A-Z of Asanas

A

• Accomplished Pose: Siddhasana - सिद्धासन

  • Description: A traditional seated meditation posture with one heel pressing against the perineum and the other in front, providing a stable base for the spine.

B

• Bound Angle Pose: Baddha Konasana - बद्ध कोणासन

  • Description: A seated pose where the soles of the feet are pressed together and the knees fall out to the sides. It is an excellent hip opener.

• Bow Pose: Dhanurasana - धनुरासन

  • Description: Lying on the stomach, the practitioner grabs their ankles and lifts their chest and legs, forming an arch like a bow. It's a deep backbend that stimulates the abdominal organs.

• Bridge Pose: Setu Bandhasana - सेतुबंधासन

  • Description: A foundational backbend done on the back. It strengthens the back muscles, stretches the chest, and is deeply restorative.

C

• Camel Pose: Ustrasana - उष्ट्रासन

  • Description: A deep backbend done from a kneeling position. It opens the chest, shoulders, and front of the body.

• Chair Pose: Utkatasana - उत्कटासन

  • Description: A powerful standing pose where you squat as if sitting in a chair. It strengthens the thighs, ankles, and spine while building endurance.

• Child's Pose: Balasana - बालासन

  • Description: A gentle resting pose that calms the mind and stretches the back, hips, and ankles.

• Cobra Pose: Bhujangasana - भुजंगासन

  • Description: A gentle backbend done on the stomach. It strengthens the spine and stretches the chest and shoulders.

• Cow Face Pose: Gomukhasana - गोमुखासन

  • Description: A seated pose with one knee stacked over the other and arms linked behind the back. It stretches the hips, ankles, and shoulders.

• Crow Pose: Bakasana - बकासन

  • Description: An arm-balancing pose where you balance your knees on your upper arms and lift your feet off the ground, requiring strong core and upper body muscles.

D

• Dancer Pose: Natarajasana - नटराजासन

  • Description: A challenging standing balance that opens the chest and stretches the hip flexors. One leg is lifted behind you, and you reach back to grab the foot.

• Downward-Facing Dog: Adho Mukha Svanasana - अधोमुख श्वानासन

  • Description: A foundational inverted 'V' pose that stretches the hamstrings, calves, and shoulders while strengthening the arms and legs.

E

• Eagle Pose: Garudasana - गरुडासन

  • Description: A standing balancing pose that involves wrapping one leg over the other and intertwining the arms. It improves balance and stretches the shoulders and upper back.

• Easy Pose: Sukhasana - सुखासन

  • Description: A simple cross-legged seated position, often used for meditation and breathing exercises.

F

• Feathered Peacock Pose: Pincha Mayurasana - पिञ्च मयूरासन

  • Description: A forearm stand, where you balance on your forearms with your legs extended overhead. It builds upper body and core strength.

• Four-Limbed Staff Pose: Chaturanga Dandasana - चतुरंग दंडासन

  • Description: A challenging push-up-like pose that builds significant core and upper body strength, a key part of Sun Salutations.

G

• Garland Pose: Malasana - मालासन

  • Description: A deep squat with the feet wider than the hips and the arms pressing the knees apart. It stretches the ankles, groins, and torso.

H

• Half Moon Pose: Ardha Chandrasana - अर्धचन्द्रासन

  • Description: A standing balance pose that builds core strength and improves focus. The practitioner stands on one leg while extending the other leg and the opposite arm to the side.

• Happy Baby Pose: Ananda Balasana - आनन्द बालासन

  • Description: Lying on your back, you hold the outer edges of your feet and pull your knees toward your armpits. It gently stretches the groins and inner hips.

• Headstand: Sirsasana - शीर्षासन

  • Description: A powerful inversion and the "king" of all asanas. It requires strength and balance and is known for its many physical and mental benefits.

• Hero Pose: Virasana - वीरासन

  • Description: A kneeling pose with the feet on either side of the hips, often with a block between the ankles for support. It is a deep stretch for the quads and ankles.

• Humble Warrior: Baddha Virabhadrasana - बद्ध वीरभद्रासन

  • Description: A deep forward fold with the hands clasped behind the back, performed from a Warrior I stance. It stretches the shoulders and hips while promoting a sense of surrender and humility.

L

• Locust Pose: Salabhasana - शलभासन

  • Description: A backbend done on the stomach that strengthens the back, glutes, and hamstrings. The chest and legs are lifted off the ground.

• Lotus Pose: Padmasana - पद्मासन

  • Description: A quintessential seated posture for meditation and pranayama. Both feet are placed on the opposite thighs, creating a stable base for the hips and spine.

• Low Lunge: Anjaneyasana - अञ्जनेयासन

  • Description: A deep hip opener and groin stretch with the back knee on the floor. It helps to open the chest and stretch the psoas muscle.

M

• Monkey Pose or Splits: Hanumanasana - हनुमानासन

  • Description: An advanced hip opener and hamstring stretch where the legs are extended in a full split, named after the Hindu deity Hanuman.

• Mountain Pose: Tadasana - ताडासन

  • Description: The foundation of all standing poses. It may seem simple, but it teaches proper alignment, grounding, and stability.

O

• King Pigeon Pose: Eka Pada Rajakapotasana - एक पाद राजकपोतासन

  • Description: A deep hip opener and backbend. One leg is folded in front while the other extends back, often with a backbend to grasp the back foot.

P

• Peacock Pose: Mayurasana - मयूरासन

  • Description: An advanced arm balance where you balance on your forearms with your body parallel to the floor, resembling a peacock.

• Plow Pose: Halasana - हलासन

  • Description: An inversion where the legs are brought over the head to the floor. It stretches the spine, shoulders, and hamstrings, and can be deeply calming.

• Pose of Marichi: Marichyasana - मरिच्यासन

  • Description: A seated twist that has several variations. The basic form involves a forward bend and twist, stretching the hips and stimulating the internal organs.

• Puppy Pose: Uttana Shishosana - उत्तान शिशोसन

  • Description: A gentle heart opener that stretches the spine and shoulders. It is a mix between Child's Pose and Downward-Facing Dog, where the hips stay lifted over the knees.

R

• Reverse Warrior: Viparita Virabhadrasana - विपरीत वीरभद्रासन

  • Description: A variation of Warrior II where the front arm reaches up and back, creating a deep side body stretch while maintaining the lunge in the front leg.

S

• Seated Forward Bend: Paschimottanasana - पश्चिमोत्तानासन

  • Description: A classic seated forward fold that provides a deep stretch for the entire back of the body, including the hamstrings and spine.

• Shoulder Stand: Salamba Sarvangasana - सर्वाङ्गासन

  • Description: A powerful inversion and one of the most important poses in yoga. It is known for its ability to calm the mind and stimulate the thyroid gland.

• Side Plank: Vasisthasana - वसिष्ठासन

  • Description: A challenging arm-balancing pose that builds strength in the arms, core, and legs. You balance on one hand and the outer edge of one foot.

• Sphinx Pose: Salamba Bhujangasana - सलम्ब भुजंगासन

  • Description: A gentle backbend that is a more restorative version of Cobra Pose. Resting on the forearms, it opens the chest and is often held for longer periods to gently decompress the spine.

• Standing Forward Bend: Uttanasana - उत्तानासन

  • Description: A standing forward fold that lengthens the hamstrings and spine. It calms the nervous system and can be a great way to relieve stress.

T

• Thunderbolt Pose: Vajrasana - वज्रासन

  • Description: A kneeling posture where you sit back on your heels. It helps with digestion and is a good option for those who find cross-legged positions difficult.

• Tree Pose: Vrikshasana - वृक्षासन

  • Description: A standing balancing pose that cultivates stability, focus, and a sense of grounding. One foot is placed on the inner thigh or calf of the standing leg.

• Triangle Pose: Trikonasana - त्रिकोणासन

  • Description: A standing pose that stretches the sides of the body, hamstrings, and groins. It strengthens the legs and improves balance.

U

• Upward-Facing Dog: Urdhva Mukha Svanasana - ऊर्ध्वमुख श्वानासन

  • Description: A powerful backbend often found in Sun Salutations. The tops of the feet and hands are the only points of contact with the floor, lifting the chest and thighs.

• Upward-Facing Hero Pose: Urdhva Mukha Virasana - ऊर्ध्वमुख वीरासन

  • Description: A gentle backbend done from a seated Hero pose, stretching the abdomen, hips, and thighs.

W

• Warrior Pose I: Virabhadrasana I - वीरभद्रासन १

  • Description: A foundational standing pose with the hips squared to the front, one knee bent at a 90-degree angle, and arms extended overhead. It builds strength and stability in the legs and core.

• Warrior Pose II: Virabhadrasana II - वीरभद्रासन २

  • Description: A strong standing pose where the hips are open to the side, one knee is bent, and the arms are stretched out horizontally. It strengthens the legs and ankles and opens the hips and chest.

• Warrior Pose III: Virabhadrasana III - वीरभद्रासन ३

  • Description: A challenging standing balance where the body is parallel to the floor, balancing on one leg with the arms and the other leg extended. It improves focus, balance, and core strength.

• Wild Thing: Camatkarasana - चमत्कारासन

  • Description: A deep backbend and heart opener where you flip onto one hand and the outer edge of one foot, lifting your chest towards the sky.

 

 

A-Z of Pranayama (Breathing Exercises)

 

• Alternate Nostril Breathing: Anulom Vilom Pranayama - अनुलोम विलोम प्राणायाम

  • Description: A calming and balancing breathing technique. You use your fingers to close off one nostril at a time, inhaling through one and exhaling through the other in a rhythmic cycle.

• Bellows Breath: Bhastrika Pranayama - भस्त्रिका प्राणायाम

  • Description: An energizing and heating breath. It involves a series of forceful, rapid exhalations and passive inhalations, resembling the bellows of a blacksmith.

• Humming Bee Breath: Bhramari Pranayama - भ्रामरी प्राणायाम

  • Description: A soothing and calming breath. You make a humming sound on the exhale while closing your ears with your thumbs.

• Cooling Breath: Sitali Pranayama - शीतली प्राणायाम

  • Description: A cooling breath often practiced in hot weather or when feeling overheated. You curl your tongue into a tube and inhale through it, then exhale through the nose.

• Skull-Shining Breath: Kapalabhati Pranayama - कपालभाति प्राणायाम

  • Description: A cleansing and invigorating breathing technique. It consists of passive, short inhalations and active, forceful exhalations.

• Victorious Breath: Ujjayi Pranayama - उज्जायी प्राणायाम

  • Description: Also known as "Ocean Breath," this is a rhythmic and audible breath often used during asana practice. It involves a slight constriction of the back of the throat, creating a soft, ocean-like sound.​​​

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