise your legs at aboud 60 degrees as shown in this image. Wait for about 5 seconds and come back. There are variations in this pose. Do 3 times and relax after each time.
- Raising left leg
- Raising right leg
- Raising both the legs
2. Ardha Halasana
Raise your right legs at 90 degrees, wait for about 10 seconds and bring back. Repeat the same with left leg. Do it 3 times with each leg and relax.
3. Pada Vrittasana
Raise each leg and draw a big circle in air clock wise and anticlockwise. Do it once and relax.
4. Pavana muktasana
Fold the knees and bend towards the chest. Try to touch the knees with chin. Start with stretching left leg, then with right leg and then with both the legs. Do 2 times and relax.
5. Markata Asana
Fold your legs and stretch your hand. Stick the knees and bend towards your left side and look towards your right side. Wait for 10 seconds and come back to central position. Repeat on the other side. There are 3 variations in this asana. See these images. Do all for 5 times on each side and relax.
6. Setu Bandhasana
Pull your feet below your hips and hold them with your hands. Raise your abdomen as given in the image. Wait for 10 seconds and come back. Inhale while raising and exhale while coming down.
7. Shavasana
Just lie on you back and relax your whole body for about 30-40 seconds. Make sure your body is left loose, as if you are under an anasthetic shot and lost control on your whole body.
Part 5 : Pranayama
Daily yoga starts with Pranayama. There are 6 pranayamas that can be done daily.
1. Bhastrika Pranayam (3 mins)
Sit in normal posture and fill your lungs with air. Then exhale the air with force. Repeat for 20 times or 3 minutes.
2. Kapalabhati Pranayam (3 mins)
The Technique of Kapalabhati involves short and strong forceful exhalations and inhalation happens automatically. Repeat for 20 times or 3 mins.
3. Bahya Pranayam (3 mins)
Take a deep breath and breath out all air with force. Let the stomach contract. Hold the breath outside for 10-20 seconds and slowly breath back in. Dont do it for more than 5 times.
4. Anulom Viloma Pranayam (3 mins)
Breath with one nostril closed with fingers. Left in and Right out. Then Right in and left out. Breathing should be relaxed. Do for 20 times or 3 mins.
5. Bhramari Pranayam (3 mins)
Close your ears with thumb fingers, place index finger on the eyebrow and other fingers on your eyes. Take deep breath and while exhaling make a “mmm” sound. Do it for 5 times or 3 mins.
6. Udgeeth Pranayam (3 mins)
Sit in padmasana, take a deep breath and chant om while exhaling. Do it for 7 times or 3 mins.
Closing
You can sit back in your relaxing position and do Anulom Vilom pranayama once again.
Rub your hands till you feel the heat and place the palms on your forehead. Rub again and place it on your eyes.
Next Steps
Stand up and do Surya namaskara.
That’s it. Enjoy your life now !!
Disclaimer: Images included here are taken from various websites and used for illustration purpose only. Copyrights of such images belong to those website owners and not to me.