Yoga Sitting Poses
Sitting and meditation postures are generally calming and nurturing, although some produces significant opening of the hip and require greater effort
The Accomplished -
Siddhasana
Benefits
Open your hips, groin muscles
Stretches adductors, knees and ankles
Strengthens your back
Reduces anxiety
Relieves physical and mental exhaustion and tiredness
Lengthens your spine
Calms the mind
Easy Seated -
Sukhasana
Benefits
Open your hips
Strengthens your back
Reduces anxiety
Relieves physical and mental exhaustion and tiredness
Lengthens your spine
Stretches the knees and ankles
Calms the mind
Double Pigeon -
Agnistambhasana
Benefits
Stretches and opens the muscles around the hips
Stretches and strengthens the groin and gluteus
Improves the flexibility of the knees, with deep stretches
Stretches the quadriceps and the hamstrings while also toning the thighs and calves
Lotus –
Padmasana
Benefits
If mastered, great for extended meditation and pranayama practice
Highly restful and allows for complete stillness in the body and, subsequently, the mind
Directs the proper flow of prana from Muladhara Chakra (in the perineum) to the Sahasrara Chakra (in the head)
Brings in fresh blood to the sacral nerves
Baby Cradle –
Hindolasana
Benefits
Calms the mind
Stretches the muscles of the buttocks
Strengthens and stretches the groin muscles
Relaxes the lower body
Heron -
Krounchasana
Benefits
Stretches the hips, thighs, knees, ankles, and feet
Strengthens the arches of the feet, helping with flat feet
Improves circulation and relieves tired legs
Stimulates the inner organ
Can help those with flatulence issues
Hero –
Virasana
Benefits
This pose brings the maximum stretch to the knees and the muscles around the knees.
As this pose is practiced seated with the flexing of the knees and the ankles, tremendous pressure is felt at the ankles bringing in maximum stretch to the thigh muscles.
Promotes circulation
Helps to relieve symptoms of gas and aids in digestion
Cures tiredness in the legs
Helps those with flat feet
Calms the mind
Aids in meditation
Lion Yoga –
Simhasana
Benefits
Stimulating and stretching the muscles of the chest and face, lion pose specifically works on engaging the flat muscle at the front of the throat (platysma).
Therapeutic for anger and stress
Relieves tension in the body
Improves blood circulation in the face
Prevents and treats throat related sickness
Cow Face -
Gomukhasana
Benefits
Stretches the hips, shoulders, ankles, thighs, armpits, triceps and chest
Muscles at the quadriceps get flexible and the stretch is felt deep in the hips as these joints are put to work to get the thighs interlocked well
Increases blood supply to the legs and arms
Arms get strong at the bicep and the tricep muscles and bring about some flexibility to the shoulder and the upper arms
Both a hip opener and a heart opener helping correct posture and returning balance to the mind, body and breathe
Bound Angle –
Baddha Konasana
Benefits
Stretches the hips, groins, knees, and inner thighs
Improves circulation and blood flow throughout the entire body, but especially in the pelvis
Improves the flexibility of the knees and ankles. The hamstring and the calf muscles tone well enough to make the legs strong and flexible
Bound Angle Forward Bend –
Baddha Konasana Uttanasana
Benefits
Leg Muscles
Spine strength
Pelvic Muscles become strong
Pressure at the lower abdomen helps proper functioning of the internal organs
Staff -
Dandasana
Benefits
Expands the upper body upwards and the lower body forward brings a lot of stretch to the lower back close to the hip
Stretches the back muscles, toning it and strengthening it.
Teaches you to sit properly and keeps you grounded
Improves postural alignment particularly the spine
Lengthens the legs
Core strength
Body Awareness to make sure that the entire weight of the body is not at the hips but evenly spread out carrying it to the chest and the thighs