Yoga Pose of the Day: Triangle Pose

Triangle pose, or Utthita Trikonasana, is one of my personal favorites! It is a good transition pose to use in sequences but it is also really good on it’s own.  Triangle pose stretches mainly the thighs, but in a way that traditional stretching and exercise tends to ignore.  You will feel elongated and less tense after stretching into triangle pose.  Yoga Journal magazine states that these are some of the benefits to Utthita Trikonasana:

• Stretches and strengthens the thighs, knees, and ankles
• Stretches the hips, groins, hamstrings, and calves; shoulders, chest, and spine
• Stimulates the abdominal organs
• Helps relieve stress
• Improves digestion
• Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
• Relieves backache, especially through second trimester of pregnancy
• Therapeutic for anxiety, flat feet, infertility, neck pain, osteoporosis, and sciatica

If you suffer from any of these issues or would just like to feel better in your everyday life, give triangle pose a shot today.  For those yoga pros out there, I know you’re already in love with this pose, so I won’t have to do any convincing for you!

Namaste!

 

How to Cure a Headache with Yoga

Inversions are great for curing many ailments, but one of the best–and easiest–inversions is Viparita Karani, or simply “legs up the wall pose”.  It sounds easy, and that’s because it is, but there is really more going on in this pose than meets the eye. First, to try Viparita Karani, get a pillow or blanket for support under the lower back.  This intensifies the inversion making the heart’s job of pumping blood through the body all day easier because it makes the blood flow down from the lower body directly to the heart with ease.  Just remember when beginning this pose, if you are not very flexible in your calves and the backs of your thighs you can always position yourself farther from the wall so the stretch doesn’t hurt (this is a restorative pose and should be relaxing!)  For those more flexible yogis, put yourself as close to the wall as possible to get the most out of the pose.

Start with your legs curled at your side and then slowly raise them up parallel to the wall. Then just use the wall to support your raised legs and close your eyes.  Have your chin tucked in and your arms out to the side.  Apart from everything else this amazing pose can do for you, it is the best at curing a headache.  Stay in Viparita Karani for no more than 10 minutes your first few times doing it, but as you progress with your practice, it will get much easier. Don’t get frustrated if you’re not flexible enough to do the full pose right away because as you relax into the position your muscles will stretch and loosen up too!

According to Yoga Journal, Viparita Karani helps with:

• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Digestive problems
• Headache
• High and low blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Migraine
• Mild depression
• Respiratory ailments
• Urinary disorders
• Varicose veins
• Menstrual cramps
• Premenstrual syndrome
• Menopause