Healing Yoga Poses for your Body and Mind

Have you ever heard of healing yoga poses? They have many benefits in healing trauma and are extremely restorative. With our day to day life, desk jobs, high heels, mediocre fitness classes, something is about to go wrong one of these days. Part/s of your body will start aching; you’ll experience low energy and turn to medicine to help you keep going. But you don’t need that. All your body needs is some rest on a quality yoga mat.

Yoga is a great physical practise that influences flexibility, relaxation, and even tones the body. It is also a powerful tool to heal various parts of our bodies, whether physical or emotional. As humans, we tend to hold on to heartbreaks, trials, and everything bad we’ve experienced. If not careful, these emotions can make our bodies their home causing anxiety and depression. With yoga, you can clear all the negative energy and emulate a good feeling.

Still, on healing, various yoga poses can help you alleviate pain or cure it. By practising several yoga poses, you can melt all the stress, joint pain, headaches, and so much more. But which yoga poses assure results? Below, we take a look at 13 healing yoga poses anyone can try, whether a beginner or a pro.

Child Pose

Most of the time, all it is required is to go back to the basics. Child pose is a variation that almost looks like a child in the womb. It is also one of the most common resting positions. Here, you’ll be sitting on your heels with your knees mat apart while your belly is almost touching the mat. Your hands should stretch forward or rest next to your body. Basically, your stomach should rest between your thighs and forehead.

To make this position even better and gain the best results, you can add a bolster in front of your legs before coming into the position. Then, go down to the pose and seem like you are hugging the bolster. This pose will leave you feeling comfortable and will nourish every part of you.

Seated Cat Cow

Seated cat cow is a pose involving moving all spinal vertebrae in all directions. The pose is super gentle, and you don’t have to worry about hurting your spine. The pose’s goal is to make you feel relaxed and like your body has all the space you need. Sit, go down on your mat and sit cross-legged as you rest your hands on your knees. Hold an upright position until you feel like you’re grounded on your sitting bones.

Start inhaling as you arch your back and lean forward with your chest. Round your back as if you’re looking down your navel as you exhale. Repeat this practice severally.

If sitting cross-legged feels uncomfortable, sit with your knees bent and your feet away from your pelvis. Your feet should be just below the hips.

Constructive Rest Pose

Are you having back pain? Constructive rest pose might be the right tool for your hurting back as it is a passive pose that neutralizes your back and realigns your spine, reducing any pain you might have.

Get into the pose by laying down on your back while your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your feet slightly wider than your hips while your knees fall together. Put your hands on your body and release tension from your shoulders. Inhale and exhale for five to ten minutes.

Legs up the Wall

Legs up the wall are the king of all restoration poses. The results are felt from deep within to the outer body. All you have to do is find a place you can sit with your bum coming closest to the wall. Your legs should stretch alongside the wall while your hands should be resting effortlessly alongside your body. While in this position, ensure you don’t stress your legs or body. Breathe for five to 10 minutes. If you’ve done this pose for a while, consider adding leg variations such as straddle splits, tree poses leg and bound angle legs.

Reclining Bound Angle Pose

Creating a connection between your body and mind is the first step of healing, especially past trauma. Reclining bound angle pose encourages you to look inward. As you get into this yoga pose, your body and mind explore internal sensations. The more you do it, the better you get at noticing your emotions. This pose also helps with lingering cold as it encourages the body to heal naturally and supports the immune system.

To get to reclining bound angle pose, lie on your back. Bend your knees and bring them as close to your pelvis as you can. Open your knees to the outside, allowing the soles of the feet to touch. Place a bolster under each knee to prevent the stretch on the inner thighs from feeling too intense. Rest your hands on the belly or to the sides, or place one under your head and the other on your belly. Breathe slowly and steadily for at least five minutes.

Warrior II

Get your power going, some fire in your legs, and freedom in your heart by practicing warrior II yoga pose. The pose improves respiration processes and blood circulation. While in the pose, your body gets toned. Ankles, legs, and shoulders also strengthen. The secret of acing this pose is to hold the position longer than you tell yourself. By challenging yourself a little longer, warrior II stimulates abdominal organs and relieves back pain. This pose is for you, too, if you experience knee pain.

Image by Spaska Forteva from Pixabay

Downward-Facing Dog With Foot Pedal

Do you wear heels, and your ankles feel tired or abused? Do you want to rectify that? Try a downward-facing dog yoga pose to stretch your ankles and feet and counteract the unnatural look brought by wearing high heels.

Start on your knees and hands and extend your legs behind you. Ideally, create a V-shape with your body, legs, head touching the floor, and your arms stretched in front of your head. Ensure your hands are shoulder-width apart while your feet hip-width apart. For better results, pedal each foot. This involves shifting your weight from one leg to another, increasing stretch and strength to each ankle.

Goddess Pose

Although it looks deceptively simple, you’ll feel the burn in your glutes once you lower into position. This position is for those who spend most of their time on a desk working. Stand and extend your legs outwards, three feet apart. Bend into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Your knees shouldn’t move beyond your toes. Put your hands in a praying position of extending them above your head. Don’t hunch backwards or arch your back. Hold in the place for five deep breaths.   

Boat Pose

Boat pose is for those that feel their core is less supportive. This position utilizes your body weight to strengthen the core and give you a better upright posture. Sit on your mat with your legs straight in front of you. Place your hands aligning to your hips or slightly behind and press gently to the floor. Ensure your fingers point in the direction of your legs. Lean back and let your core feel engaged. Lift your feet off the ground towards the ceiling to form a 45-degree angle. Better still, extend them further to make a v shape with your body. Stay in the position for 10 to 20 seconds.

Locust Pose

Are you constantly slouching forward? Do your shoulders and back feel stretched and tired? A slouching position can eventually hurt your upper back muscles. However, by doing the locust pose, you can reverse the effect and heal your back and alleviate the pain off your shoulders. This position will also improve your posture and reduce stress from your upper body.

Lie on your stomach on a flat surface. Let your head sit on the mat and extend your legs to hip-width. Spread your hands towards your hips. Allow your hips to help you lift your feet off the ground. You should also raise your head. You can let your arms spread towards the feet or above your head. Ideally, you should look like your upper back is extending to reach the slightly lifted feet. Hold the position for 30 seconds as you breathe. Release slowly as you move your left ear towards the mat. Repeat with the right ear too.

Bridge Pose 

After spending most hours on your phone, laptop, or other digital gadgets, your neck will need saving. Fortunately, bridge pose will get things done as it will safely stretch your back neck and strengthen your back. Lay on a flat surface and bring your knees towards you while your feet lay flat on the ground. You should look like you’re about to do hip bridges. Extend your upper arm outwards and ground it on the floor. Lift your chest and hold for five to ten deep breaths.

If you feel the pose is complicated, find a yoga block and place it at the bum position. It should help you hold your position.

Conclusion

These yoga poses can incredibly heal various parts of your body. They are simple to practice and don’t require any kind of equipment except for a mat. Yet, these poses can sometimes feel out of reach. If they do, use a bolster, pillow, or cushion to make it better. Remove these supporting materials as you get used to the poses.

See also: Top 20 Yoga & Wellness Blogs to Follow (2020)