Asana Groups & their purposes
A balanced yoga session contains all of the important aspects of yoga. Effective Yoga practices should include the most effective poses from all yoga groups listed below. Different yoga postures affect and develop the body in individual ways. Each asana group has something unique to offer to the yogi.
Including all of the asana groups in practice is beneficial for the body & mind, but also ensures the practice to be safe. To avoid injuries it is highly recommended to e.g. practice a backbend asana after a forward bend asana and vice versa.
Let’s go further and learn more about the different asana groups and their beneficial characteristics.
Asanas for Abdomen & Digestion
Asanas Vajrasana (Thunderbolt/ Kneeling Pose)
Asanas in Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
Basic & Therapeutic Movements
Basic and therapeutic movements are useful for beginners and those who begin practicing Yoga after a break, or simply function as a warm-up before a yoga session. They help to maintain healthy joints which, especially nowadays, is very important as we spend most of the time in a seated position looking at a screen. The movements should be practiced slowly and consciously. This group of asanas loosens the joints and is also perfect for older people and students, who suffer from Arthritis, Rheumatism, high blood pressure, obesity, and heart problems.
Preparatory Asanas
The preparatory asanas help to prepare the whole body for the Yogasana practice and help the muscles to build strength. Movement should be smooth and slow without sudden movements, fluttering, or swinging.
Asanas for Abdomen & Digestion
These asanas strengthen the digestive systems and improve the health of the internal organs in the abdomen area. They are excellent for people who suffer from indigestion, constipation, acidity, bloating, lack of appetite, diabetes, disorders of the reproductive systems, and varicose veins. In the asanas, you should become aware of the movements, abdominal pressure, stretches, and breath. It is not recommended to practice the asanas for those with high blood pressure, serious heart conditions, sciatica problems, slipped discs, or abdominal surgeries.
Asanas Vajrasana (Thunderbolt/ Kneeling Pose)
The Vajra or Thunderbolt connects with the urinary system which regulates the sexual energy in the body. Asanas in Vajrasana benefit the reproductive system and the digestive organs. Vajrasana is also used in many cultures for meditation and prayers.
Dynamic Movements
These asanas improve the energy flows within the body and chakras. They reduce blockages in the spine, nerves, and muscles and activate the lungs, heart, and endocrine systems. Furthermore, they improve the overall vitality and remove the stiffness from the back. Dynamic movements are perfect when suffering from menstrual problems, and toning the pelvic organs and muscles. Women who want to restore flaccid muscles after pregnancy are highly recommended to practice dynamic movements.
Asanas in Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
Padmasana is the best pose for Pranayama and meditation. It allows the body and mind to be held completely steady for long periods of time, giving a firm foundation for concentration.
It supports a direct flow through all seven chakras, from Mooladhra to Sahasrara. The chakras will be awakened and tranquility is in place.
The asanas also lead to clearing mental, emotional, and physical blocks.
Postures in Padmasana should be practiced carefully. They are not recommended for those who suffer from knee injuries or sciatica, and should not be practiced during pregnancy.
Backward Bending Asanas
The backward bending postures are stimulating, and stimulate the extravert. They are associated with the attitude of embracing life. They expand the chest muscles and encourage inhalation. On a physical level they stretch, tone, and massage the abdominal and pelvic muscles, and tone as well as strengthen the muscles in those areas. The nerves along the spine are decompressed which benefits the whole body since these nerves energize all other nerves, organs, and muscles. Backward and Forward bends can correct postural defects and muscular imbalances, and maintain an upright posture of the whole body.
In addition to the mentioned benefits the backward bending asanas may help to purify, circulate, and enrich the blood in the spinal area.
Backward Bending Postures are not recommended for people with an excessive lower back curve (lumbar lordosis).
Forward Bending Asanas
In these asanas, gravity forces the muscles to stretch alongside the spinal cord. Gravity also helps to release tension and pain, correct postural imbalances, loosen up the back muscles, and maintain vitality and good health. The forward bending postures are associated with chest compression which supports the exhalation and leads to a better quality of relaxation.
Separating the vertebrates stimulates the nerves, and improves circulation and nourishment of the spinal cord, which positively affects the organs and the brain.
These asanas support the development of stronger back muscles, compress and massage the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and intestines, and stretch the legs nicely.
With regular practice, even the most rigid muscles will gain flexibility. Let go of all the tension, relax the muscles, and let the gravity and exhalation work.
Spinal Twist Asanas
Each practice should include twisting poses, ideally following the back and forward bend asanas. These postures exercise the muscles, make the spinal column more flexible, stimulate the spinal nerves, and rejuvenate the tissues. They also influence the abdominal muscles by compressing and stretching them. The twisting postures activate the pranic flow and nourish the organs such as the pancreas, kidneys, stomach, liver, small intestines, and gallbladder.
Inverted Asanas
Instead of everything being pulled towards the feet the orientation of the system shifts toward the head. These asanas may be refreshing and revitalizing, they improve health, reduce anxiety and stress, and increase self-confidence and mental power.
These asanas encourage the blood to flow to the brain, nourishing the neurons and flushing out toxins. Blood and lymph accumulate in the lower limbs, pelvis, and abdomen. Freshly nourished blood drains back to the heart to circulate to the lungs, purify, and recirculate to all body parts. This process nourishes the cells of the whole organism. The enriched blood supports the pituitary gland to operate more efficiently – tuning the entire endocrine system.
While the body is in an inverted asana the breath slows down and deepens, maximizing the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen. They generally encourage correct respiration. In addition, the abdominal organs, the liver, spleen, stomach, kidneys, and pancreas receive a powerful message, helping them perform optimally.
Inverted asanas improve the quality of concentration and meditation. You can read about the benefits of Sirsasana (Headstand) here.
Standing Asanas
These asanas strengthen and stretch the back, shoulders, and leg muscles and promote better health in the back, particularly for those who spend long periods sitting. They improve balance, muscular coordination, and posture, strengthen the muscles to keep the back straight during meditation, and increase oxygenation and lung capacity.
Balancing Asanas
Balancing asanas improve the function of the cerebellum, which controls how the body works in motion. The asanas optimize muscular coordination and posture, including physical and nervous balance, and stilling unconscious movements. Generally speaking, the asanas improve the quality of concentration, balance emotional, mental, and physical levels, and reduce stress and anxiety.
Meditation Asanas
The main purpose of meditation asanas is to sit still for a long period, with a straight and steady spine, without moving the body or discomfort.
You can place the hands on the knees in the chin or jnana mudra. Keep the head and neck upright and straight, but without strain or force. Close your eyes, relax your body and mind, and breathe. If you start feeling discomfort in the asana, release, to massage your limbs and go back into the posture – it’s a matter of practice. The more you practice, the sooner you feel comfortable in a meditation asana.
Relaxation Asanas
Relaxation asanas should be practiced before and after each session, and when the body becomes tired during practice. The biggest challenge is to release all the tension in the muscles, which seems so easy, but yet the relaxation asanas are seen as some of the most difficult ones. Even in our sleep there can be remaining muscle tension, often depending on the day and its challenges. Therefore, these asanas give the body the rest it needs and induce body awareness.
The asanas should last for at least 2 minutes – the longer, the better. They help to relax the psycho-physiological system. Ideally, you practice before sleep and, as mentioned before, after your asana practice.
The focus should be on relaxing the whole body first, then the breath. Do not move your body, even a slight movement can disturb the practice.
Surya Namaskara
The dynamic series of asanas stretch, massage, and tone the joints, muscles, and internal organs.
Surya means the sun and Namaskara means Salutation. A Sun Salutation is a spiritual practice that includes asana, pranayama, mantra, and meditation techniques. Surya Namaskara Sequences should be ideally practiced during sunrise or sunset, at the most peaceful time of the day, facing the sun.
Read the whole article about Surya Namaskara here.
