Imagine restoring health while being seated. Yes, this can be achieved through specific sitting yoga poses as prescribed in Ashtanga Yoga. Read on to know the best sitting yoga asanas.

Yoga, the ancient science of life has so much to offer to the aspirants. The practice is designed to bestow a treasure of good health. One can acquire the benefits of yoga in multiple ways by choosing the desired style, level of practice, and yoga postures. Yoga holds various styles including Hatha, Ashtanga, Yin, Power, Bikram, Iyengar, Kundalini, and more for the practitioner to incorporate a variety of asana practices to achieve a healthy body, calm mind, peace, and stability.

Those who aspire to practice a classical form of yoga can opt for Ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga is the practice of eight limbs or the eightfold path which is a physically and emotionally invigorating style of yoga. The yoga series cleave into a variety of postures- standing yoga poses, sitting yoga asanas, inversion yoga poses, lying yoga postures, resting yoga poses, backbend yoga asanas, and twisting yoga poses.

Those who want to sculpt their body and gain balance without putting a lot of strain can practice sitting Ashtanga yoga poses. These poses are both basic and advanced and promise holistic benefits.

So here are some of the best sitting Ashtanga yoga asanas to begin the practice with.

Navasana (Boat Pose)

• Sit in a Dandasana position with hands kept on the floor and slightly behind the hips.
• Now pull the torso up. Keep the spine erect and then lean back slightly.
• Exhale and lift your legs off the floor at a 45-degree angle, keeping them straight.
• Now raise your arms straight in front of you and parallel to the floor.
• Your body weight and balance should be shifted onto the hips. Hold the position for 30 seconds.

Janu Sirsasana (Head-To-Knee Pose)

• Sit on the floor in a Sukhasana with the hands on your lap.
• Now stretch your right leg outward in front of you and let the sole of the left foot touch the inner right thigh.
• Press your right leg on the floor, inhale, and raise your hands upward overhead.
• Exhale and hinge the upper body forward over the right leg folding at the hips.
• Hold the right foot with your hands and let your forehead touch the knee.
• Stay in the posture for 1-2 minutes. Release and repeat the steps on the other side.

Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose)

• Sit on the floor with the erect spine, arms beside the body, and legs stretched in front.
• Now spread your legs slightly more than hip-width apart and let the thighs press the floor.
• Take a deep breath, stretch the arms between the legs, and fold the upper body forward.
• Let your torso and chin touch the floor and then stretch your arms as much as you can to the side.
• Make sure your thighs touch the ribs. Fix the gaze downward and hold the pose for 30 seconds.

Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (Half-Bound-Lotus-Forward Pose)

• Sit straight on the floor in Dandasana with hands placed on the thighs.
• Now fold the left knee outward and bring the leg into the half lotus pose.
• Hold the left foot and keep it on the top of the right thigh.
• Exhale and twist the upper body from the waist towards left.
• Then move the left hand backward, and clasp the left foot.
• Now bend the upper body forward folding at the hips over the right leg.
• Hold the right foot with the right hand and touch the forehead to the knee.
• Stay in the pose for 20-30 seconds. Release and repeat the same on the other side.

Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose)

• Assume Dandasana and then breathe out and bend your knees outward.
• Let the soles of the feet touch together and bring them towards the pelvic region.
• Hold the feet with your hands, and bring them closer, and drop your knees to each side.
• Get comfortable in the pose, and hold it for a minute.
• Now as you inhale, lift your knees. While exhaling, drop those down.
• Repeat the flapping process for 3-4 minutes.

These amazing sitting Ashtanga yoga postures are great for your thighs, groins, and knees, strengthen the hips, legs, abdomen area and lower back, enhance digestive system, and make your spine strong and mobile.

Yoga is a complete practice of the mind, body, and soul, and helps in restoring the health and enhances living. Incorporate yoga into your lifestyle and commence the life-transforming voyage.