5 Beginner Yoga Positions You Need to Know

By Nancy Terence

Yoga can help you achieve peacefulness and a harmonious balance between your mind and body. It has a lot of health benefits such as improving your posture, relieving stress and stretching your tight muscles. However, if you are only a beginner in this art and science of yoga, you might get that natural feeling of uneasiness when you see the different yoga positions. Add to that the fact that each position has a strange and sometimes intimidating name to it.

But don't you worry because there are beginner yoga positions that are designed to help you get started. While some can be quite challenging at first, these are all relaxing and will pave the way for you to achieve more complicated yoga poses.

Balasana - Child's Pose

The Child Pose is a relaxation pose which is used to normalize the circulation after the Head Stand and to give a counter stretch to the spine after the backward bends. It is a resting pose that can be done to precede or follow any pose. Performing the Child Pose stretches the hips, thighs and ankles gently. It also helps relieve stress and fatigue, and calms the brain. However, you need to observe caution in practicing the Child Pose when you are suffering from diarrhea or knee injury as it may worsen your ailment when not done properly. Pregnant women should also avoid doing the Child Pose. Practicing under the supervision of an experienced Yoga teacher is advised.

Procedure for Doing Balasana - Child's Pose

1. Find a large enough space where you will be able to spread your entire body on the floor.
   
2. Lay your yoga mat and towel or blanket on the floor and lay down on your back with your legs stretched out and your arms at your side.
   
3. Sit up and tuck your legs underneath you so that your body is resting on your knees.
   
4. Touch your toes together and spread your knees as far apart as you are comfortably able. Do not stretch more than is comfortable for your body. Flexibility varies from person to person.
   
5. Lean forward and touch your head to the mat, or as far forward as you are able to hang your head. Put your arms at your side or extend them up so that they are resting next to your ears on the mat.
   

Benefits of Balasana - Child's Pose

• Gently stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles


• Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue


• Relieves back and neck pain when done with head and torso supported

Balasana - Child's Pose Video

Use Yoga To Get Headache Relief

By Jaks Lloyd

Well, I think that most people do, if only occasionally, mainly because of our hectic lifestyles and associated stresses.

It's all too easy to reach for the pills but why put what is effectively poison into your body if you can help it.

If your headaches are frequent, the wisest move is to consult your doctor but if they are only spasmodic then are some very useful yoga exercises that could help to drive the stress away. As soon as you start to feel a headache coming on, and obviously if it is convenient, you should begin the following yoga exercises. Any delay will make the headache more difficult to alleviate.

Yoga Position No. 1 - Balasana (Child's Pose)

Kneel down and with your feet touching each other, sit back onto your heels. Spread your knees apart as wide as your hips. Breathe in and then breathe out and while you do so lean forward so that your body is as close as possible to your thighs. Stretching out your arms, turn your palms upwards. Relax your shoulders to the floor. You should be able to feel a stretch between your shoulder blades. Stay like this for 30 seconds to a few minutes. Slowly and gently lengthen your body and breathe in and come up.

Yoga Position No. 2 - Downward Facing Dog

Kneel with your hands on the floor just in front of your shoulders, palms spread and facing forward, knees below the hips and the toes under and forward, feet slightly apart. Inhale slowly and start to lift up your knees and heels. As you do so round the tailbone away from the pelvis and by pushing forward with the hands raise your bottom towards the ceiling and tuck the top of your thighs into your groin area. Exhale slowly and as you do so straighten your legs until the knees are only slightly bent at the same time bringing the heels back into contact with the floor. Tense the muscles of the thighs and press lightly inwards. Gradually straighten the arms using the fingers for leverage, and then close the shoulder blades against each other, slight pause before widening them and push them down towards your bottom. The back will then become straight or slightly concave. Control your head as it stays between your arms, don't just let it hang loosely. Inhale and hold for 1-2 minutes then bend the knees slowly to the floor back to the start position exhaling as you do so.

Yoga Position No. 3 - Standing Forward Bend

Stand in a relaxed position with your hands on your hips. Breath in and out, as you exhale bend forward slowly from the hips. Imagine that your body is lengthening as you lift upwards. Keeping your knees as straight as you are able, place the palms of your hands on the floor either in front of you, besides your feet or at the back of your ankles. Breathe in and lift and lengthen your body slightly, breathe out and release a little more into the pose. Relax your head completely and stay in the pose for 30 seconds to one minute. To come up, place your hands on your hips, breathe in and straighten your spine slowly.

Yoga Position No. 4 - The Bridge Pose

Lie flat on the floor, preferably on a yoga mat. If, required, support your neck with a folded towel or similar. Bend your knees, bringing your feet as close to your bottom as possible. Exhale slowly, pressing your feet and arms down onto the floor. Push your tailbone upwards and into the pubis, firm your buttocks and lift them off the floor. Balance by putting your hands onto your pelvic area. Keep lifting until your thighs are level with the floor. Keep your knees directly over your heels, but push them forward away from your hips. Lift up your lower hips and bring in and upwards towards your naval. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to one minute, breathe out and release, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor.

Any or all of these poses should help you to fight off your headache.