“All kidding aside, if everyone did yoga, we would have world peace.”
Rory Freedman made that statement to emphasize the benefits of yoga to an individual’s mental peace.
Yoga is good not just for physical wellbeing but also to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. A study by Catherine Woodyard from the University of Mississippi says, “Yoga encourages one to relax, slow the breath and focus on the present, shifting the balance from the sympathetic nervous system and the flight-or-fight response to the parasympathetic system and the relaxation response.”
If you’re new to yoga, there are 100s of Asanas out there and it can be confusing to know which ones to follow at first. We have made it easy for you and recommended 7 of the best ones that will enable you to achieve inner peace and mental wellbeing.
1. Savasana
(Corpse Pose)
Unique benefits:
- Helps in calming the central nervous system.
- Keeps the immune as well as digestive systems healthy.
- Has a calming effect on the mind and in turn reduces stress.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Mitigates anxiety and fatigue.
Additional information:
To get better results, research by Gobec and Travis shows that every Asana should be performed along with Savasana.
2. Garudasana
(Eagle Pose)
Unique benefits:
- Helps in improving focus and concentration.
- Enhances body balance.
- Keeps the digestive system and bowel movement healthy.
- Helps in stretching the muscles of hips, shoulders, back, and thighs.
- Relieves stress or tension from the body.
- Helps reduce sciatica symptoms and asthma.
Additional information:
Garudasana is mentioned among the 32 most useful Asanas in Gheranda Samhita, one of the 3 classic ancient texts on yoga and one of the most comprehensive manuals on the discipline.
3. Uttanasana
(Standing Forward Bend)
Unique benefits:
- Helps keep anxiety levels down.
- Strengthens abdominal muscles.
- Enhances blood flow to the brain lowering stress and depression.
- Refreshes and rejuvenates the brain cells with the increased blood flow.
- Helps relieve headaches and insomnia.
Additional information:
Uttanasana should not be performed in case you have recently experienced a knee injury. Ghazaleh Shamaei Irani, a PhD student in yoga therapy states that hamstrings are stretched while performing this Asana, which can harm recovery.
4. Sukhasana
(Easy Sitting Pose)
How to do it:
Unique benefits:
- Relieves stress and relaxes and stretches the body.
- Provides pain relief for lower back and knee issues
- Promotes inner tranquility
- Opens the hips and aligns the spine better thus improving mobility
Additional information:
Sukhasana shouldn’t be performed for more than 5 minutes in case you have a backache or back injury. A study published in National Library of Medicine (NLM) shows that, “static postures were associated with the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) through inflammatory cytokines.”
5. Pavanamuktasana
(Wind Release Pose)
Unique benefits:
- Strengthens back and abdominal muscles.
- Pressure on the abdomen helps ease flatulence.
- Increases blood circulation and eases stress.
- Relieves constipation.
Additional information:
This pose must be performed with care. Avoid performing the pose if you’ve had abdominal surgery recently, if you’re pregnant, and if you have hernia or piles.
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana
(Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Unique benefits:
- It helps in lengthening the spine thus increasing its strength and flexibility.
- Strengthens the entire body.
- Improves blood circulation.
- Relieves pain and stiffness in legs.
- Can relieve arthritis in the shoulders.
- Rejuvenates blood cells and improves overall wellbeing.
Additional information:
Avoid this pose if you have any knee, wrist, or ankle injury, high blood pressure or carpal tunnel syndrome. Do not perform on a full stomach and if you have had any surgeries recently.
7. Matsyasana
(Fish Pose)
Unique benefits:
- Improves and strengthens posture.
- Helps fight fatigue and boost energy.
- By stimulating thyroid gland, it positively affects metabolism.
- Stretches and opens hips, abdominal cavity, and rib cage that leads to improved range of motion.
- Plays a role in reducing cholesterol and weight loss.
Additional information:
Fish pose awakens Anahata chakra, one that’s found at the heart. A chakra that relates with empathy, love, and compassion. As a result, you can experience a heightened sense of inner peace and self-acceptance. Avoid this pose if you have injury in the lower back or neck and if you high or low blood pressure.
What to keep in mind when performing yoga
Every yoga pose has its benefits provided they are performed at the right time and in the right way. These are:
- be mindful of yourself
- focus on your breathing
- take deep and long breaths
- close the eyes gently whenever necessary
Yoga isn’t all about physical health but also about mental health. It’s about developing self-acceptance which will help relieve anxiety, stress, and overthinking.
As Buddha said, “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind strong and clear.“
Try these 7 yoga poses but don’t be limited to them. If some don’t work for you you can try:
1. Surya Namaskar
2. Yastikasana
3. Balasana
4. Paschimottanasana
5. Vajrasana
6. Halasana
Again, perform them with supervision and ensure you know their benefits and if you can do them without causing injury to yourself.
References
Gobec, S., & Travis, F. (2018). Effects of Maharishi Yoga Asanas on Mood States, Happiness, and Experiences during Meditation. International journal of yoga, 11(1), 66–71. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_66_16
Jadoun, S., Bhumica Bodh, & Yadav , S. K. (2020, November 6). An anatomical exploration of “Garudasana.” International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development . https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd33465.pdf
Editors, Y. (2023, April 24). Everything you need to know about the heart chakra. Yoga Journal. https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/chakras-yoga-for-beginners/intro-heart-chakra-anahata/
Agyei, S. (2016, March 29). “to keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong… Medium. https://medium.com/@steveagyeibeyondlifestyle/to-keep-the-body-in-good-health-is-a-duty-otherwise-we-shall-not-be-able-to-keep-our-mind-strong-66401fb4657a
Freedman , R. (n.d.). A quote from Skinny Bitch. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7636450-all-kidding-aside-if-everyone-did-yoga-we-would-have
Irani, G. S. (2020). Injuries/harms resulting from incorrect adjustments/alignments performed by yoga asana practitioners. Archives of Pharmacy Practice, 1, 38. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=+Injuries%2FHarms+Resulting+from+Incorrect+Adjustments%2FAlignments+…++by+GS+Irani&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1697440314563&u=%23p%3DEbcBrR3gwhEJ
Dong, Y., Jiang, P., Jin, X., Jiang, N., Huang, W., Peng, Y., Shen, Y., He, L., Forsman, M., & Yang, L. (2022). Association between long-term static postures exposure and musculoskeletal disorders among university employees: A viewpoint of inflammatory pathways. Frontiers in public health, 10, 1055374. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1055374
Woodyard C. (2011). Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. International journal of yoga, 4(2), 49–54. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.85485
James Mallinson (2004). The Gheranda Samhita: The Original Sanskrit and an English Translation. Yoga Vidya. pp. 70–72. ISBN 978-0-9716466-3-6.
