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Sunday,  22 February 2009

Yoga Positions for Beginners | Basic Yoga Poses

Beginner’s Yoga Poses

Basic Yoga Positions

It is time to expand the Free Online Yoga & Meditation Classes offered here at Mastery of Meditation & Yoga, and the class I am planning to add next is a Beginner’s Yoga Class (now online).  The class will consist of the best yoga pranayama techniques for beginners and it will also incorporate the beginner’s yoga positions that I have detailed below.

This yoga set, is built using basic yoga poses and exercises, but just because the positions used are not advanced or complicated, does not in any way lessen the value of this set.  It is an excellent set to incorporate into your daily yoga practice and has been carefully designed to work on each and every aspect of your being.

This set will also make up Chapter 11 of our popular Free Online Kundalini Yoga Sets E-book.  The poses and positions that make up this set can be found in the following two free online books: Free Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises E-book & Free Hatha Yoga Poses E-book.

Benefits of Yoga Positions for Beginner’s | Basic Yoga Poses Set

As I mentioned above, this set has been carefully designed to be beginner friendly and also, designed to ensure that it works upon all major aspects of your being in a balanced and harmonious way.  The detailed benefits of each exercises, along with cautions and practice tips, can be found in the article devoted to each pose, below though are the overall benefits that this set bestows when practiced consistently

  • Promotes overall flexibility and strength.
  • Clears blockages and increases energy flow.
  • Triggers the natural healing capacity of the body, promoting health and well-being.
  • Promotes peace and emotional balance.
  • Purifies one’s energy and raises one’s level of vibration and consciousness.
  • Improves balance and coordination.
  • Helps increase metabolism and assists in weight loss.
  • Builds mental focus and concentration.

    Yoga Positions for Beginner’s Practice Details:

    The following two articles are important for beginner’s to read as they provide guidelines on how to practice yoga:

    Essential Beginners Guide to Yoga Practice

    10 Important Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice

    Remember the golden rule is please do not overdo anything.  Especially if you are a beginner, please use the beginner’s version for the exercises where ever provided and back off if you feel uncomfortable or dizzy.  Each exercise title is a link to the chapter with the details for that exercise.  For all the poses in this set illustrations have also been provided.

    You will also need to learn the Breath of Fire breathing exercise, which is taught in the following video:  Breath of Fire Kundalini Yoga Pranayama.   This breathing exercise is a fundamental breathing technique in Kundalini Yoga and is extensively used in conjunction with the yoga poses.

    Yoga Positions for Beginner’s | Basic Yoga Poses Set

    Remember that each title is a link to the article with full details on each pose.  Also, in each of those respective articles, modifications for beginners is given whenever required, so make sure you use those modifications as you start out.

    1. Kundalini Yoga Butterfly Pose:

    • Duration: 2 – 3 mins

    • Breath: Breath of Fire

    Butterfly Pose

    2. Kundalini Yoga Cat-Cow Pose:

    • Duration: 1 – 3 mins

    • Breath: Inhale in cow pose, exhale in cat pose

    Yoga Cat Pose (Exhale)

     

    Yoga Cow Pose (Inhale)

    3. Yoga Cobra Pose:

    • This is a very basic yoga pose that is part of every school of yoga practice.  It can be done with the elbows bent and also done with the elbow straight.  Beginner’s should be careful with their lower back and elbows, and should take frequent breaks if they get tiered holding the pose.

    • Duration: 1 – 3 mins

    • Breath: Long deep breathing.

    Cobra Pose w/ Straight Elbows

     

    Cobra Pose w/ Bent Elbows

    4. Yoga Baby Pose:

    • Another very basic yoga pose is baby pose.  It is pose #8 in the article.  It is a good pose to relax in whenever you need to take break during your yoga session.  In addition this pose will counterbalance cobra pose for you.

    • Duration: Open

    • Breath: Normal.

    Baby Pose

    5. Basic Yoga Pose for Balance:

    • Be sure to use the modified versions if you find doing the full version difficult.  This is a good pose for the elderly to do as well.

    • Duration: 1 – 2 mins / side.

    • Breath: Long deep breathing.

    Basic Yoga Pose for Balance (Left Arm)

     

     

    Basic Yoga Pose for Balance (Right Arm)

    6. Forward Bending Yoga Asana:

    • The important part of this position is to keep your legs straight.  It is not necessary to reach your toes, that will happen over time.  Just reach forward as far as is comfortable, while keeping your legs straight.  For beginner’s even reaching their knees or shins is fine.  Curl your toes back towards you though, even if you do can’t reach them to accent the stretch in your calves and hamstrings.

    • Duration: 1 – 3 mins

    • Breath:  Do long deep breathing.  As you make progress you can do this pose with breath of fire.

    Forward Bending Yoga Pose

    7. Yoga Rock-n-Roll:

    • Good yoga exercise to help you transition between poses.  It is also good for lengthening the spine and redistributing the cerebro-spinal fluid.  It is exercise #6 in the Kids Yoga Article which it is linked to.

    • Duration: 15 seconds – 1 min

    • Breath: Normal.

    Yoga Rock-n-Roll

    8. Alternating Leg Lifts for Abdominal Strength:

    • Simply lie on your back, with your hands underneath your buttocks palms facing down to support your lower back.  Then lift your left leg up to ninety degrees and lower it back down.  Next lift your right leg up to ninety degrees and then back down.  Continue on with these alternating leg lifts for the duration of the exercise.  It is exercise #1 of the Ab Workout set which it is linked to.   Btw, this set is an excellent set for beginner’s as well who want to tone their abs and build their core strength.

    • Duration: 1 – 3 mins

    • Breath: Inhale Up / Exhale Down.

    Yoga Single Leg Lifts (Right Leg)

     

    Yoga Single Leg Lifts (Left Leg)

    9. Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose:

    • This is a terrific yoga posture, remember the beginner’s version is to do one leg at a time instead.  Again you can take breaks during this pose when you tire.  The full version is illustrated below.

    • Duration: 1 – 3 mins

    • Breath:  Breath of Fire

    Kundalini Yoga Stretch Pose

    10. Yoga Rock-n-Roll:

    • Again we will use yoga rock-n-roll to help us transition to a new pose. See exercise #7 above for details.

    • Duration: 15 seconds – 1 min

    • Breath: Normal.

    11. Kundalini Yoga Frog Pose:

    • These can be a little tough for beginner’s to do, but I wanted to include them in this set due to their enormous benefits.  This exercise will really help you tone and strengthen your legs and also it will give your heart a good workout.  Do only a few at a time in the beginning and be sure to take lots of breaks.  Build up slowly to 52 in a row over time.

    • Duration: 11 – 52 repetitions

    • Breath: Inhale Down / Exhale Up.

    Yoga Frog Pose (Inhale)

     

    Yoga Frog Pose (Exhale)

    12. Kundalini Yoga Archer Pose:  

    • We will end this set with Archer’s Pose.  This pose is excellent for opening up your hips, strengthening your legs and helping you cope with stress.  It is also good for the mind and developing confidence.

    • Duration: 1 – 3 mins / side

    • Breath: Long Deep Powerful Breathing.

    Yoga Archer Pose

    13. Corpse Pose:

    • Once you are done with the Beginner’s Yoga Set, make sure you relax on your back in corpse pose.  For corpse pose just lie comfortably on your back and have your hands out to the sides or on your chest.  Just let go during this time and let the Universe take care of you.  Have no worries, anxieties or goals, and simply surrender to Infinity.

    • Duration: 1 – 11 mins

    • Breath: Relaxed

    End of Beginner’s Basic Yoga Poses Set

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