Yoga: Its Practice, Benefits, and 5 Essential Asanas for Beginners

Master 5 essential yoga asanas for beginners. Learn the fundamentals of its practice and the profound physical and mental benefits of these poses.

Yoga is a body and mind science that has been around for a long time. It started in India about 2500 years ago, and people who do it regularly are still healthier and happier as a result. The word yoga comes from the verb Yuja in Sanskrit. It means to link, reach a peak, or agree.

Among the exercises, Yoga is the most beneficent and ideal way to practice. The meaning of Yoga is union. Union of the body, breath & mind.

It's the end of both the mind and the body, or the end of Jiva and Shiva (soul and the universal spirit). It's also the point where Purush and Prakriti come together (Yin and Yang).

Yoga can mean a lot of different things. There are different ways to do Yoga, or schools: Dnyanayoga (Yoga through knowledge), Bhaktiyoga (Yoga through devotion), Karmayoga (Yoga through action), Rajayoga (Royal or supreme Yoga), and Hathayoga (Yoga by balancing opposite principles of body).

Not all of these Yoga schools are very different from one another. They are kind of like tangled up threads of the same fabric. Yoga has been seen as a good way to improve yourself and become more spiritual for thousands of years. All of these systems are basically trying to do the same thing. The only difference is in how they do it.

Most people think of Hathayoga when they hear the word "Yoga." This is because it is the last of these three systems. The same thing is meant by the word "Yoga" in this article as well. But when it comes to Philosophy of Yoga, which is at the end of this article, the term "Yoga" will have a broader meaning.

Yoga is a very fundamental asset in our life. It assists you to discover real pleasure and a positive spirit. This is not just an exercise but a way of life that gives you physical, mental, and emotional benefits to maintain a healthy mind and body.

Yoga is the oldest personal development system that Evolved in India thousands of years ago. The reason to practice yoga is that it's incredibly helpful to control your body, mind & breathe, which helps you to balance the nervous system.

It has a direct beneficent effect on your autonomic nervous system. Yoga bequeaths Peace of mind, harmony, and equilibrium within. It endows marvelous healing potential and overall health.

🌟 Core Benefits of Yoga Practice

1. Holistic Healing: Cures your body and mind in a natural and organic way.
2. Therapeutic Relief: Helps to get rid of various nervous, vascular, and muscular problems with proper constant practice.
3. Life Rejuvenation: Yoga brings a renaissance in life.
4. Muscle Health: Makes your muscles strong and flexible.
5. Alignment: Keeps the body aligned and straight.
6. Universal Fit: The only exercise fitting for all—seniors, adults, youth, kids, or pregnant women.
7. Stress Neutralizer: Reduces lactic acid and neutralizes it with increased oxygen.

If you are very fond of exercises, a fitness freak, or looking for exercises, try yoga as well and feel the difference in your body and mind.

The Tools Of Yoga That Help To Keep Ourselves Healthy, Stress-free & Fit Are

• Asana
• Pranayama
• Diet &
• Meditation

If you are new to yoga, starting with foundational postures is essential for building strength, flexibility, and proper technique. These five simple poses, which form the core of a beginner's practice, are an ideal way to start experiencing the immense physical and mental benefits of yoga and its practice.

By doing yoga, any kind of disease, whether bereavement, pain, stress, insomnia, or illness cannot harm you. Even though, if you do not have time to do yoga asanas, you can remain fit only by doing Suryanamaskar and if there is time, you must do these five asanas.

If you have any kind of disease, bereavement, obesity, stress, insomnia, breathing, thunder, spine, blood pressure, or stomach problems, then following the five very simple asanas, you can get rid of the above problems.

Also read - TOP 9 MORNING STRETCHES FOR GLOW

The condition is that regularize them and understand the method and precautions to do them properly. Do it only after consulting a yoga teacher.

Today’s complex lifestyle accentuates mental worries and seemingly unsolvable problems at any level, such as interpersonal economics and so on.

This has led to a situation in which mental and physical illness is increasing. In this demanding world, yoga is the only thing that can help us to cope with stress and evolve in life.

By Doing These Five Simple Yogasanas, You Will Remain Fit And Healthy

1. Tadasana or Vriksasana (Mountain/Tree Pose)

This makes the body's condition similar to a palm tree, hence it is called Tadasana. There is a difference between Tadasana and Vriksasana. This asana is done by standing. Standing on the paws, moving both the lips upwards, then with a finger lock, fold the claws of the hands upwards, that is, the palms are facing the sky. Keep the neck straight. This is Tadasana.

Benefits of Tadasana:

1. By regularizing this asana, the feet are strengthened and the paws are strong and the calves are also hard.
2. Apart from this, all types of diseases are destroyed due to stretch on the stomach and chest.
3. Stomach diseases are cured.
4. There is an increase in semen power.
5. Piles of patients benefit from this.
6. This asana is important in increasing the physical growth and length of children.

Precautions:

If practicing Vriksasana (Tree Pose), avoid placing the foot directly on the knee joint; place it above or below the knee.

2. Bhujangasana Or Cobra Pose

Bhujang means like a snake. After lying on the stomach, bring the arm with the elbows folded and keep the palms under the arms. Now, while pressing on the palms, lift the head towards the shape. This is Bhujangasana.

Bhujangasana or Cobra Stand benefits:

1. Especially this asana reduces belly fat and makes the lungs strong.
2. This asana strengthens the spine and brings flexibility to the back.
3. With this asana, the activity of the gall bladder increases, and the soft muscles of the digestive system become strong.
4. It also helps in reducing belly fat.
5. Constipation is eliminated.
6. People who have bad throat, asthma, chronic cough, or any other lung-related disease should do this asana.

Precautions:

Avoid this pose if you are pregnant, have a hernia, or have recently had abdominal surgery. People with severe back injury should proceed with caution.

3. Ushtrasana Or Camel Pose

Ushtrasana because of its appearance like a Camel Pose. After sitting in the position of Vajrasana, standing above the knees, placing the palms one by one on the steps, leaving the neck loose and raising the stomach towards the sky. This is Ushtrasana.

Ushtrasana Or Camel Pose benefits:

1. This asana removes abdominal diseases and acidity.
2. This asana helps in the prevention of stomach-related diseases, such as constipation, indigestion, and acidity.
3. This asana is beneficial in throat diseases also.
4. With this asana, parts of the knee, blood, kidney, small intestine, liver, chest, lame, and neck are affected simultaneously, so that the above-mentioned limb group exercises and maintains their health.
5. There are benefits in breathing, abdominal, calf, legs, shoulders, elbows, and spinal diseases.

Precautions:

People with severe back or neck injury, or those suffering from high blood pressure, should avoid this pose or practice a modified version.

4. Gomukhasana or Cow Face Pose

The shape becomes like the face of a cow, that is why it is called Gomukhasana. While sitting in Dandasana, now bend the left foot and keep the heel near the right hip. Keep the right leg bent and touch the left leg on top of each other.

In this case, both thighs will be placed on top of each other which looks triangular. Then raise the right hand up, while pulling the right shoulder up, move the hand back towards the back, then take the left hand from behind the back from near the stomach and hold the right-hand toes.

Keep neck and waist straight. Now after doing it for one minute from one side, do the same from the other side. This is Gomukhasana.

Gomukhasana benefits:

1. It provides relief for all types of respiratory diseases.
2. It increases the strength of the lungs by widening the chest, which provides benefits for respiratory diseases.
3. This asana proves very beneficial in joint pain, joint, constipation, testicular growth, hernia, liver, kidney, polyuria, diabetes, and female diseases.

Precautions:

Those with severe knee, shoulder, or hip injuries should avoid this pose or practice with modifications under expert guidance.

5. Shavasana Or Corpse Pose

Everyone knows how to do Shavasana. It is a practice of complete body relaxation. To do this asana, lie on your back. Leave all the limbs and muscles loose. Remove facial tightness. Do not place any tension or stress anywhere. Now take deep and long breaths slowly. Feel like you are sleeping deeply. Practice this for 10 minutes daily.

Shavasana or Corpse Pose Benefits:

1. It is a panacea for patients suffering from high blood pressure (high blood pressure)
2. Cures insomnia and stress.
3. This frees all internal organs from tension so that blood circulation begins to flow smoothly.
4. When blood runs smoothly, physical and mental stress decreases.

Precautions:

If pregnant or experiencing breathing difficulties when lying flat, elevate your head slightly with a cushion or pillow.

Conclusion: The Path to Wellness

By consistently incorporating its practice into your daily routine—starting with the foundational 5 asanas described here—you can unlock the profound benefits of a balanced mind and healthy body. This article has provided insight into the history, nature, and beginner poses of yoga.

Remember to consult a certified teacher, like the author Poonam Semwal, to ensure you are practicing these poses safely and effectively. Get in touch with us if you want to know more about this topic.

 

About the Author

 

Poonam Semwal is a certified Yoga teacher from Sivananda Yogapeeth and has conducted many Yoga Teacher's Training courses across India. You can follow her on Instagram or Facebook.