International Yoga Day 2024
The world is gearing up to celebrate the International Yoga Day on June 21. The first Yoga Day was celebrated on June 21, 2015, and since then it has become a global event. Yoga has been recognised for its positive impact on the body and mental health as it comprises several physical postures (asanas), meditation and breathing techniques (pranayama).
Yoga offers a powerful and holistic approach to promoting mental health and well-being through the combination of physical postures, breathwork and meditation. The regular practice of yoga plays a significant role in reducing anxiety, stress and depression and enhances emotional resilience and self-awareness at the same time.
5 yoga exercises for your body Tadasana Tadasana is a modern-day yoga exercise which is not mentioned in medieval hatha yoga texts. This exercise is also known as the Mountain pose. It has several health benefits as it releases stiffness from the body, provides strength to the spine and the nervous system and also increases breathing capacity.
How to do it Tadasana? Stand on your toes and heels slightly apart. Lift your toes and lower them back to the mat. Align your head shoulders, hips and ankles in a straight line. Let your arms fall at your sides and pals should face forward. Gaze straight ahead and breathe. Vrikshasana Vrikshasana is a common tree pose which has numerous health benefits for immunity, spine, stability and most importantly brain. The tree pose is one of such few poses in medieval hatha yoga and remains popular in modern yoga as exercise. Practising it for 5 to 10 breaths can provide strength to your neck and shoulders.
How to do Vrikshasana? Shift all your weight to your left foot. Inhale and raise your heel up and place your heel on the groin; above the knee or below the knee. Keep your hands in front of your chest to stabilise the body and fix the gaze. In the next inhalation, raise your hands up, every inhalation lengthens the spine and every exhalation grounds the left foot into the mat. To release, first exhale and release your hands, then inhale and hold your ankle and bring it down with grace. Forward Fold (Uttanasana) Forward fold is considered a therapeutic posture which has several benefits like improving the blood circulation to the head and abdominal area. It improves blood circulation to the head which helps you get relief if you are suffering from headaches, migraines, or stress in the body. This posture also enhances flexibility and strengthens back muscles.
How to do Forward Fold (Uttanasana)? Open your feet, hip distance apart, and toes pointed in front. Inhale while raising your hands up, and hold your elbows, and upper arm in line with the ear. Lift your spine while inhaling. Exhale and fall from the hip and keep your knees soft or slightly bent. Keep in this posture for about five to 10 breaths. Then slowly inhale and come up. With exhalation release your hands and legs back into Tadasana. Malasana (Squat) Malasana is a versatile yoga pose which comes with several yoga benefits which improve flexibility to enhance digestion. It contributes to overall physical health and well-being and enhances focus. It improves the flexibility in the hip joint, releases stiffness in your ankles, knees and calf muscles and also strengthens the back.
How to do Malasana (Squat)? Open your feet wide, point your toe forward, exhale and sit. Hook your armpit to the knee. Keep your hands in namaskar mudra, elbows in one straight line, arch the back and hold. Hold your posture for five to eight deep breaths. To release, inhale and get up, then exhale and release the posture. Bhujangasana (Basic back bend) Bhujangasana plays a significant role in increasing the flexibility of your body. Apart from this, it has several health benefits like reducing body fat, increasing digestion, improving blood circulation, and enhancing your blood circulation.
How to do Bhujangasana? First, lie on your belly and put your forehead on the mat. Place your hands next to the chest, take your hands behind the back and interlock. Roll the shoulders out, lift your spine up and inhale. Exhale and slowly release. Hold your posture, inhale and lift the chest up. Ensure that your feet stay on the ground. Now keep your focus on the length of the inhalation. Hold it for about five to six breaths. Then exhale and slowly release the posture.
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