Category: spinal twist

Trikonasana – the triangle pose

Trikonasana – the triangle pose

premaria

Trikonasana, or the triangle pose. The main benefits of this standing posture are to stretch the sides of the body and give a lateral movement to the spine. All standing yoga postures help to ground your energy.

Physical Benefits

  • Stretches the sides of the body
  • Stretches the spine laterally
  • Helps keep the spine elastic
  • Improves flexibility in the hips and legs
  • Helps to open the chest
  • Massages the internal organs
  • Improves digestion
  • Amplifies the benefits of the half spinal twist
  • Improves circulation in the body

Mental Benefits

  • Steadies the mind
  • Calms the emotions
  • Increase empathy and self-awareness

Energetic (Pranic) Benefits

  • Calms the prana in the ida nadi
Maria doing Trikonasana – triangle pose, May 2007.
Maria doing a spinal twist in triangle, October 2011.
Maria doing Trikonasana, the triangle pose, October 2011.
sitting spinal twist

sitting spinal twist

premaria

Ardha-Matsyendrasana or the sitting spinal twist.   

(literally Ardha stands for half = half spinal twist).

There are many benefits to this posture, but the most important is that the entire length of the spine receives a lateral twist in both directions – first to the left and then to the right.
 

Physical Benefits

  • Increases flexibility in each vertebrae of the spine, from the base of the spine through the neck
  • Stretches the back muscles and hips
  • Massages the abdominal organs, helping to relieve constipation
  • Breathing becomes more rapid, speeding up circulation and creating an aerobic effect
  • Brings more blood flow to the spine

Energetic (Pranic) Benefits

  • Helps rouse the Kundalini Shakti

Mental Benefits

  • Brings peace of mind
  • Helps to cure nervous disorders
Spinal Twist. Maria Steiner, May 2007.
 Easy version of the sitting spinal twist, with leg straight. Maria Steiner June 2023.