Yoga Techniques: The Basics for Relaxation

Yoga has been practiced by people since time immemorial.  According to several researches, the practice originated from the Hindu philosophy, hence it carries on itself a Sanskrit name which means “union”.  Following that philosophy, yoga maintains a single purpose of finding a sense of unity through divine ways.  And, in order to attain that purpose, people practicing yoga should do some techniques that can give them better health and wellbeing.

There are a number of techniques involved in yoga.  These yoga techniques, however, share the same purpose of making all the organs in the body function as effective as they should be.  The yoga techniques are performed involving several movements which may demand the joints, hands, neck, knee joints, and lower limbs to work.

On the yoga techniques, the so-called “Lotus Position” is the most basic.  This technique is performed with you sitting on the floor.  Once you’ve sat down, place your right foot on  your left thigh and your left foot right on your right thigh.  Just make sure that both of your knees are on the floor and the bottoms of your feet are facing upward.  Don’t bend your spine, instead keep it straight.

The Lotus Position doesn’t just end there.  To properly perform such yoga technique, you should also position your hands.  Well, there are three ways to do this.  First, you need to hold both of your hands with your palms facing side up.  Place one of your hands on top of the other and rest them both on the heels of your feet.  Second, while sitting on a lotus position, keep your palms down and rest them on top of your knees.  Finally, keep your hands on top of your knees with your palms facing up.  Move your thumbs and your index fingers up and meet each end forming a circle.  Just keep the other fingers straight outward.

There is also another notable technique in yoga which is said to be great for relaxation.  The practitioners of yoga call it the alternate nostril breathing.  Well, as the name implies, this step is one of the yoga techniques that involve breathing. The breathing, however, is done through the nostril one at a time. 

When practicing the alternate nostril breathing, you need to use the little finger and the thumb of your right hand.  The right thumb should be utilized for closing the right nostril off.  Keep the remaining fingers at the center of your eyebrows and inhale slowly and totally through the open nostril.  It is also important in this technique that you hold your breath as long as you can.  Nevertheless, if you can’t hold your breath to the longest time possible, take off your thumb on your right nostril and use your little finger to cover the other nostril.  Exhale completely through the open nostril.

According to the practitioners of yoga, people who are willing to practice the yoga techniques should start doing those above mentioned techniques every day.  Those yoga techniques are after all great for relaxation.  Aside from that, the yoga techniques mentioned above are capable of giving you not only proper breathing but a calm mind as well.