Ashtanga Yoga Postures

Head Stand Posture - Sirshasana

Benefits of ashtanga yoga postures...

• upper body, brain, head, face, and neck get an abundance of blood and health giving chemicals

• purifies and calms the mind

• greatly helps your natural posture, and function of the heart

• Caution: be very mindful of neck injuries, such as whiplash, when choosing these powerful inverted and ashtanga yoga poses.

1. Start in a kneeling position or Cat Pose, facing a wall if you desire

2. interlock your fingers in front of you, on the floor

3. spread your arms and elbows out on the floor, creating a stable base

4. lift your hips into the air and position the top of your head into the interlocked hands and fingers

5. slowly walk your feet toward your head

6. contract and engage your abdominal muscles to stabilize your torso

7. when ready, gently push your toes away from the floor, raising your legs upward

8. in these ashtanga yoga postures, keep the back and legs straight, arms and shoulders relaxed

9. tighten the leg muscles so the legs are touching each other. [Beginners may rest their feet and/or legs against the wall.]

10. lift and create space in the lower back by gently tucking in your sacrum to stabilize your pelvis and hips

11. allow your shoulders to relax and move away from your ears, and lengthen your neck

12. relax your face, head, eyes, and jaw

13. with the downward pressure of your forearms against the floor, the pressure on the top of your head is light

14. As you inhale, pull energy through your feet, body, and down into your head

15. as you exhale, lengthen your spine and torso toward the sky allowing the head to rest lighter on the floor

16. hold the pose for as long as you desire, breathing in and out deeply

17. when completed, slowly bend at the waist bringing your feet back to the floor

18. then, move back into kneeling position

19. rest - lie on the floor in Savasana or Corpse Pose for a few minutes.

Scroll down for more ashtanga yoga postures.

It is important to rest your body after you complete your stretching or ashtanga yoga postures, and before you begin yoga breathing and pranayama. The body has to transition from one focus and activity to another. If we do not rest, stress and tension can develop in the body and the mind.

When practicing pranayama, whether it be for three minute or thirty-three minutes, we must sit with a straight spine. Sit comfortably on the floor or a straight-backed chair.

You should always ask an experienced teacher in deciding which pranayama yoga breathing exercises to perform and suited to you.

I update Yoga-Training-You.com very frequently, so please subscribe to my monthly newsletter, Hatha Yoga Lovers. It tells you each month about new yoga information that I've added.

More Ashtanga Yoga Postures

Click on the hatha yoga poses below...

Accredited Hatha Yoga Training Certification

My name is Karen Sandler.

If you're interested in becoming a hatha yoga teacher, I offer an outstanding 200 hour certification course.

For teachers, I offer different accredited continuing education CEU classes.

Click on my photo for details.

All courses geared to take you to the next level in your hatha yoga practice.

Search This Site...

Here are different hatha yoga poses series that you can search on for details. Locate the "Search Bar" below this list. I've also included the Sanskit name...

tree - vriksasana
crow - kakasana
dancer - natarajasana
warrior or hero pose - virabhadrasana III
hand to toe - utthita padangusthasana
side arm balance - vasisthasana
shoulder stand - sarvangasana
head stand - sirshasana
hand stand - adho mukha vriksasana
plow - halasana
mountain - tadasana
warrior or hero - virabhadrasana II
warrior or hero - virabhadrasana I
triangle - trikonasana
cat or table pose - marjariasana
sun bird - chakravakasana
staff - dandasana
seated boat - paripurna navasana
downward facing dog - adho mukha svanasana
upward facing plank - purvottanasana
face down moves - navasana vinyasa
leg raises - ab vinyasa
knee to chest - apanasana vinyasa
monkey god - hanumanasana
runners poses - ashwa sanchalasana
thunder bolt - vajrasana or virasana
pigeon - kapotasana
bridge - setubandhasana
bow pose - Dhanurasana
wheel pose - chakrasana
standing forward bend - uttanasana
camel - ustrasana
seated forward bend - paschimottanasana
ashtanga yoga postures

Loading

Warrior / Hero Pose - Virabhadrasana II

1. Start by standing with your legs spread apart

2. rotate your right leg and foot out 90 degrees

3. lift and rotate the left heel about 45 degrees. The left heel is in line with the right arch of the foot

4. spread the toes out of both feet, engage and tighten the thigh muscles

   

5. rotate your trunk and pelvis so that you are looking over your right leg

6. bring the arms up horizontal to the floor at shoulder height

7. relax the shoulders, move the shoulder blades toward the pelvis, and spread the fingers creating a line of energy along the underside of the arms

8. rotate the arms so that the palms are facing upward, then rotate the lower arms and hands, palms toward the floor

9. when ready, bend your right leg at the knee positioning it over your ankle

10. tighten and activate the back leg, pushing the heel into the ground

11. open up the pelvis, keeping the spine straight

12. keep the sacrum scooped in and draw the abdomen in

13. open up the chest, turn the head, and gaze over the front hand and fingers

14. hold the pose for as long as you desire, breathing in and out deeply

15. when completed, straighten your leg, allow your arms to fall by your side

16. turn, repeat these ashtanga yoga postures for the other side.

Runner Position - Ashwa Sanchalasana

1. start in a kneeling position - Cat Pose, knees and hands on the floor

2. bend and move the right leg forward placing your right foot between your hands. Knee directly above your ankle

3. tighten the right leg muscles to support the knee in this position

4. tuck the toes in on the left foot

5. sink your pelvis down toward the floor, keeping it square

6. for a variation, take your left knee off the floor and straighten the left back leg

7. create a line of energy from the head, through the spine to the back heel

8. as you inhale, draw energy up through the legs into the pelvis

9. exhale, allow the cleansing energy go out of the pelvis toward the floor

10. keep the spine and neck lengthened as you hold the pose for as long as comfortable - few seconds to a minute

11. repeat for the other side by coming back into Cat Pose.

Uttanasana - Standing Forward Bend Pose

1. Start in a standing position, legs together, hands on hips

2. keep the toes pointing forward and root your feet deep into the earth

3. lengthen your whole body upward through the torso and top of the head

4. keep your shoulders back and square

5. exhale, bring your arms out to your sides

6. activate your legs by tightening your thigh muscles and bringing your patella or knee-cap upwards

7. keep your sacrum or tail-bone scooped down and under, bend forward from the hips keeping your back lengthened

8. stretching your arms, move your hands to the legs, feet or the floor. Use a block if necessary

9. relax your neck, head, face, and jaw

10. as you inhale, draw the energy up the legs and into your pelvis

11. as you exhale, lengthen the spine

12. hold the pose for as long as you desire, breathing in and out deeply

    
    

    

    
    Ardha-Chandrasana - Half Moon Pose

    

    1. start these ashtanga yoga postures in a kneeling position, knees and hands on the floor

    2. bend and move one leg between your hands. Knee above your ankle

    3. extend the other leg back, toes touching the floor

    4. breathe deeply, lengthening your back, neck, and extended leg. Breathe

    5. when ready, push up and balance with your arm and leg into Half Moon Pose

    6. turn your head and face the sky to naturally open up the torso

    7. breathe into the core of your body, the area just below your navel -- your center of gravity and balance

    8. with every exhalation, have a sense of your energy flowing out of your head, hands, and feet

    9. hold the pose for as long as you desire, breathing in and out deeply

    10. when ready, exhale down back into runners pose, then relax.

    11. repeat the steps for the other side.

    
    Cat Pose - Marjariasana

    

    1. start on all fours - knee's and hands on the floor

    2. place the flats of your feet on the floor or curl your toes under

    3. Inhale, lift the sacrum and head up, stretching the back.

    4. Hold the move for a couple of seconds, feeling the stretch on the front of your body

    5. Exhale, contract your abs, arching your back, bringing your sacrum and head toward each other.

    6. Repeat several times, inhaling and exhaling as you move the spine.

    
    Different Hatha Yoga Vinyasa's

    
    

    

    
    Hatha Yoga Meditations

    
    

    

    
    Yoga and Massage Therapy CEUs
    Exciting New Massage Continuing Education Courses. Discover Fun Massage Therapy CEUs In Reflexology, Cranial Sacral, Lymph Massage, Thai, Shiatsu, Pranic Healing And Hatha Yoga.

    
    Therapeutic Ashtanga Yoga Postures Series

    These hatha yoga poses have the reputation for helping in certain disorders and illnesses. They are never a substitute for medical attention, though they may aid in the correction of some disorders.

    Take great care when performing any ashtanga yoga postures.

    
    Return from Hatha Yoga Poses Exercise Series. Sirshasana, Head Stand. Ashtanga Yoga Postures, Meditations, Yoga Moves, Asanas, Exercises, Positions to Hatha Yoga And Massage Therapy Training You home

    
    

    Scott Coleman LMT CEMT CNMT
    Hatha Yoga Training
    Massage Therapy CEUs. CE Provider #50-1133
    Holistic Stress Reduction Techniques
    Orlando Florida FL 32810
    407-617-6602

    
    SBI!