Asana 1: Prakshan

The Pose

Instructions – Standing up right, with the natural “S” shaped curve of the spine, bring the hands together at heart center. The feet may be either together or apart depending on what is comfortable in your own body.

Effects and Benefit

Physical – This simple posture brings the body into its natural alignment, in preparation for the practice to follow. It helps to improve our posture as well. When most people stand, they put one leg out, lean to one side, or are misaligned in some other way.

Usually this misalignment is consistent, always favoring one side or the other. In the long term, this habitual misalignment can cause issues in the body. By practicing Prakshan, we become reminded of the body’s natural symmetrical alignment, which can carry into our everyday life.

Spiritual – This posture, which is not physically strenuous, allows us to take a moment to center ourselves and establish the rhythm of the mantra. Bringing our hands together in Prakshan, which is a pose of great respect, reminds us to demonstrate respect while we are performing the practice.

We are taking care of the body in such a way that we can worship God and perform seva (selfless service) most effectively. We are taking care of our bodies in order to become sadhus and not become a burden to others.

Bringing the hands together also represents total balance, the left hand represents Consciousness and the right hand indicates Energy. Bringing the two together in union is the goal of Yoga.

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Asana 2: Utthita Tadasana

Some call Uttiha Tadasana by the name “Hasta Utthanasana.” The naming of asanas often varies according the tradition or sadhu.

The Pose

Instructions – From a standing position, reach both arms upward in front of the body. If it is more comfortable, you may sweep the arms out to the sides and then up.

Let the hands meet and reach back as far as is comfortable. For those with back problems, reach the arms up vertically straight up into the air. For those without back problems, this posture can be extended into a slight backbend by continuing to reach the arms further back.

Effects and Benefits

Physical Benefit – This posture helps to stretch the arms and the entire torso. It opens the area of the heart and stretches the shoulders. It allows the lungs to begin to open more fully and for breathing to become deeper.

Spiritual Benefit – This posture helps to wake up the entire body and our awareness. It is like a large wakeful stretching from head to toe. It also opens the region of the heart and causes it to shine out.

Many of us spend the day slouching forward and thus compressing the area of the heart. This creates a subtle feeling of being closed up emotionally and spiritually. This posture annihilates that feeling. In one moment, we are reaching toward the sun, toward the universe and the energy in all, and at the same time we are opening the heart and all of our body to receive the light.

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Asana 3: Uttanasana

The Pose

Instructions – From a standing posture, make the spine straight. Keep the spine straight and begin folding forward from the hips. Do not allow the spine to curl/bend until you fold your upper body until the point where the torso is parallel to the floor. This is important for protecting the back.

If you cannot fold far enough to go past being parallel with the floor, it may be useful to bend the knees slightly and bring the chest as far towards the thighs as much as possible. From here, extend as far as you can without taking the chest off the thighs.

If you can fold past parallel with the floor, then continue folding allowing the spine to curl until you reach as far down as you is comfortable. The hands can rest on the floor or they can pull on the calves to help extend the stretch.

Effects and Benefits

Physical – This posture is the best for stretching the hamstrings on the backs of the legs. Tight hamstrings can contribute to lower back problems as well as making folding forward and other daily life activities difficult. This posture also inverts the torso by putting the head below the region of the heart, and that is beneficial to all the organs of the body.

Spiritual – Uttanasana is a very inward going pose. The head is pressed toward the legs and the torso is upside down, since we are folding forward. It can be a posture of great intensity for many people who have tight hamstrings. The pose teaches us to overcome external unpleasantness and centers ourselves within.

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Asana 4: One Leg Lunge

The Pose

Instructions – Keeping the hips facing forward, step the right leg back and lower the torso towards the left thigh. This should be a deep lunge posture, and often the torso will be touching the thigh of the leg in front. The hands can be planted on the floor to the left and right of the leg, the head looks up slightly.

The legs and torso are engaged in such a way that the whole body is lifted up, rather than sinking down and just resting its weight on the legs.

Effects and Benefits

Physical – Stretches and strengthens the leg and groin area. When the torso is engaged properly, it can also help strengthen the abdominal muscles. One leg pressing into the chest in this posture also helps to massage the digestive tract and keep it healthy.

Spiritual – This pose helps the practitioner to feel very firm and grounded. By engaging the body fully in this pose, one finds a feeling of strength that dispels all previous ideas of weakness.

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Asana 5: Virabhadrasana I

The Pose

Instructions – From the lunge posture bring the torso upright keeping the legs in a similar or slightly shorter stance. The back heel may remain up or you can shorten the stance to bring the foot flat. The hips should remain facing forward. Bring both arms up towards the ceiling and gaze slightly up. If this hurts the back, bring the arms out to the sides in a goal post shape instead.

Effects and Benefits

Physical – Virabhadrasana stretches and tones the legs. It gives strength to the body as well as stretching the shoulders and the back. It opens the heart and chest. It also strengthens various other areas of the body like the ankles and helps to increase ones walking stride so that steps are more effective.

Spiritual – Virabhadra means the excellent warrior or the excellent hero. It is the name of a very powerful servant of Lord Shiva. Practicing this posture gives rise to a feeling of strength and heroism within. It is a powerful posture that helps one to feel a sensation of empoweredness rather than powerlessness.

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Asana 6: Virabhadrasana II

The Pose

Instructions – From Virabhadrasana 1 slide the back foot further back and turn the hips and torso so they now open to the side. The gaze remains forward and the arms extend parallel to the floor.

Effects and Benefits

Physical – Over time Virabhadrasana 2 can be excellent pose for strengthening the back, legs, thighs and arms. The pose is very safe, even for people with lower back issues. It helps people with back issues build and strengthen the muscles in the back without risks.

This posture also opens the hips and can help to strengthen the knees.

Spiritual – the spiritual benefits of this posture are much like the first Virabhadrasana, however this second posture, with arms floating parallel above the floor, gives rise to a feeling of equilibrium. Both arms are extended, yet the body is neither reaching forward or back. Everything is brought into a center of balance and equilibrium.

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Asana 7: One Leg Lunge

The Pose

Instructions – Keeping the hips facing forward, step the right leg back and lower the torso towards the left thigh. This should be a deep lunge posture, and often the torso will be touching the thigh of the leg in front. The hands can be planted on the floor to the left and right of the leg, the head looks up slightly.

The legs and torso are engaged in such a way that the whole body is lifted up, rather than sinking down and just resting its weight on the legs.

Effects and Benefits

Physical – Stretches and strengthens the leg and groin area. When the torso is engaged properly, it can also help strengthen the abdominal muscles. One leg pressing into the chest in this posture also helps to massage the digestive tract and keep it healthy.

Spiritual – This pose helps the practitioner to feel very firm and grounded. By engaging the body fully in this pose, one finds a feeling of strength that dispels all previous ideas of weakness.

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Asana 8: Parvatasana

The Pose

Instructions – Step both legs back so that the body stretches out as if entering a push-up position. From there extend the arms and push the hips back and up toward the ceiling. It may be necessary to lengthen or shorten the distance between the arms and legs for your body.

Effects and Benefits

Physical – This pose is the simplest of the inverted postures, in which the head is placed below the heart. This pose is excellent for the health of the organs associated with the circulatory system. The arms and legs are also strengthened in this posture, and the backs of the legs are stretched fully.

Spiritual – This posture is extremely grounding. Both hands are placed firmly griping the earth as well as both the feet. This pose helps us to bring the mind to the present and root ourselves in our spiritual nature. The hanging downward of the head also brings a certain relaxation to the mind.

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Asana 9: Bhujangasana

The Pose

Instructions – From lying on the stomach bring the hands alongside the hips or slightly further back, and plant the palms upon the floor. Press down into the palms and lift the front of the body keeping the hips down toward the floor. As an alternative posture you can allow the hips to lift slightly so that only the hands and feet make contact with the floor.

To enter this pose from Parvatasana you can simply shift your hips toward the floor keeping your arms straight. This should allow you to seamlessly enter the asana.

Effects and Benefits

Physical – This posture helps to maintain the flexibility and health of the back. In bending backward it also opens the chest and creates space for the organs. All movements that affect the spine end up having a positive effect on the organs which are contained in the torso. This posture also helps in opening the lungs.

Spiritual – Bhujangasana opens the heart and the centers of energy along the spine. After performing it one usually finds a great energy within. It is perfect for waking up the body and the mind. This posture automatically makes one hold one’s self high with lifted head, open shoulders and chest. Just this posture alone makes one feel strong and confident.

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Asana 10: Laying Flat – Inverted Shavasana

The Pose

Instructions – Simply come to a position lying flat on the stomach with the head turned to one side.

Effects and Benefits

Physical – This pose is placed directly after a vigorous back bending posture, Bhujangasana, and as such it naturally allows the spine to come back to a neutral position. It also gives a moments rest to allow breathing to become more stabilized, so the repetition of the mantra remains steady and constant.

Spiritual – This posture gives rise to a feeling of complete rest. If one is feeling fatigue or tiredness, this posture helps them to rest and feel renewed. It is also good for calming mental tensions and stresses, as well as for learning how to breathe using the diaphragm rather than just lifting the chest alone.