Yoga poses

Yoga is basically a scientific system of mental and physical practices that did originate from India. Its role is to offer help to people in order to achieve the highest potential as well as experience happiness and health. In our daily life, it is significant to learn on how to relax after some time through practicing some beneficial activities. Relaxation practices as far as Yoga is concerned are beneficial and quite effective. Anyone who practices yoga usually begins to deeply appreciate the breadth and the depth of its major benefits. It is therefore imperative to analyze some of the yoga poses; camel, tree, chair and child’s pose and come up with some of their benefits as well as contraindications. Benefits of Tree (Vrksasana) Adapted from http://www. yogajournal. com/poses/496 Vrksasana tree pose usually means standing with your hand as it is raised towards the sky (Kevin, 2010). The tree pose is beneficial in the fact that it strengthens your calves, ankles, thighs and spine. It stretches the groin, chest and thighs as well as improving one’s balance. Through practicing tree, one reduces the flat feet and it enhances mental stability and concentration. It also relieves Sciatica. Basically, this pose helps a lot in strengthening every part of the body and to create a calmer and stable body. The shoulders and the arms stretch up thus all the bones in the body also gets to have a great massage. There is always a fresh supply of the blood because of the tilted pose. It stretches the muscles, arms, wrists and the shoulders making them agile and flexible. The pose usually strengthens ones strength and helps in amplifying the stamina. The balancing act usually helps one to remain completely cool and calm because of the stability that it usually offers. There is always a calming effect of the mind that helps in making the brain to remain relaxed. Contraindications/ cautions of Tree (Vrksasana) Some of the contraindications of this pose are that it causes headache, insomnia and low blood pressure. For those people who have high blood pressure, they should not raise their arms overhead (Shannon, 2005). Personal benefits of Tree (Vrksasana) pose This pose is quite beneficial to me as it tones the muscles of the legs and it improves my sense of poise and balance. It also enhances my concentration and posture, strengthening my ankles my back as well as the hips. When I shift my weight onto my left foot I enhance my posture and balance making me more stable. With lots of practice I have also learnt to pose with my eyes closed as I exhale thus leaving me completely at ease and calm. The pose has enabled me to be more flexible and agile. Challenges and goals It is usually challenging for me at times to stand on one leg and build balance. I get so challenged when I have to focus since focusing and concentration is quite important. It gets hard when I have to stay for around 30 seconds to around I minute resting my hands on the top of my pelvis. I feel some slight headache which ebbs shortly leaving me relaxed. The pose is meant to enhance my balance and since I have a stiff back, to reduce sciatica leaving me flexible and calm. Benefits of Camel (Ustrasana) pose and the goals Adapted from www. quickfityoga. com The camel pose is beneficial as it compresses the spine and relieves the back problems (Camel pose, 2010). It also helps in digestion as it opens the rib cage and the lungs. It is helpful in stimulating the nervous system, helps in bronchial problems, strengthens the shoulder muscles as well as the back, improves the flexion of the neck, stretches one’s throat and helps in elimination of the toxins. It is also beneficial in flushing fresh blood via the kidneys. The major goal in practicing camel is to stretch the immense hip flexors, strengthen the back muscles as well as improve my posture. Contraindications Some of the contraindications are low and high blood pressure, migraine headache, serious low back as well as neck injury and insomnia. Challenges of camel Camel is one of the poses that is extremely challenging to me. I usually find it completely hard on my knees and my neck always feels pinched whenever I let my head drop backwards. It is also intense on my back and always makes me feel like screaming. I also experience some slight headache. Personal benefits of camel The pose stresses my entire front and leaves me feeling calm and flexible. With some few practices my back is stronger and my posture has improved. Before I started the camel class I used to feel anxious and fatigued which has hence ebbed with time. Benefits of – Chair (Utkatasana) and goals Adapted from http://yoga. about. com/od/yogaposes/a/utkatasana. htm The chair pose helps a lot in strengthening the arms. Thus the main goal in having this pose is to make the thighs strong. This helps to strengthen the calves, spine and ankles (Chair pose, 2010). In addition it stretches the chest and the shoulders, stimulates the heart, diaphragm and the abdominal organs. It also helps in reducing the flat feet. Contraindications The major contraindications are insomnia, headache and low blood pressure. Challenges of the chair pose and personal benefits The chair pose is quite challenging for my upper body. The idea of pressing my hands flat together and straightening the arms directly makes me feel uneasy. I feel like my shoulders, thighs and chest are blocked. I also feel intense headache and dizziness but it leaves me feeling great. The major personal benefits are that it has helped a lot in the opening of my hips and the thighs as well as warming my entire body. My knees, hips and ankles have stabilized with time and I feel more flexible. Benefits of Child’s pose (Balasana) and its goals Adapted from http://www. yogajournal. com/poses/475/ The major benefit of the child’s pose is that it helps in relieving back pain. It is a brilliant resting pose as it is useful after strenuous postures for example headstand thus restoring the body’s circulation and acts as a counter pose to the back bends. Its main goal is to help in deep relaxation and is called the child’s pose because one usually forms the shape of the baby. It is beneficial in the fact that since the head is lower than the heart, there is more circulation on the face. It works on muscles and is a major natural therapy to stress, depression, anxiety and fatigue. It calms the brain and helps in relieving neck and back pain. Contraindications It may lead to diarrhea and knee injury and pregnant mothers are advised not to have it. Also it should be done under supervision of an experienced teacher (child’s pose, 2010). Challenges and personal benefits Child’s pose tones and strengthens my ankles, hips and thighs. The longer I hold the pose the more I feel at ease and calm. The pose usually relaxes my brains and clears all the negative thoughts. It also helps me to focus as I breathe deeply during the pose as I inhale some positive thoughts and exhale all tensions. Child’s pose is quite challenging for my ankles as I feel intense pain. To ease the pain I slip a rolled cloth directly to the joints and as my knees are not comfortable with kneeling I place a chip foam or blanket between the heels and the butt. References Brophy, Shannon. 2005. Vrksasana. Retrieved 2, June, 2010< http://www.yoga.com/ydc/enlighten/enlighten_document.asp?ID=351§ion=9&cat=144 Camel pose. 2010. Retrieved 2, June, 2010< http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/688 Chair pose. 2010. Retrieved from 2, June 2010< http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/493 Pederson, Kevin. 2010. Benefits and importance of Adho Mukha Vrksasana. Retrieved 2, June, 2010