Balance is a core aspect of physical and mental wellbeing. When your body is well balanced you are less likely to fall and endure an injury. A good work-life balance also promotes mental wellbeing. Learning how to become balanced requires trust in yourself, your body, and your capabilities.
As you start practicing yoga balance is one of the first things that you will be encouraged to work on. Your mat becomes representative of your world, and as you find ways to balance your body on your mat you can improve the strength needed to balance more challenging aspects of life in the world around you.
Learn to Balance in a Half Shoulderstand Posture
Yogis are known for being able to twist themselves into odd contortions as they stretch their muscles and clear their minds and strive to reach a place of emotional and physical bliss. Headstands, arm stands and other balancing acts are the norm in an advanced yoga class.
One of the first balancing poses that you will be introduced to in a yoga class is the half shoulderstand pose. This is an inversion that you can use to improve core strength as you practice balance. The half shoulderstand pose is sometimes called supported shoulderstand, and it is a great balancing pose for starters.
To do this pose:
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Lay on your back in dead man’s pose.
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Slowly lift your legs while bending at the pelvis so that your knees move toward your face.
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As you lift your lower back off the ground, place your elbows firmly on the ground.
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Place your hands on the small of your back to support your frame.
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Continue moving your legs upward until your feet are stretched over your head.
Once your feet are stretched far in the air, hold the pose for at least 30 seconds. This pose encourages blood flow to the brain and as an inversion is considered a valuable way to close a yoga practice. This pose can help to tone the core, buttocks and legs while stimulating the thyroid and prostate glands.