7 Asanas (Yoga Poses) for Relaxation - Yoga Philosophy Basics: Part 3
As discussed in Part 1 of this series, the practice of asana - yoga postures - is one of many parts of the yogic path to deeper self-connection, freedom and truth. When practised with presence, attention and purpose, asana offers a wise integration of mind and body, helping us to relax physically and mentally, as well as to strengthen physically and mentally.
My yoga journey began with a search for more ease in my body. I had chronic backpain, which was making daily things like sitting down at a pub or around the dinner table very difficult… Let alone working out, or long travelling. Things that were easy and a means to something else were now obstacles in and of themselves. When I discovered the space that yoga can create in our body through movement and breath, I found the ease I had lost and even gained more.
I recently recorded a full 35-minute yoga flow to stretch and strengthen your hips and low back, which affect your whole body really. This is the main area that caused me problems (and still today it’s where my stress and tension often go), and because many of us spend long days sitting, it’s an area that we could all relax through yoga more often.
As well as our hips/ low back, many of us build up tension in our neck, shoulders and upper back. A tight neck never feels good, and it can fog our mind and limit our ability to think clearly through the compression. Poor posture, repetitive movements like typing and driving, as well as air-cons can all contribute to this on a physical level. On a more subtle level, anxiety, stress, overwhelm and fear can all go to that area of the body, since we stiffen up as if to hold the intense emotions in. When we feel like the whole world is on our shoulders - as the saying goes - we can physically start to experience this.
The next area that can be tight, in some ways because of stiffness in our shoulders and back, is our chest. On a metaphysical level, our chest is where our heart opens up to the world; our inner being wishes to express its vulnerability, but we close her in out of fear. On a physical level, poor posture and crouching forward for various daily activities can make this area tight. More tightness and tension means less ease and space. Overtime, this hugged in, protective position can start to feel normal, and opening out our arms and chest can feel scary. Think of opening your arms out into a T, palms forward, and then move them back an extra inch - how freeing, but also a little exposed, does that feel? Physically, mentally, spiritually, this is a very freeing simple pose.
Onto our 7 poses for relaxation! These are my favourite poses for stretching these key areas in our body than tighten. Try them out, and explore different ways to do them. If I give a cue or placement point that doesn’t work for you, change the alignment to what feels good to you. We are all different and need different adjustments, so always listen to your body first.
7 yoga poses for relaxation:
Half-savasana
This is like full savasana, but with legs bent so that your feet are planted in the mat and your knees point to the ceiling.
The bent knees means there is no curve in your low back, which makes it relaxing to this part of the body.
Because this is a laying position, it’s easy to practise the deeper, slower breathing mentioned above.
Windshield wipers
This dynamic movement is a great warm-up for your hips and low back.
Start in half-savasana and walk your feet out slightly to mat-distance. Then, let the knees drop to the left, and then to the right. Move slowly and mindfully between the two sides, and pause anywhere as you need.
Reclined butterfly, with cactus arms
This pose relaxes both your inner hips, and stretches the muscles in your shoulder and chest.
It’s a very heart-opening, receiving pose as your chest and your hips are open to the world.
Feel free to move your feet as close or as far to your pelvis as feels comfortable. You could also place a pillow underneath each knee for support.
Puppy pose
In Sanskrit, this is known as heart-opening pose, so you can imagine that you’re really melting your heart to the flor as you hold it.
Walk your palms forward, keep your arms straight and breathe into your heart-space.
You can keep the chin tucked and rest your forehead on the mat, or - and only if you have the space and comfort in your body - you can let your chin rest to the mat.
Palms can be fully on the floor, or you can come onto your fingertips for an active variation.
Sphinx, elbows a little further out
This can be a deep chest-opener when held for a few breaths. Really feel the curve in your back as you hold, and notice the parts that struggle to let go and joint the sea-curve.
By walking the elbows a little further away from you (towards the top edge of the mat), you lower the depth of the backbend, making it easier to hold the pose and to relax passively.
Crescent moon
This variation of a low lunge stretches the hip flexors and the chest.
The support required by your legs and the strength in your arms as they reach up makes it a more engaging pose when compared to the others. It can be both energising and relaxing.
Wide-legged child’s pose, with reverse prayer
This is a great pose to end with as you combine a lot of the others into one - relaxing for the hips, stretching for the upper back, and a mental surrender through the forehead resting on the mat.
Send the exhalation to your low back, hips and the space between your shoulders at the back, or to any other part needs a release.
Alternatively, you can do this with knees together. Knees apart requires a straighter spine, whilst knees together offers a slight curve to the back, which can stretch the low back and glutes.
For arm variations, you can have your arms extended forward, or by the sides of your body. Palms can face up or down.
You can hold each pose for 45-60 seconds, and practise deep, slow breathing whilst doing so (maybe even a short hold on the exhale). This means your breath will help your muscles to let go, and you will be activating your parasympathetic (also known as ‘rest and relax’) part of the nervous system. You can do the poses on their own, as and when they call you, or together, one after the other, as part of a 5-10 min. yoga practice.
I’ll soon be recording a yoga flow with all of these, which I’ll add here. For now, happy relaxing!
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All parts of this series (more coming soon):
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To dive deeper into the history of yoga philosophy, you can listen to this podcast episode.
If you’d like to learn more about how yoga can help you on your journey, you can find yoga classes on my YouTube, posts on my Instagram, or book a 1:1 yoga session with me here.
