The document provides information about various yoga asanas. It begins by defining yoga and asanas. It then categorizes asanas into three groups - standing, sitting, and lying down positions. Matrices listing examples of asanas in each position are provided. Detailed descriptions, procedures, benefits and precautions for four asanas from each position are given: Standing - Hastpadasana, Ardha Chakrasana, Trikonasana, Tadasana Sitting - Paschimottanasana, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, Parivrttayanu Sirsasana, Padangusthasana Lying - Halasana, Bhu

1. ASPESS
YOGA ASSIGNMENT
NAME: YASHIKA GUPTA
ENROLLMENT NO.: A3013816044
SUBJECT: YOGA EDUCATION
SUBMITTED TO: DR. AJIT KUMAR

2. INDEX
• WHAT IS YOGA?
• WHAT IS ASANAS?
• TYPES OF ASANAS?
• MATRIX OF ASANAS
• STANDING ASANAS : HASTHPADASANA, ARDHA CHAKRASANA, TRIKON ASANA, TADASANA
• SITTING ASANAS : PASCHIMOTTANASANA, EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA, PARIVRTTA JANU
SIRSASANA, PADANGUSTA ASANA
• LYING ASANAS : HALASANA, BHUJANGASANA, PAWANMUKT ASANA, SALABHASANA
• REFERENCES

3. WHAT IS YOGA ?
“THE TERM “YOGA” COMES FROM THE SANSKRIT
WORD ”YUG” WHICH MEANS TO JOIN,TO YOKE
TOGETHER ,
TO UNIFY ,TO UNITE AS ONE. SO YOGA
ESSENTIALLY MEANS UNION.”

5. WHAT IS ASANA ?
“Asana is yoga pose or posture or position of
the body.
Patanjali in ashtanga yoga defines asanas as
Steady and Comfortable pose.
Benefits of Asanas / Yoga Poses.
A healthy and peaceful body is the starting
point for advance practices.”

6. ASANAS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO
GROUPS:
• STANDING POSITION ASANA
• SITTING POSITION ASANA
• LYING POSITION ASANA

7. MATRIX OF ASANAS
POSITIONS STANDING SITTING LYING
FORWARD BEND HASTHPADASANA PASCHIMOTTANASANA HALASANA
BACKWARD BEND ARDHA CHAKRASANA EKA PADA
RAJAKAPOTASANA
BHUJANGASANA
SIDEWARD BEND TRIKON ASANA PARIVRTTA JANU
SIRSASANA
PAWANMUKT ASANA
BALANCING TADASANA PADANGUSTA ASANA SALABHASANA

8. I. STANDING POSITION ASANAS
A. HASTAPADASANA (FORWARD
BENDING)
1
2
3
CREDITS:
NEETU RANA

9. HASTAPADASANA
DESCRIPTION:
Hastpadasana is one of the twelve basic asanas. You
must master this pose and its variations before
trying the advanced Asanas.
PROCEDURE:
INITIAL POSE:
• Stand straight with feet together and arms
alongside the body.
• Balance your weight equally on both feet.
• Breathing in, extend your arms overhead.
• Breathing out, bend forward and down towards
the feet.
• Stay in the posture for 20-30 seconds and
continue to breath deeply.
STAY:
• Keep the legs and spine erect; hands rest either on
the floor, beside the feet or on the legs.
• On the out breath, move the chest towards the
knees; lift the hips and tailbone higher; press the
heels down ; let the head relax and move it gently
towards the feet.
• Keep breathing deeply.
RETURNING POSE:
Breathing in, stretch your arms forward and up,
Slowly come up to the standing position.
Breathing out, bring the arms to the sides.

10. BENEFITS:
Stretches all the muscles of the back of
the body.
Invigorates the nervous system by
increasing the -blood supply.
Makes the spine supple.
Tones the abdominal organs.
CONTRAINDICATIONS OF
(HASTAPADASANA)
Back injury: People suffering from lower
back injuries, Spondylitis, Cervical pain or
any kind of back and spinal problems
should not do this pose.

11. B.ARDHA CHAKRASANA (BACKWARD
BENDING)

12. ARDHA CHAKRASANA
DESCRIPTION:
Ardha chakrasana is an intermediate asana that can
help to prepare the body and mind for deeper
backbends and heart-opening postures
like chakrasana (wheel pose).
The name is derived from the
Sanskrit ardha, meaning “half“, chakra, meaning
“wheel," and asana, meaning “pose.”
PROCEDURE :
INITIAL STAGE:
• Stand straight with feet together and arms
alongside the body.
• Balance your weight equally on both feet
STAY:
Breathing in, extend your arms overhead, palms
facing each other.
RETURNING STAGE:
• Breathing out, gently bend backwards pushing
the pelvis forward, keeping the arms in line with
the ears, elbows and knees straight, head up,
and lifting your chest towards the ceiling.
• Hold.
• Breathing in, come back up.
• Breathing out, bring the arms down and relax.

13. BENEFITS :
• Stretches the front upper torso.
• Tones the arms and shoulder muscles.
CONTRAINDICATIONS OF
(ARDHA CHAKRASANA)
• Those with serious hip or spinal
problems should avoid this asana as
well as those with high blood pressure
and brain ailments.
• Peptic or duodenal ulcers and hernia
patients should avoid this pose.
• Pregnant woman should avoid this pose.

14. C.TRIKON ASANA (SIDEWARD BENDING)

15. TRIKON ASANA
DESCRIPTION:
Trikonasana is a standing yoga posture that requires
strength, balance and flexibility. In this posture,
both arms extend with the legs spread apart and one
foot turned at a 90-degree angle. The upper body
bends toward the lead foot so that one arm reaches
toward the ground and the other toward the sky.
PROCEDURE:
INITIAL POSE:
• Stand straight. Separate your feet comfortably
wide apart (about 31/2 to 4 feet).
• Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and left
foot in by 15 degrees.
• Now align the center of your right heel with the
center of your arch of left foot.
STAY
Ensure that your feet are pressing the ground and the
weight of your body is equally balanced on both the feet.
Inhale deeply and as you exhale, bend your body to the
right, downward from the hips, keeping the waist straight,
allowing your left hand to come up in the air while your
right hand comes down towards floor. Keep both arms in
straight line.
Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor
outside your right foot, whatever is possible without
distorting the sides of the waist. Stretch your left arm
toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders.
RETURNING POSE:
Stretch maximum and be steady. Keep taking in long
deep breaths. With each exhalation, relax the body
more and more. Just be with the body and the
breath.As you inhale, come up, bring your arms down
to your sides, and straighten your feet.

16. BENEFITS:
• Strengthens the legs, knees, ankles, arms and
chest
• Stretches and opens the hips, groins,
hamstrings, calves, shoulders, chest and spine
• Increases mental and physical equilibrium
• Helps improve digestion
• Reduces anxiety, stress, back pain and sciatica
CONTRAINDICATIONS OF THE
TRIKONASANA
Avoid doing this pose if you are suffering from
migraine, diarrhea, low or high blood pressure, or
neck and back injuries. Those with high blood
pressure may do this pose but without raising their
hand overhead, as this may further raise the blood
pressure.

17. D.TADASANA (BALANCING)

18. TADASANA
DESCRIPTION:
Tadasana is a simple standing asana, which forms the basis
for all the standing asanas. It is performed at the beginning
and end of the surya namaskara sequence and is a key asana
for all yoga practices.
PROCEDURE:
INITIAL POSE:
Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides.
Press your weight evenly across the balls and arches of your
feet. Breathe steadily and rhythmically. Draw your
awareness inward.
Focus on the present moment, letting all worries and
concerns fade away.Press your big toes together (separate
your heels if you need to).
Lift your toes and spread them apart. Then, place them
back down on the mat, one at a time.If you have trouble
balancing, stand with your feet six inches apart (or wider).
Draw down through your heels and straighten your legs.
Ground your feet firmly into the earth, pressing evenly
across all four corners of both feet.
STAY:
Then, lift your ankles and the arches of your feet. Squeeze
your outer shins toward each other.
Draw the top of your thighs up and back, engaging the
quadriceps. Rotate your thighs slightly inward, widening your
sit bones.
Tuck in your tailbone slightly, but don’t round your lower back.
Lift the back of your thighs, but release your buttocks. Keep
your hips even with the center line of your body.
RETURNING POSE:
Bring your pelvis to its neutral position. Do not let your front
hip bones point down or up; instead, point them straight
forward. Draw your belly in slightly.
As you inhale, elongate through your torso. Exhale and release
your shoulder blades away from your head, toward the back
of your waist.
Broaden across your collarbones, keeping your shoulders in
line with the sides of your body.

19. BENEFITS
• Improves posture
• Strengthens thighs, knees, and ankles
• Increases awareness
• Steadies breathing
• Increases strength, power, and mobility in the
feet, legs, and hips
• Firms abdomen and buttocks
• Relieves sciatica
• Reduces flat feet CONTRAINDICATIONS OF
TADASANA:
It is best to avoid this asana if you have following
Problems
1. Headaches
2. Insomnia
3. Low blood Pressure

20. II. SITTING POSITION ASANAS
A. PASHCHIMOTTAN ASANA (FORWARD BENDING)
CREDITS:
NEETU RANA

21. PASCHIMOTTANASAN
DESCRIPTION
The word Paschim literally means west, Uttana means
stretched out and asana is pose. Here the word
paschim (west) doesn’t mean the west siderather it
indicated the back of the body. The back of body is
referred as paschim here. Hence a posture in which
back of the body or spine is stretched out is called
paschimottanasana (forward bend pose).
PROCEDURE :
INITIAL STAGE
• Sit up with the legs stretched out straight in
front of you on the floor.
• Keep the spine erect and toes flexed towards you.
• Bring your respiration to normal.
STAY:
Place your hands on your legs, wherever they reach, without
forcing. If you can, take hold of your toes and pull on them
to help you go forward.
Breathing in, lift your head slightly and lengthen your spine.
Breathing out, gently move the navel towards the knees.
RETURNING POSE:
Stretch the arms out in front of you.
Breathing in, with the strength of your arms, come back up
to the sitting position.
Breathe out and lower the arms.

22. BENEFITS :
• Stretches the whole spine specifically lower back,
hamstring and hips.
• Massages and tones the abdominal and pelvic organs.
• Improves the circulation.
• Stretches and strengthens the calf and thigh muscles.
PRECAUTIONS :
• A person who suffers from slipped disc and sciatica
should not practice this powerful asana.
• Anyone who has asthma can avoid the practice of
this yoga pose.
• If you are pregnant, avoid this yoga pose as it puts
stress on the womb.

23. B.EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA (BACKWARD
SITTING)

24. EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA
DESCRIPTION:
Eka Pāda Rājakapotāsana I is an Asana.
It is translated as One Legged King
Pigeon Pose I from Sanskrit.
PROCEDURE:
INITIAL POSE:
Begin by getting into Marjariasana (Cat
stretch).
Breathe out and bring your right knee
forward to touch the right wrist.
Bending the knee, bring your ankle near
the groin region. Now slide the right
foot towards the left hand, till
the toes touch the left wrist.
STAY:
• Slide the left leg back so that it touches the floor.
Keeping the knee straight, ensure that the front of the
foot is touching the ground, while the sole faces the
ceiling.
• Lower your right buttock to the floor and press
your tailbone forward to lengthen your lower back.
• You may strengthen the lower back further by
pushing your fingertips firmly to the floor.
RETURNING POSE:
• Take a few deep breaths in this position.
• Taking support of your hands, slide your left knee
forward while exhaling and get back into the Cat
stretch.
• Stay in Cat stretch and take a couple of deep
breaths and repeat the process with the other leg.

25. BENEFITS:
Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana stretches the entire
lower part of the body, stimulates the abdominal
organs and helps relieve the body of Sciatica. It
helps open up the hips and adds more flexibility to
the hip region. It is also known to relieve the body
of stress and anxiety.
CONTRAINDICATIONS OF EKA PADA
RAJAKAPOTASANA:
Ankle or knee injury: Perform this pose only with
the supervision of an experienced teacher.

26. C. PARIVRTTAJANU SIRSASANA (SIDEWARD
SITTING)
CREDITS: RISHIKESH KUMAR

27. PARIVRTTAJANU SIRSASANA
DESCRIPTION :
The Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose or the
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana is an intense pose
for intermediate yoga practitioners. It is a
stretch designed to improve flexibility and
limberness.
PROCEDURE :
INITIAL STAGE:
To start off sit on the floor with your legs
stretched in front.
STAY
• Once you are relaxed bend one of your legs and slowly
tuck it in your groin.
• Slowly the right knee also has to be bent slightly and
placed around the right hip.
RETURNING STAGE:
• Take a deep breath and then slightly bend sideways on
your right side.
• Try to bend towards the foot.
• Reach for the toes of your right leg and hold it with
both your hands.
• As you hold the toe, slowly try to straighten the knee.
• Slowly move your torso up so that it faces the ceiling.
• The left hand should be moved above the head.
• Take a deep breath and stretch further.
• Stay in the position for a few seconds.
• Follow the same procedure with another leg.

28. BENEFITS:
• It helps to stretch the shoulders.
• It helps to stretch the spine.
• It helps to strengthen the hamstrings.
• It helps to provide relief from backache.
• It helps to provide relief from headaches.
• It helps to relieve fatigue.
PRECAUTIONS:
• Those having shoulder injury, digestion problem and
diarrhea should be careful while doing this asana.
• It is best to perform the asana under the guidance
of a trained yoga instructor
CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Recent or chronic injury to the knees, hips, arms or
shoulders.
CREDITS: RISHIKESH KUMAR

29. D.PADANGUSTHA ASANA (BALANCING)
2.
1.
3.
4.
CREDITS: RISHIKESH KUMAR

30. PADANGUSTHA ASANA
DESCRIPITION:
you can build up to Toe Stand in stages,
strengthening your knees as you go. If you've
got tight hamstrings/ calves, take this pose
slowly, as it requires flexibility from both sets
of muscles.
PROCEDURE:
INITIAL POSE:
. Set up as Tree, but find a point on
the floor about three feet in front of you
where you can fix your gaze, and don't avert
your eyes from that point throughout the
whole posture. to the floor.
STAY:
When you're in the full expression, bend at the
waist, keeping your standing leg straight. It's
essential your leg is locked or you could strain your
knee.
RETURNING POSE:
Only when all your body weight is in your hands,
and your leg is still locked, can you inhale, exhale and
slowly bend your standing leg and crouch down so that
your bum is either hovering just above your left heel
or, if you can, actually sit your bum down on your heel.
Bring your hands either side of you to stabilise
yourself.

31. BENEFITS:
• Creates balance and focus in body and
mind.
• Strengthens stomach muscles.
• Strengthens joints (hips, knees, ankles
and toes).
• Helps relieve arthritis in all leg joints
including hips.
CONTRAINDICATIONS:
This is a basic pose, and although anyone can do it,
make sure you practice it under the guidance of a
certified yoga instructor.
Also, you must avoid this pose if you have neck or lower
back injuries.
CREDITS:
RISHIKESH KUMAR

32. III. LYING POSITION ASANAS
A. HALASANA (FORWARD BENDING LYING)

33. HALASANA
DESCRIPTION:
This pose prepares the ‘field’ of the body
and mind for deep rejuvenation. Halasana is
pronounced as hah-LAHS-uh-nuh.
Parsva Halasana is an advanced variation of
the Halasana.
PROCEDURE:
INITIAL POSE:
Lie on your back with your arms beside you,
palms downwards.
As you inhale, use your abdominal muscles to
lift your feet off the floor, raising your legs
vertically at a 90-degree angle.
STAY:
Continue to breathe normally and supporting your hips
and back with your hands, lift them off the ground.
Allow your legs to sweep in a 180-degree angle over
your head till your toes touch the floor. Your back
should be perpendicular to the floor. This may be
difficult initially, but make an attempt for a few
seconds.
RETURNING POSE:
Hold this pose and let your body relax more and more
with each steady breath.
After about a minute (a few seconds for beginners) of
resting in this pose, you may gently bring your legs
down on exhalation.

34. BENEFITS:
• Strengthens and opens up the neck, shoulders, abs and
back muscles.
• Calms the nervous system, reduces stress and fatigue.
• Tones the legs and improves leg flexibility.
• Stimulates the thyroid gland and strengthens the immune
system.
• Helps women during menopause.
CONTRAINDICATIONS (PLOW POSE):
• Avoid practicing Plow Pose (Halasana) if you have injured
your neck or are suffering from diarrhea and high blood
pressure.
• Ladies should avoid practicing Plow Pose
CREDITS: NEETU RANA

35. B. BHUJANGASANA (COBRA POSE)

36. BHUJANGASANA (COBRA POSE)
DESCRIPTION:
The meaning of Bhujang is cobra and asana
means yoga pose. Bhujangasana is the stretching
yoga exercise of the front torso and the spine.
Bhujangasana is the final stage when the cobra
is ready to attack its prey by raising its hood;
hence the name is cobra pose. Cobra pose is one
of the most important back bending yoga asana,
which has numerous health benefits ranges from
head to feet.
PROCEDURE :
INITIAL STAGE
Lie down on the stomach by keeping your legs
together. Make a gap of 1-2 feet between the
legs if somebody has backache.
STAY:
Put your palms besides your shoulder and the head
should rest on the ground.
RETURNING STAGE:
With inhaling raise your head up to your navel region
and try to see the roof.
Maintain the position till 10 to 60 seconds with
steadily inhaling and exhaling.
Come to the original position slowly with deep
exhalation.
Repeat the process for 3 to 5 times.

37. BENEFITS
• Stretches muscles in the shoulders, chest and
abdominals.
• Decreases stiffness of the lower back.
• Strengthens the arms and shoulders.
• Increases flexibility.
• Improves menstrual irregularities.
• Elevates mood.
• Firms and tones the buttocks.
• Stimulates organs in the abdomen, like the kidneys.
• Relieves stress and fatigue.
• Opens the chest and helps to clear the passages of the
heart and lungs.
• Improves circulation of blood and oxygen, especially
throughout the spinal and pelvic regions.
• Improves digestion.
• Strengthens the spine.
• Helps to ease symptoms of asthma.
PRECAUTIONS :
• Do not overdo the back bend.
• Be patient or gradually develop the posture.
• Jerk should be avoided.
• Before attempting this posture , you can do simple
and easier version of this posture.

38. C. PAWANMUKTASANA (SIDEWARD BENDING
LYING)

39. PAWANMUKTASANA
DESCRIPTION:
This yoga pose, as its name suggests, is excellent
for releasing abdominal gas.
Pawanmuktasana is pronounced as PUH-vuhn-
mukt-AAHS-uh-nuh.
Pavana = wind, mukta = relieve or release, Asana
= Posture or Pose
PROCEDURE:
INITIAL POSE:
Lie on your back with your feet
together and arms beside your body.
Breathe in and as you exhale, bring your
right knee towards your chest and press
the thigh on your abdomen with
clasped hands.
STAY:
• Breathe in again and as you exhale, lift your
head and chest off the floor and touch
your chin to your right knee.
• Hold it there, as you take deep, long breaths in
and out.
• Checkpoint: As you exhale, tighten the grip of
the hands on the knee and increase the pressure
on the chest.
RETURNING POSE:
• As you exhale, come back to the ground and relax.
• Repeat this pose with the left leg and then with
both the legs together.
• You may rock up and down or roll from side to
side 3-5 times and then relax.

40. BENEFITS:
• Strengthens the back and
abdominal muscles
• Tones the leg and arm muscles
• Massages the intestines and
other organs in the abdomen
• Helps in digestion and release of
gas
• Enhances blood circulation in the
hip joints and eases tension in
the lower back
CONTRAINDICATIONS OF
PAWANMUKTASANA:
Avoid practicing Wind-Relieving Pose
(Pawanmuktasana) if you are facing the following
health issues: high blood pressure, heart
problem, hyperacidity, hernia, slip disc, testicle
disorder, menstruation, neck and back problems,
and after the second trimester of pregnancy.

41. D.SALABHASANA (BALANCING)

42. SALABHASANA
DESCRIPTION:
In the word salabhasana, salabham
means grasshopper. While doing this
asana the body becomes like a grass
hopper (Locust Pose) and since it gets
the name.
PROCEDURE :
INITIAL STAGE
• Lay down on the mat upside down.
• Make sure the stomach and the face
touches the ground and keeps both
the legs together.
STAY:
• Stretch the hands backside the body and it should
touch the body.
• The fingers should be folded. Don’t bend the hands
and keep them down the thighs.
• Then make sure the face alone touches the floor.
RETURNING STAGE:
• Inhale the breathe deeply and slowly and lift both
the legs slowly as much as possible.
• Be in the same position for about 20 seconds and
then exhale the breath slowly and come back to the
normal stage. Repeat this exercise for 3-4 times.

43. BENEFITS :
• It helps to reduce the abdominal
excessive muscles.
• It helps to strengthen the back
muscles.
• It helps in maintaining the spinal
cord bones and refreshes the spinal
cord.
• It strengthens the neck muscles
and rectifies the neck pain, defects
in the neck joints.
PRECAUTIONS:
• While doing asana any part should not be kept tight
and the muscles should be kept loose.
• Pregnant ladies and those who have undergone heart
surgery should not do it.
• While doing asana if there is any pain, we should
stop doing it and take rest and then we can do it
again.
• While doing asana, we should not breathe in mouth.
We should only breathe by nose.

44. REFERENCES
www.google.com
www.Wikipedia.com
www.sarvyoga.com
www.gyanunlimited.com
www.artofliving.org
www.naturehomeopathy.com