International Day of Yoga: Different daily Asanas to keep you healthy

PM Modi proposed the idea of a day that would be dedicated to yoga day during his address to the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in 2014. On 11 December 2014, all 193 UN member states unanimously agreed to observe the International Day of Yoga on 21 June. 

The inaugural celebration took place on 21 June 2015. 

Here are listed few yoga asanas one can include in their daily regime for a better health. 

(Note all asanas are described in accordance with Iyengar Yoga)

Suryanamaskar

Also known as sun salutations, one can include this simple practice in yoga as exercise incorporating a flow sequence of some twelve gracefully linked asanas. In this article we will tell you about the 12 linked asanas. 

The basic of Suryanamaskar regime includes a sequence. They are is Tadasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Uttanasana, Uttanasana with head up, Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog), Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Dog), Chaturanga Dandasana, and then reversing the sequence to return to Tadasana, in accordance to Iyengar Yoga. 

Tadasana

Tadasana forms the start of the Suryanamaskar regime. In this the practitioner has to do a basic standing pose, while the hands are kept straight on both sides of the body. One starts the Suryanamaskar by the Tadasana keeping both feet together grounding evenly through the feet and lifting up through the crown of the head.

Then the thighs are lifted, the waist is lifted, and the spine is elongated. The breathing is relaxed.

Urdhva Hastasana

In this asana, the practitioner stands tall, as in mountain pose (tadasana), only this time their hands will be raised above their head.

Uttanasana

The pose is entered from the standing position of Tadasana, bending forward at the hips until the palms can be placed on the floor, ultimately behind the heels.

Adho Mukha Svanasana

The pose has the head down, ultimately touching the floor, with the weight of the body on the palms and the feet. The arms are stretched straight forward, shoulder width apart, the feet are a foot apart, the legs are straight, and the hips are raised as high as possible

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

The pose may be entered from Downward Dog. The palms are placed under the shoulders, pushing down until the hips lift slightly. The backs of the feet rest on the ground, the legs outstretched, the gaze is directed forwards, giving the preparatory pose. 

For the full pose, the back is arched until the arms are straight, and the gaze is directed straight upwards or a little backwards. In Bhujangasana the legs remain on the ground, whereas in Upward Dog the hips, thighs and knees are lifted slightly off the ground.

Chaturanga Dandasana

In Chaturanga Dandasana the hands and feet are on the floor, supporting the body, which is parallel to and lowered toward, but not touching, the floor. It looks much like a push up, but with the hands quite low (just above the pelvis), and the elbows kept in along the sides of the body.

One needs to go through the six linked poses and revert back to Tadasana thereby completing the 12 yoga sequence. 

Updated: 19 Jun 2023, 10:45 PM IST