Essential yoga asanas for Beginners

At Kamalaya Koh Samui Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa, we believe that your journey to overall wellness starts with knowledge. With yoga such a fundamental part of wellbeing, you’ll be able to elevate your overall experience and confidence by possessing an understanding of some of the fundamental asanas (poses).

Asanas are the anchor of yoga, the term derived from Sanskrit meaning “posture,” “seat” or “position.” Each asana is identified by its Sanskrit and English names and takes inspiration from animals and natural elements by encapsulating their essence in the pose.

Although there might be slight variations in the naming across different yoga schools, each pose maintains its unique benefits, purposes and challenges and they can be static positions held for several breaths or dynamic postures incorporated into a flowing movement sequence. The breath synchronisation with each pose can vary based on the individual yoga style and the asana’s intensity.

Kamalaya’ s professional yoga instructors have highlighted the basic poses for you to start your path to whole being wellness, enhanced further through Kamalaya Connect – a digital online wellness platform dedicated to helping you on your wellness journey from the comfort of your home.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana):
Often the starting point of various standing poses and sun salutations, Tadasana involves grounding your feet and evenly distributing weight on both sides, making the body feel aligned and balanced. Besides promoting good posture, this asana also strengthens knees, thighs and ankles whilst developing concentration and awareness.

Tree Pose (Vrikshasana):
An essential pose for beginners, Vrikshasana strengthens the legs and opens the hips while improving body balance and concentration. It helps gain a sense of grounding and stabilityand the pose encourages the body and the mind to stay calm and poised while building strength in the ankles and calves and toning the abdominal muscles.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana):
This gentle backbend is a wonderful way to stretch the muscles in the shoulders, chest and abdominals – alleviating constipation and opening the heart and lungs to promote healthier respiratory functions. It is also a great pose for strengthening the spine – particularly beneficial for people spending a lot of time sitting or in front of a computer (it helps counteract a hunched posture.)

Child’s Pose (Balasana):
This is a restorative, calming pose that provides a gentle stretch to your hips, thighs and ankles. As a counter-pose to backbends and as a pose of rest, the Child’s Pose also helps to calm your mind, reducing stress and fatigue. It softly stretches the lower back and relaxes the spine which can be particularly beneficial after a long day of physical or mental work.

Discover more about Yoga here and find out how Kamalaya Connect can support you on your personal wellness journey.