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We all want and need balance in our lives. We need a balance between work and play, between time alone and time spent engaged with others. A balance between eating healthy and having an occasional dietary splurge. I could go on and on about balance.
Sometimes our lives can feel so chaotic and hectic, out of control. This is a direct result of our lives being out of balance. Experiencing the calm and relaxation during and after a yoga practice can help to bring needed focus and balance into our daily lives, ‘off the mat.’
Standing balance poses can instill a calmness within even though they require intense focus and a high level of alertness. When we balance on one leg we are constantly revamping our balance with minor adjustments. There is a constant effort to maintain a center, and when we are able to do this, our muscles and bones come into balance, our nerve impulses, also our thoughts and emotions. We feel calm and centered.
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Benefits
Standing balance poses offer many benefits:
- help improve focus and concentration
- strengthens legs and core
- improves coordination and develops stability
- teach us humility, patience, and persistence
- help us become grounded and centered
- helpful for relieving stress and reducing fatigue
Standing on one foot we immediately let go of any excess chatter in the mind to focus on the task of balancing. A reduction of the thoughts racing through our heads will naturally reduce stress.
In a yoga class when we ‘fall out’ of a balance pose we may feel upset or embarrassed. This is the ego getting in the way. There is no reason to feel embarrassed or criticize yourself harshly. Your balance in your body will improve with practice. There certainly will be some days that your balance will be better than other days due to an unlimited number of factors (e.g. barometric pressure, a slight cold, muscle tightness, fatigue, etc.). You will probably notice that it is easier for you to balance on one leg than the other. These are common to most people.
Popular Standing Balance Poses
- Vrksasana, Tree Pose
- Natarajasana, Dancer Pose
- Virabhadrasana III, Warrior 3 Pose
- Ardha Chandrasana, Half Moon Pose
- Extended Leg Balance
- Shiva Twist
When life seems to be spinning out of control, recognize that things are getting out of balance. Take a moment and take a few deep breaths, and prioritize your day. Remember that taking care of YOU should be at the top of the list.
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I encourage you to try adding yoga to your routine. Even if it’s just 10-15 minutes in a session, this will help to bring balance back into your life. My post Start a Home Yoga Practice has some great ideas for getting started. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel. Watch and practice with me in this 11-minute video of three balance poses.
What is your favorite standing balance pose? Or which one would you like to learn?
Tisha
January 26, 2022 10:33 amI really need to do more yoga! My balance gets worse the older I get
Julie
January 27, 2022 3:36 pmIt’s true that our balance becomes more challenging as we age. Balance can also improve with consistent practice!
Julie
January 25, 2022 7:27 pmYoga is such a good way to bring peace to your life.
Julie
January 27, 2022 3:37 pmThat is the absolute truth! That’s why I practice daily! 🙂
Amber Myers
January 25, 2022 5:23 pmThese look like some great poses. I wish I could do yoga without giggling hysterically. I don’t know what it is, but it makes me want to laugh.
Julie
January 27, 2022 3:39 pmI wonder what that’s all about? Well, even so, laughter is good for the soul! So practice and giggle away!! 😀
Carissa
January 25, 2022 12:19 pmI love Yoga, I need to do it more consistently because I definitely feel a difference when I do it!
Julie
January 25, 2022 1:53 pmI do some yoga nearly everyday for that reason, it always makes me feel better. My go-to types of yoga nowadays are gentle, Yin and restorative Yoga classes! 🙂 Thanks for reading! 🙂
Mimi
January 25, 2022 11:04 amI need to do more yoga, I feel like I’m more stressed lately and it will definitely help
Julie
January 25, 2022 12:02 pmYou’re right Mimi, yoga is very helpful with stress reduction!
Katelyn
October 9, 2020 8:17 pmI just started adding in some yoga to my postpartum exercise routine and you are spot on with this post! The meditation piece is definitely my favorite part and I look forward to trying these out.
Julie
October 12, 2020 10:10 amThe spiritual aspect is what really drew me to the practices of yoga. It is so much more than exercise for the physical body!
Flossie McCowald
October 9, 2020 11:39 amI LOVE yoga! Since the pandemic shut down the gym where I used to do classes, though, I’ve gotten out of my practice – need to get into a routine of doing it at home. Thanks for the reminder!
Julie
October 9, 2020 1:22 pmFlossie, check out my review post of YogaDownload. It’s an excellent platform for online yoga classes. I am loving my subscription!
Maria [The Southerner Blogs]
November 25, 2018 5:00 amI’ve wanted to get into yoga for a long time but find it hard to find some good introductory guidance – found this post was nice and gentle and also informative, so thanks for sharing!
Julie
November 25, 2018 2:24 pmHi Maria! Yoga is such a wonderful mind, body, spirit practice. I hope my blog can help you get a practice started!
I also have a fairly new YouTube channel that you can check out for some short videos. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3fZdmZThlIaBXrCGMOjcBQ?view_as=subscriber
I plan to add a new video each week, and I am totally open to taking requests for videos. Thanks for visiting my blog! 🙂
Ralston
November 21, 2018 12:28 pmGreat read.. I’ve always wanted to try yoga, i meditate often but never got into yoga. As you mentioned -it is very helpful for relieving stress and reducing fatigue. I will definitely give it a try..
Julie
November 21, 2018 8:38 pmHi Ralston,
As you may know, the seated asanas (poses), appropriate for meditation were the first yoga “poses”.Then others developed to warm the body and help practitioners be able to sit longer in meditation! I hope you will give it a try! I have a post ‘Start a Home Yoga Practice ‘ that has some great online class resources that you may want to check out. I also have started a YouTube channel you can subscribe to. My goal is to post a new yoga video each week. I also have some posts that detail some poses you may want to try! Sharing my passion with others 🙂 Thanks for visiting. 😀
Deborah Kos
November 21, 2018 10:45 amI actually love yoga. I’ve attended classes in the past. I stopped when the location moved far away. In my area, there are no local yoga classes and I miss it. I forgot the different names of the poses. I like the downward dog. I know, it is not a balance pose. I would love to get back into yoga if it was close to home.
Julie
November 21, 2018 8:32 pmHi Deborah,
I have written a post ‘Start a Home Yoga Practice’ that you may want to check out! It gives some great online class resources to keep you motivated! This might be a great solution for you not having classes close to home. I have also started a YouTube channel that you can subscribe to. I plan to add yoga videos weekly!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3fZdmZThlIaBXrCGMOjcBQ?view_as=subscriber
Thanks for visiting!
Kat
November 21, 2018 9:19 amI crave yoga and have had a regular practice, but I totally have fallen out of it. I needed to read this! Thanks for inspiration!
Julie
November 21, 2018 8:26 pmHi Kat,
I’m glad I have inspired you! I have a post ‘Start a Home Yoga Practice’ with some good online class resources to keep you motivated that you may want to check out.I also recently started a YouTube channel that you can subscribe to. My goal is to post a new yoga video every week. Thank you for visiting! 🙂
Chelsea
November 21, 2018 7:13 amGreat post 🙂 Anyone who is considering starting yoga should read this! I actually finally convinced my mom to start doing yoga, after YEARS of trying to get her to try it. Now she loves it and goes multiple times per week. It really does add balance, doesn’t it? 🙂
xo Chelsea | https://completelychelsea.com
Julie
November 21, 2018 8:09 amHi Chelsea! I agree wholeheartedly that yoga adds balance to life. I am so grateful that I discovered yoga some 12 years ago or so. Yoga came into my life at a very difficult time for me and helped me to feel grounded, centered and happier! Every single time that I practice I feel better. Thanks for visiting my blog! 😀
Joan Senio
November 21, 2018 4:05 amJulie, thank you for this post! I especially appreciate your comment about falling out of a pose being the ego getting in the way. I think the same concept applies when we try anything new in life and it doesn’t go as well as we planned. We can’t let it discourage us from continuing to stretch ourselves and explore things outside our comfort zone. Thanks for the well timed reminder! I needed it!
Joan
My Best Friend Adeline
http://kindness-compassion-and-coaching.com
Julie
November 21, 2018 8:04 amHi Joan! When the ego gets in the way, we compare ourselves to others and worry too much about what others think. I agree this mindset can come into play whenever we try anything new. Growth does require getting out of our comfort zone and we need to recognize when the ego mindset creeps in. Thank you for visiting my blog! 🙂
Emily Burkhead
November 20, 2018 10:38 pmSo well said! I find that I feel much more calm, centered, and motivated after I’ve done yoga for the day. It really helps me get in tune with my body and hush the constant chatter occupying my mind. I think my favorite balance pose is a toss up between tree pose and dance pose 🙂
http://www.lifeslittlemusings.com
Julie
November 20, 2018 11:10 pmHi Emily! I too always feel more grounded, centered and calm after a yoga practice. I especially love how practicing yoga quiets the mind. It’s such a wonderful addition to my life. Thanks for visiting! It’s nice to meet another yogini! 🙂