Four Yoga Exercises to Relax from Head to Toe

Yoga is a discipline that allows you to oxygenate the body, stretch and relax, by combining breathing exercises (pranayama), postures (asanas) as well as other techniques such as mantras, visualization and meditation. It is therefore a complete science with countless benefits. Certain targeted postures allow you to work in depth on specific parts of the body. We have selected five of them, to relax you from head to toe.

Relax your face like a lion

The Roaring Lion pose focuses on the face, resembling an ugly grimace.

Open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue. Roll your eyes, pointing upwards. Inhale deeply, and exhale with a guttural roar, like the animal.

This asana has the obvious benefit of stretching the facial features and working the eyes by using them in a different way. Making a sound activates the diaphragm and vocal cords. From an energetic point of view, it is an exercise that will activate the throat and third eye chakras.

Nadi Shodhana for oxygenation

It is a pranayama, a breathing technique that allows the body's energies to be harmonised.

To perform this pranayama, start by sitting comfortably. Place your fingers in vishnu mudra, that is, by folding your index and middle fingers. Place your thumb on the right wing of your nose and inhale deeply through your left nostril; hold your breath for a while by placing your ring finger on your left nostril, before exhaling to the right and inhaling again to the right. Then change sides.

This pranayama helps to soothe the entire system by bringing oxygen to the cells, but also calms the heartbeat and the mind. You will notice the calming effects of this pranayama instantly.

The butterfly to release emotional tensions

Butterfly pose opens the hips, which are a part of the body where a lot of energy is stored. Sit on the floor with your back straight and let your knees fall to either side, with the soles of your feet touching. Your heels are close to your perineum. Hold the pose for three to five minutes.

If you feel lower back pain when performing this posture, elevate the seat with a cushion.

This asana acts deeply, both on a physical level and on an emotional and energetic level. Concentrate on releasing obsolete energies as you do this posture.

Vajrasana, maximum stretch of the feet

This is a variation of Diamond Pose, in which the toes are on the floor. Kneel on the floor or on a blanket to protect your knees. Place your toes curled on the floor, and sit back on your heels. Hold the position for several minutes, before returning to the neutral Varjasana position.

This pose can be particularly intense at the toe level. It actually stretches the entire foot. In Chinese medicine, the foot represents the map of the body; it is also where all the meridians are found. This pose is therefore beneficial for the entire body.