Yoga is considered as a practice for improving and alleviating physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. It can promote stress reduction, and weight loss, improve the sleep cycle, enhance muscle strength, and amplify the quality of life. It can also help with battling depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and controlling anger.
What could be better than including the spiritual expression of folding your palms in a Namaste and feeling the spirituality of human existence in a yoga routine? As mentioned in the other article, Anjali Mudra helps deepen the yoga practice and amplifies the effects of meditation. It is a way of showing devotion and thanks for what’s been received.
Following are some of the yoga poses that include the Namaste/Anjali Mudra. Hope they help you find meaningfulness in your yoga regime and help you express gratitude to the universe.
Mountain Pose with Prayer Hand
- Start by standing on the mat, with the feet a few inches apart and join the palms in a namaste and place them at the center of the chest. Close your eyes if possible.
- Take slow breaths (6-8) and feel the flow of energy in the body.
Reverse Prayer Pose
- Stand in a mountain pose and bend your knees slightly.
- Relax the shoulders, bring the hands behind the back, and grab the opposite elbow in opposite hands. If this is comfortable for up to 5 deep breaths, slowly join the palms together with the fingertips facing down.
- Carefully turn the fingertips in toward the spine until they face up.
- Breathe here and when ready, slowly come out the way you came in.
Prayer Squats
- Lower the body into a squat position.
- With the hands in a Namaste, push the elbows out against the knees and the groin forward and keep your chest out.
- Make sure that the core is contracted.
Tree Pose
- Start by standing straight. Make sure that the feet are aligned and touching.
- Slowly get into the mountain pose.
- Find a spot or thing in the room and focus all attention on it.
- Slowly shift the weight to the right leg and begin to raise the left foot off the floor. Align the sole of the left foot with the inside of the right thigh. The toes should be pointing down and the pelvis should be completely straight.
- Extend the arms straight up toward the ceiling with the palms pressed together.