Yoga Asana of the day: Utkatasana (Chair pose)


Stand straight in Mountain Pose, legs and feet together. Lift arms overhead and place palms together (they can remain apart if this is more comfortable for your shoulders). Exhale and bend your knees, keeping your thighs and knees firmly together. Try to get your thighs parallel to the floor, but this will take practice. Keep your back straight and chest expanded, do not slump your upper body or arch your lower back. Keep your core engaged, do not allow the belly to sag. Feel strong in your heels.

This asana helps the knees and ankles become strong and toned, and fixes minor knee complaints. It alleviates stiffness in the shoulders and strengthens the leg muscles.

Yoga Asana of the day: Siddhasana



From a seated position, bend one leg and place the heal near your perineum (genital area). Bend the other leg placing that foot above the other, against the pubic bone. If you are less flexible, approximate the best you can. Keep your torso engaged and strong, have your back straight yet with its natural curvatures, and shoulders relaxed yet not slumped. You should feel a balance of your shoulders above your hips. Place your hands on your knees in the mudra as shown in the picture. Do not lean against a wall or anything, as this will prevent the correct balance and the mental sensation that comes with it. Do this seated on the floor, your balance will be off if you are on a bed mattress.

Holding for 3 minutes is ideal, less is fine. Holding any asana even for a few seconds will benefit you, and help to build your ability to hold for longer. Release the legs, gently move them to release any tension, then do the same pose with the leg positions reversed and hold for the same length of time.

This pose helps with all nerve defects and nervous conditions, increases focus, and brings a sensation of wellbeing. It increases health of the genital area and the lumbar region. This is a great asana to do somewhere in the middle of a long hatha practice as it will restore your vitality to continue with the rest of your practice, or you can do this separate from hatha while meditating and while doing pranayama.

This is one of the easiest, yet one of the greatest, asanas to do. Sit in this posture while contemplating the Gods.

Yoga Asana of the day: Virabhadrasana I (Warrior 1)



Increases will power and sensation of having a strong foundation. Strengthens legs, glutes, hip flexors. Very good for sciatica. Helps with deep breathing, strengthens ankles and knees.

Feel your feet pushing firmly into the ground, lifting the rest of your body upwards, feel strength through your torso and keep your core engaged (don't let your belly hang). Feel a stretch in the back leg. Hold your gaze steady, breathe long and deep if possible. Relax out of it, repeat on the opposite side.

Can put strain on the physical heart, so it is advised to avoid or modify for those with heart conditions. Modification can be done by keeping hands apart while looking straight ahead, or hands in prayer mudra in front of your chest, and hold pose for only a few seconds. Iyengar suggests people hold this post for only 20 to 30 seconds regardless as it is strenuous (if you are in the pose correctly).