June 19th, 2019 | Updated on April 12th, 2023
On 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as International Yoga Day. International Yoga Day aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
Derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, Yoga means union of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit. It is a practice which controls an individual’s mind, body and soul. The benefits of practicing yoga are a healthy and balanced life.
Each yoga asana or pose has its own importance. Every move in yoga is controlled by the 5 elements of nature. So make sure you are completely dedicated to how you practice each move in achieving the desired result.
So, here we are explaining 30 yoga poses that can benefit your soul, mind and body. The yoga poses described below can be performed by both men and women to get a life altering experience. Make this yoga poses a part of your daily life.
1. Slow Neck Stretches Yoga Pose
Get the chin down to your chest and wait for 10 seconds. Now look back towards the sky for about 5 seconds. Do this 5-10 times.Next, stretch the head sideways, push your ear onto the shoulder. This doesn’t mean you need to touch the shoulder.Stay on each side for 5 seconds and repeat it for 10 sets.Next is to move the head sideways. Turn the head to left and right very slowly and stay for 5 seconds on each side.If you practice these stretches for more time, you will get results faster.
2. Tadasana
Stand straight with foot together and the hands hanging on the sides. Look straight, take a breath and now raise both your hands and bring the palms to the chest and exhale. Again inhale slowly and raise the hands above the head in a mountain position. Now raise the toes and stretch the arms. Stand in this position for about 30 seconds. Lower the toes and come back to normal position. Do the same for 10 sets.
3. Uttanasana Yoga Pose
Stand straight, raise the arms above the head and now bend the hips with both the palms touching the floor. If you are a beginner and can’t stretch more, just touch the knees. When you touch the floor, make sure the buttocks are pointing upwards. Remain with the hands touching the floor for about a minute and get back to normal position.
4. Trikonasana Yoga Pose
Stand with the foot with at least one leg length apart from each other. Now open the arms and keep them to shoulder height. Inhale and slowly take the left hand and touch the left foot stay for about 5 seconds and stand straight. Now take the right hand and touch the right foot and stay in this position for 5 seconds. Do the same for right and left positions each of 10 sets.
5. Dhanurasana Yoga Pose
Lie down on the floor with the stomach facing the floor. Keep the arms and legs relaxed. In this position, bend the knees towards the buttocks and pull out the arms to hold the ankles. Raise the chest from the ground and pull your legs backward. Gaze towards the sky with arms straight and engaged. Lift the thighs off the floor to contract the hip. Stay in this pose for 10 seconds before getting to normal position.
6. Surya Namaskar
It is also referred to as Sun Salutation. It is a way to thank the Sun for the power that he is providing to all the living creatures on Earth. Sun Salutation can be performed early in the morning or at sunset. It is a total exercise for the whole body.
7. Kapalabhati Yoga Pose
Sit in a calm place and take the deep breath. Make a powerful contraction of the lower belly. This pushes out air from lungs and when inhaled, it brings in the air back into the lungs. Keep taking the breath and start pushing the lower belly in and out. Repeat this for 10 times every morning.
8. Baddakonasana Yoga Pose
It is also referred to as butterfly pose. It is a great way to improve the reproductive system in women and men. Sit on floor with erect spine
Fold your knees and bring the feet close to the body. Inhale and exhale while pressing the knees and thighs towards the ground. Apply pressure with the elbows on the knees, so that it looks like a butterfly flapping its wings up and down.
9. Eagle Twist Pose
It’s the way seems to be like eagle twists and turns. This pose actually improves the operation of 12 important joints in the body. Stand straight with feet close. Twist the right arm under left and hold hand together. Push the elbows lower so the fingers are lower than the nose. Push the body down which should look like sitting on a chair. Now lift the right leg and put it over left leg. Make sure to align the body in one line. Do the same with opposite hands and leg twists.
10. Shirshasana Yoga Pose
It is also referred to as Headstand pose. Instead of standing on legs, we invert the body and stand on the head. From standing position, move to squat position. Now slowly bend down with the head touching the ground and hand a part in equal lengths. Lift knees off the ground and place the feet straight on a wall. Be in this position for about 5 minutes.
11. Sarvanga Yoga Pose
Lay with back on the floor and relax. Hold on the hip and apply enough pressure with the hands to raise the legs upwards. Legs should be at 90 degrees angle from the floor. Make sure the back and legs are raised and keep straight for about 2-3 minutes. Repeat this for 3-4 times.
12. Paschimottanasana Pose
It means back stretch exercise. Sit on the floors with legs straight in front. Keep the back erect and bend the body forward with both the hands touching the feet. Now bend towards the knees and keep forehead touching the knees. Be in this position for 5 seconds and repeat it for 10 times.
13. Halasana Pose
It is a Plow Pose yoga asana and is very simple. Just lie on the floor, lift the legs and place them behind the head. The hands should be placed opposite to legs.
14. Ardhahalasana Yoga Poses
It is also known as Half Plough Pose. Lay down with complete body touching the floor. Now with an inhale, lift one leg to 90 degrees without any bend. Hold on the leg for 5 seconds and do the same with another leg. Repeat the cycle for 20 times.
15. Bhujangasana Yoga Pose
Image Source: satyaliveyoga
It is also known as Cobra pose. It is best for people sitting on the desktop for hours. Lie on the stomach. Place hands sideways in equal length. Take a breath and raise the chest upward like a snake applying pressure on the hands. The arms must be straight. Hold the breath in for 15-30 seconds and on an exhale, slowly come down to normal position. Perform this for about 10 times.
16. Pawana Muktasana Yoga Pose
It is also known as Wind Removing Pose. Sleep normally on the floor. Now raise the head and bring the knees to touch the forehead. Hold the knees tight for about 20 seconds. Inhale when holding the knees and exhale when releasing to normal position.
17. Uttanpadasana Yoga Pose
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It is also known as Both Legs Raised Pose. Sleep with back on the ground. Place the hands firmly on the ground. Have your eyes focused on the ceiling. Now inhale and raise the legs 45 degrees and hold in the position for 20 seconds, now push the legs into 90 degrees angle and stay there for 10 seconds.Exhale and bring the legs back to the ground. Repeat this 5 times every day.
18. Setu Bandhasana Yoga Pose
It is also known as Shoulder Supported Bridge. Lie on the floor with arms and legs relaxed, now fold your knees with arms close to the body. Push your hip upwards. Now hold the foot with your hands. Stay in this position for 10 seconds, repeat the cycle for 10 times every day.
19. Vajrasana Yoga Pose
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It is also known as Diamond Pose, Firmness or Adamant Pose. Sit on a floor with knees folded under the buttocks. Sit straight with spine erect. Close your eyes. Let’s the palms be placed on the respective thighs, inhale and exhale slowly. When exhaling, imagine as if you’re pushing away the disorder from the body through the nose. Do this asana for 5 minutes every day.
20. Matsyendrasana Yoga Pose
Image Source: sarvyoga
It is also known as Half-Spinal Twist Pose. Sit in a relaxed position with both the legs in front of you. Bend your right leg and place the heel of the right foot on the perineum. Cross your left leg over your right knee and place it on the floor. The left foot should touch the floor. Pass your right hand on your left calf and grab the big toe of the left foot. The toe should be kept with the thumb, index and middle finger. Slide your left hand behind your back and get to the root of your right thigh. Enter the final position by rotating the shoulder, neck and head left. Align the chin with the left shoulder. Hold onto this position as long as you comfortably can.Repeat the same for the opposite side.
21. Anandabalasana Yoga Pose
It is also known as Happy Baby Pose. Lay on the back with knees drawn toward the chest. Hold the feet of your legs with the hands. Push the knees wide and stay in this position for a minute.
22. Balasana Yoga Pose
It is also known as Child Pose. Sit on the floor with kneeling position. Move the feet under the hips and the toes should touch each other. Now bend down as if our bowing to elders. The forehead should touch the floor. The hands should be placed sideways or can hold on to the toes. Stay in this position for 20 seconds and repeat the pose for 10 times.
23. Shavasana Yoga Pose
It is also known as Corpse Pose and is the best relaxation yoga pose. This pose is known as dead man’s pose and has to be performed at the end yoga sessions. This pose is just not about normal sleeping. You lay down and virtualize how consciously you can think of relaxing the muscles with the breathing technique.
24. Virabhadrasana Yoga Pose
It is also called as Warrior Pose. Stand straight and move one leg forward with a bent knee. Now raise the hands upward and stay in this position for about a minute. Now get back the leg to normal position and push forward the other leg and repeat the same process.
25. Ustrasana Yoga Pose
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It is also known as Camel Pose. Step onto your knees. Keep your spine straight and inhale arms palms in prayer. Fold the toes or feet above the ground. Bring hands to heels or flat feet without moving your hips back. Only the lower back is folded back. Breathe! Release the pose and repeat the pose again.
26. Garudasana Yoga Pose
It is also known as Eagle Pose, Garuda means Eagle. It is also the name of the Ruler of the birds. Garuda is portrayed as the vehicle of Vishnu and as having a white face, a peak of aquiline, Red Wings and a body of gold. From Tadasana, inhale and elevate your arms equivalent to the floor. Exhale and pull your right arm over the top of the left. Bend your elbows out the back of hands touching each other. Bring the right hand forward and as you bring it back, allow the palms to touch. Press the palms equally and use your arms to help release the shoulder to the back, drawing the lower tips of the blades deep into the back. Twisting your knees, bring the left foot on the right thigh. Resting the back of the left thigh in front of the right thigh. Attach the left foot around the right calf. Keep pressing the inner legs together, drawing tailbone towards the floor and lift your elbows to shoulder height. Face, neck and abdomen should remain flat. Release and repeat on the opposite side, staying for equal lengths of both sides.
27. Nataraja Yoga Pose
It is also known as Dancer Pose. Stand in Mountain Pose. Inhale and bend the right leg backward, clutching the left foot with your left hand while simultaneously extending your right arm forward. Continue lifting the right arm up until about 45 degrees from the floor while lifting the left leg high as possible with the left arm. Hold the pose while breathing softly through the nostrils. Maintain your fixed look just above horizon. Stay in this asana for 1 minute.
28. Naukasana Yoga Pose
It is also known as the boat pose as this yoga resembles the boat. Lie on the floor in resting position. Now breathe in deeply and raise the head after progressively neck and shoulder and then the legs such that the head, hands and legs by boat type structure. Stay in this position for 10 seconds and get back to normal.
29. Marjariasana Yoga Pose
Image Source: satyaliveyoga
It is also known as cat pose. Come to kneeling position with the hand on the ground. Think of a cat. Look straight. As you exhale, bend your hips in the Cat Pose inclination. To do this, you would get abs pulled back slowly toward the spine, tailbone be tucked in the buttocks and need to be contracted. Now put your hands firmly on the ground and allow the body to be lifted well above the shoulder. Around the spine toward the ceiling, reach the center of the spine.
30. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana Yoga
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It is also known as Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe posture. Standstill, raise your right leg and hold the toes with the hands. Now stretch the leg sideways with hands still holding the toes. Stay in this pose for 10-20 seconds. Do the same with left leg.
