1
Table of Contents
Sl. No Sanskrit Name English Name Difficulty Page
1. Surya Î Namaskar
Sun Salutation
3
2
2. Akarna Î Dhanur - asana Shooting Bow Posture
6
3
3. Anjaneya Î asana
Salutation Pose
7
4
4. Ardha Chandra - asana Half Moon Posture
2
5
5. Ardha Î Matsyendra - asana Half Spinal Twist Posture
4
6
6. Baddha Kona Asana
Restrained angle Posture
4
7
7. Bala Asana
Child Posture
1
8
8. Chakra Asana
Wheel Posture
8
9
9. Dhanur - asana
Bow Posture
5
10
10. Ekapada - asana
One Legged Posture
5
11
11. Garuda Î asana
Half Spinal Twist Posture
3
12
12. Gomukha Î asana
Cow Face Posture
4
13
13. Hala - sana
Plough Posture
5
14
14. Hasta Î Pada Î angusta Hand Î foot big toe Pose
3
16
15. Matsya - asana
Fish Posture
3
17
16. Naga Î asana
Cobra Posture
4
18
17. Nataraja asana
King of the Dance Posture 3
19
18. Padma Î asana
Lotus Posture
6
20
19. Parivritta Î parshvakona Turned Side angle Posture 7
21
20. Pavana mukta asana
Wind Î releasing posture
1
22
21. Sarvanga Î asana
Shoulder stand posture
5
23
22. Shalabha Î asana
Locust Posture
5
24
23. Shava Î asana
Corpse Posture
1
25
24. Siddha - asana
Accomplished Posture
2
26
25. Simha Î asana
Lion Posture
2
27
26. Sirsha Î asana
Headstand Posture
7
28
27. Tada Î asana
Mountain Pose
1
30
28. Trikona Î asana
Triangle Pose
2
31
29. Ugra Î asana
Powerful Posture
4
32
30. Ushtra Î asana
Camel Posture
5
33
31. Vajra Î asana
Diamond Posture
2
34
32. Vira Î asana
Hero Posture
2
34
33. Vriksha Î asana
Tree Pose
4
35
34. Vrischika Î asana
Scorpion Pose
9
36
2
Yoga Postures Step-by-Step
1. The Sun salutation - Suryanamaskar
The Sanskrit word surya means sun. Namaskar is the
Hindi word for Namaste, from the root nam, to bow.
Namaskar means salutation, salute, greeting or
praise.
Pronunciation:
soor-yee-ah-nahma-skar
Difficulty:
(3)
STEP TWO:
Stand facing the direction of the
sun with both feet touching.
Bring the hands together, palm-
to-palm, at the heart.
Inhale and raise the arms upward. Slowly bend
backward, stretching arms above the head.
STEP THREE:
STEP FOUR:
Exhale slowly bending forward,
touching the earth with respect
until the hands are in line with
the feet, head touching knees.
Inhale and move the right leg back away from the
body in a wide backward step. Keep the hands
and feet firmly on the ground, with the left foot
between the hands. Raise the head.
STEP FIVE:
STEP SIX:
While exhaling, bring the
left foot together with the
right. Keep arms straight,
raise the hips and align the
head with the arms,
forming an upward arch.
Exhale and lower the body to the floor until the
the feet, knees, hands, chest, and forehead are
touching the ground.
STEP SEVEN:
STEP EIGHT:
Inhale and slowly raise
the head and bend
backward as much as
possible, bending the
spine to the maximum
(as in the
naga-asana
).
While exhaling, bring the left foot together with
the right. Keep arms straight, raise the hips and
align the head with the arms, forming an upward
arch.
Posture:
Surya-namaskar - Sun Salutation
Translation:
STEP ONE:
3
STEP NINE:
STEP TEN:
Inhale and move the right
leg back away from the
body in a wide backward
step. Keep the hands and
feet firmly on the ground,
with the left foot between
the hands. Raise the head.
Exhale slowly bending forward, touching the earth with
respect until the hands are in line with the feet, head
touching knees.
STEP ELEVEN:
STEP TWELVE:
Inhale and raise the arms
upward. Slowly bend
backward, stretching arms
above the head.
Stand facing the direction of the sun with both feet
touching. Bring the hands together, palm-to-palm, at the
heart.
2. Akarna-Dhanura-asana Î The Shooting Î bow - Pose
Posture:
Akarna-dhanura-asana
The Shooting-bow Pose
Translation:
The Sanskrit word karna means ear and the prefix "a" means
near to or towards. Dhanur means bow-shaped, curved or bent.
The "bow" here referred to is a bow as in "bow and arrow."
Literally we could translate this as the near-the-ear bow
posture but because of the obvious appearance of the posture
we'll call it the shooting bow posture.
Pronunciation:
ah-car-nah da-noor ah-sa-na
Difficulty:
(6) Requires flexibility of hips and legs.
4
Instructions:
1. Sit on the floor with the legs together and extended straight out in front. Keep the back straight,
shoulders level and head straight. Place the hands, palms down, flat on top of the thighs then
inhale deeply.
2. Exhale and reach down and loop the forefinger of the right hand around the big toe of the right
foot and grasp the left foot with the left hand.
3. Inhale and pull the right foot back placing the big toe next to the right ear. Straighten the back
as much s possible and hold the posture for the duration of the inhale breath.
4. Exhale and return to the seated position of step #1 then repeat the posture on the opposite side.
"Having caught the toes of the feet with both hands and carried them to the ears by drawing the body like
a bow, it becomes Dhanura-asana."
The Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika I.27.
Comments:
While practicing this posture imagine yourself as an archer with the gaze focused on the target and the
arrow firmly yet gracefully being pulled back in the bow. Hold the posture steady as an archer would hold
the arrow aimed at its target. Return the foot to the floor gently. This simple technique will help cultivate
a focused and unwavering attention.
Variations:
Reverse the hands and feet so that that the right hand pulls the left foot to the left ear and vice versa. The
foot gets pulled under the outstretched arm.
3. Anjanaya-asana Î The Salutation Pose
Posture:
Anjanaya-asana - The Salutation Pose
Translation:
The Sanskrit word anjaneya means salutation or praise from
the root anj which means to honor, to celebrate, to anoint.
Pronunciation:
Ahn-jah-nay-ah-sa-na
Difficulty:
(7)
Instructions:
1. Sit comfortably in the vajra-asana (thunderbolt pose).
2. Kneel up on your knees until your back, buttocks and thighs are aligned.
3. Extend your left foot foward bending your left knee at about a 90 degree angle.
4. Place the palms of your hands together at the heart in the anjali-mudra.
5. Raise your arms stright up keeping the palms together while bending the head
backward and looking up.
6. Slowly bend backward stretching the arms backward and straightening out the right
leg. Hold this position for as long as comfortable while breathing gently through the
nostrils.