Best Poses and Time for Yoga Practice

In a world that consistently lives under the influence of modernism, the ability to hold on to oneself has almost become a thing of the past. A lot of us are aware of the fact that we are caught up in the meshes of a tiring life, a life that doesn’t really allow us to explore ourselves from within. It is essentially needed for humankind to know its potential and work towards building a wholesome world for ourselves to live in. 

This, however, is possible only when a great degree of self-exploration takes place. It is only when you connect with yourself that you will be able to allow yourself to connect with your surroundings and live in harmony with nature. One thing that allows the coming together of nature and humans on a higher spiritual level is Yoga. This age-old practice has allowed humans to look within themselves and to understand the world and themselves better. 

Every day is a great day for Yoga and anytime is a perfect time for Yoga. 

One common misconception about yoga is that people think if you don’t perform it early in the morning you can’t do it for the rest of the day. But we are here to break the myth for you and to tell you that there are various yoga poses for various times of the day. You can perform them whenever you feel like depending upon your experience as well as your personal schedule. The aim is to be able to fit yoga during the morning, afternoon as well as night routine. 

Let us remember that Yoga truly means awareness, to be aware of the mind, body, breath connection and aware of the surroundings. So why should we restrict mindfulness to our time on yoga mat alone? Or to morning alone? Shouldn’t we be mindful throughout the day? With mindfulness as your guide, you will certainly not attempt to balance on your head after a heavy meal or challenge your body in spite of an injury. 

Allow your mindful approach to be your guide and practice these yoga asanas to being the wandering mind to the here and now. Below is a list of best poses for specific times of the day. 

Morning Time Yoga

• Katichakrasana (Standing Spinal Twist)  

Stand with your feet together and then as you breathe in, stretch your hands in front and face your palms towards each other. As you exhale, gently twist from the waist towards your right and keep your gaze straight from over your shoulder. Then inhale slowly come back to the center. Repeat the same step on the left side. Do this a few times and then bring your arms down and relax.

When we sleep at night, it is believed that a lot of lymph nodes are formed underneath the arms and on our sides. This pose helps in opening up the lymphatic system to keep you energized enough for the rest of the day.

• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-facing Dog)

Begin by balancing on all fours with knees in line with your hips and palms slightly forward to your shoulders. Then, gently lift your hips and straighten your elbows and knees so that your body forms an inverted ‘V’. Press into your palms and spread your fingers with the middle finger pointing to the front of the mat. 

Lengthen your neck in such a way that your ears are in line with your inner arms and your gaze is placed on your navel. If you are unable to keep your feet flat, keep your knees slightly bent and push back. Hold the position for a few seconds and then slowly come out of it as you exhale. 

The extensive stretches involved in this pose will help your body to wake up entirely. This way you won’t be drowsy and whatever needs your attention during the course of the day will be met by you with full dedication and energy.

• Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge) 

From a Downward-facing dog, bring your right foot forward and place it in between your palms. Relax the back leg (left knee) on the mat. Inhale and lift your torso as you extend your arms to the ceiling. Exhale and allow your hips to settle down as they gently push forward. Here you will feel a deep stretch on the thighs and hip flexors. 

To turn this into a beautiful heart-opener, interlace the fingers behind the lower back and gently stretch the hands back allowing the chest to expand and open the heart to breathe in the fresh morning air. Hold this pose for a few breaths and then repeat the stretch with the left leg in front and right knee on the mat. 

Using a knee pillow or folded blanket for knee cushioning will enable you to hold the stretch for longer, explore and deepen the stretch without the risk of injury. This pose wakes up the entire body by giving a deep stretch to hips, arms, back, shoulders and also helps strengthens the legs and enhances the functioning of the digestive system.  

Afternoon Time Yoga

• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Begin the pose by lying on your stomach with your forehead touching the floor. The top of the feet remains pressed to the mat. Place your palms underneath your shoulders. Breathe in, press into your palms and gently lift the head, neck and upper back off the mat. As you lift, bring your shoulder blades back and then press down. 

Press your feet and your pubic bone towards the floor. Keep your back muscles engaged and your shoulders relaxed. Stay here for a few breaths, with a focus on deeper inhalations. Avoid any kind of strain in the neck and shoulders. To come out of the pose, exhale and slowly bring your head back to the mat. You can repeat this 2-3 times, holding the backbend for 2-3 breaths each time and then just simply relax your body in the prone position. 

This pose will help you relieve fatigue and stiffness, it will knock the soreness out of the body that comes because of sitting consistently at the same spot. After this, when you head back to your work, you’d be as energized as you were at the beginning of the day.

• Utkata Konasana (Goddess Pose) 

Come to the center of the mat and stand with your feet wide apart (wide stance). Turn your feet outwards facing the corners of the mat and then bend your knees to enter a squat position.  Bend your elbows and press your palms together in namaste in front of the chest. Tuck your tailbone in slightly, pull your lower belly in and lift through your ribcage. 

Allow the opening of the hips and chest. Keep the knees in line with the toes. Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. Look straight and hold the pose for a few seconds. Then slowly exhale and come out of the pose.

The involvement of the lower body here allows bringing fresh blood to the part of the body that hasn’t been involved in much physical work for a long period of time. It avoids the stiffening of muscles and helps elongate the spine. 

• Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)  

Start by kneeling on the mat or floor. Bring the knees and feet together, with the big toes touching each other. Exhale and sit back, allowing your buttocks to rest on your heels and thighs on your calves. Sit up straight and keep the neck and shoulder relaxed. 

You can either close your eyes or gaze forward. You can rest your palms on your knees and continue to slowly breathe in and out 

This is one of the few poses you can practice after a meal and it helps in digestion, making this a perfect pose to practice during the day. If you are flexible then you can practice this on your office chair, if not find a quiet spot and sit in Vajrasana to improve digestion, blood flow and to become more mindful about your posture. 

Night Time Yoga

• Virasana (Hero Pose) 

Begin by kneeling on the floor so that your knees are together and feet are apart. The gap between your feet should be wider than the width of your hips. Then, gently bring your hips down and place them between your heels such that the buttocks rest on the floor. Extend your tailbone and pull your navel in. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then release it. 

This pose will help you mellow down all your internal heat and slows down your heart rate and it prepares you well to get to bed. It helps relieve fatigue, tired legs, improves blood circulation and digestion. If you find it difficult or uncomfortable to sit on the floor, you can use a block, folded blanket or knee pillow to sit. 

• Ardha Matsyendrasana (Seated Half Spinal Twist) 

Sit on the mat with legs straight. Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the outer side of the left thigh. Based on your flexibility/practice level, you can either keep the left leg straight or bend the left knee and place your left heel under the right glute. Stretch your left hand up to create space in the spine and bend the elbow to wrap your left arm around your right leg, near the knee, as you twist the torso to the right. 

The right hand can rest on the ground behind the right buttock. Gently press into it to lengthen the torso and deepen the twist with every exhale. Keep the neck and shoulders relaxed and if comfortable, turn your head to look in the same direction, i.e. over the right shoulder.  Hold the twist for a few breaths. Release, unwind and repeat the twist on the left side. 

At the end of the day, you need something to release blockages, to detoxify your body and to calm your mind. This seated half spinal twist is a perfect yoga pose to unwind. It also helps relieve menstrual discomfort and fatigue. If sitting down is not possible, you can sit on a chair and practice the twist on either side for a few breaths. 

• Balasana (Child’s Pose) 

This pose is something that you can practice on your bed itself. Sit on your heels (as in Vajrasana) and then slowly stretch out your arms in front of you. Place your forehead on the floor and elongate your spine to feel the stretch properly. Hold this position for a few deep breaths, focusing on deep exhalations and then let your body relax. 

This will stretch your body enough to relieve you from all the tensions your body has formed during the course of the day. It relaxes your body and prepares your body and mind for a good night’s sleep. 

“The study of asana is not about mastering posture, it’s about using posture to understand and transform yourself.” B.K.S.Iyengar

Co-writer: Bipin Baloni is a yoga teacher from India and his core specialization is in Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga. He organizes yoga teacher training in Goa. Bipin Baloni conducts Yoga teacher training in India and loves writing and reading books related to Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda, and Health.

Also Read: https://www.juruyoga.com/benefits-of-yoga-before-bedtime/