Peaceful poses

Rushing towards Christmas holidays? Try some of these poses to promote inner calm.

Yoga might be known nowadays by instagrammable handstands and bendy people in lycra, but the practice of yoga is really about bringing the mind to peacefulness, such that we can return to, and experience, our own true bliss. 

Our Iyengar yoga trained teachers at Maitri have put forward our go-to poses or breathwork to help turn the focus inwards to our inherent calm. 

Louise chooses supta baddha konasana (Eva shows in main photo above), reclined cobbler pose. Mr Iyengar's use of props is the root of today's restorative yoga practices using bolsters, blankets and more. In this supported version the chest is elevated and the legs held by a belt. It's also wonderful to support the outer hips/thighs if you're looking for more release of the muscles around the hip sockets and upper thighs. 

Maura favours a forward bend with the head supported as a way to settle the mind and soothe headaches. In the collage below Claire shows triang mukha ekapada paschimottanasana (three limbed forward pose) sitting on height with head rested on a chair, and a chair supported adho mukha virasana (face down hero pose), modifications to help if your hamstrings, knees, hips or ankles make it tricky to fold forward from a floor-seated position. 

Annamarie's choice is viparita karani (inverted action or "doing the opposite"), commonly called "legs up the wall" but it is with additional height under the pelvis / lumbar region to support the spine and abdominal organs. This is pure heaven if you've been on your feet all day, and the headwrap is an added bonus to cultivate pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses. 

Claire loves ardha halasana, or half plough, supported over a chair or stool. "It's like retreating into a safe cave, the inner gaze directed to the heart centre".

Jo and Rachel both go for pranayama. Jo likes viloma (interrupted) breathing, lying down on a spinewise support like a bolster or folded blankets with extra for the head, while Rachel turns to seated pranayama to bring her attention inwards and find focus and stillness. 

And finally, of course, we have to have savasana which Eva chose, ideally with and eye pillow and bolster under the knees to help relieve the lower back. Divine!

Like the sound of these? Come to an Iyengar yoga class at Maitri Studio and you'll learn about these as well as more active poses.

There are many other styles of yoga taught at the studio too. Some people will find their calm space in yin yoga, or a gentle flow practice. Try and see what suits you.  

Images

Top left: triang mukha ekapada paschimottanasana (three limbed forward pose) sitting on a block and extending towards a chair with head rested

Top right: a chair supported adho mukha virasana (downward facing hero), useful for anyone who finds it hard to kneel

Second row left: viparita karani, commonly called legs up the wall, with pelvis and lumbar supported by a bolster and legs supported by a belt

Second row middle: siddhasana, a seated position which can be used for pranayama and meditation

Second row right: ardha halasana (half plough pose) supported on a stool

Third row: supine pranayama, supported on folded blankets

Bottom row: someone's feet and lower legs in savasana, over a bolster and with teacher in the background