Category Archives: Asanas

Camel Pose, and back bends like it, can be physically challenging and beneficial. Emotionally, they can create a sense of vulnerability we usually shy away from. Ustrasana, like a camel journeying through the Sahara, requires stamina, endurance, and a commitment to inner awareness.

Camel Pose stretches the front of the body including the chest, abdomen, and quadriceps. It improves spinal mobility as much of the day you are likely to be sitting or slouching and bending your spine forward.

This pose is energizing and thus helps to reduce fatigue, stress and anxiety. Practicing can sometimes bring an emotional response because the heart and throat centers are often protected by poor posture and slouching.

Sometimes Ustrasana is known as the heart opening pose and because of this it is important to stay calm, centred and very aware of your feelings and emotions when practising. It is credited with increased creativity and the relief of anxiety and stress.

Tree Pose or Vriksasana is the Sanskrit name comes from the words vrksa meaning tree, and asana meaning pose. The Tree Pose strengthens and tones the leg muscles, ankles and feet as well as the groin, inner thigh.

If it is too difficult to straighten your arms above your head, then you can use a leather belt. Make a loop with the belt and slide it around your arms right above the elbow joints. Tighten the belt so that your arms cannot move further than shoulder-width apart from each other. Then lift your arms above your head.