Knowledge

Devotion

Action

Ashtanga Yoga

Kriyas, asanas, pranayama, etc.

Mantra Chanting

Few of the prominent standing asanas are:

• Tadasana
• Utkatasana
• Vrikshasana
• Trikonasana

After standing postures, let’s move on to lying down postures that basically include prone postures i.e. postures done while lying on the front (abdomen). These postures not only strengthen spine, especially low back, but impact the functioning of abdominal organs as well. The prone postures include:

• Bhujangasana
• Shalabhasana
• Dhaunurasana

Sitting or seated postures mainly include forward bend, twisting and backward bend as follows:

• Paschimottanasana
• Ardha Matsyendrasana
• Ushtrasana

Inversions entail reverse flow of blood toward head and heart, and supine postures are done lying on the back.

Inversions such as Sarvangasana combine well with the supine postures such as Halasana, followed by Matsyasana, which is a counter-pose for both Sarvangasana and Halasana.

The other two supine postures covered in this course are Urdhva Dhanurasana, followed by its counter-pose Pawanmuktasana that relaxes the back completely.