Yoga for Inner Peace & Restoring Harmony

Woman meditating peacefully outdoors by the water.

Yoga can be a great tool in cultivating inner peace and restoring harmony, especially during these uncertain times. To return to a more peaceful state of mind, it is best to engage in grounding and calming postures. When we feel anxious and stressed, our nervous system tends to be disturbed, and hence brings us out of alignment. Being out of alignment for extended periods of time can lead to physical and mental conditions. For this reason, it’s important to be conscious of our physical and mental state, and take care of our bodies and mind. This article will share 6 yoga poses that are helpful in cultivating inner peace and restoring harmony. If you ever catch yourself feeling out of sorts, simply roll out your mat and practice these poses.

6 Best Yoga Poses for Inner Peace

1. Child’s Pose – Balasana

Woman resting in a restorative Child's Pose.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Start on all 4’s in a table top position.
  2. Open up your knees mat distance apart, and bring the big toes to touch, heels slightly apart.
  3. Begin to lower your hips down towards the heels.
  4. Extend your arms forward, walking your hands further out towards the top of your mat.
  5. Bring your chest and forehead as close to the ground as possible.
  6. Stay here for 8-10 deep breaths through the nose. Use your inhale to lengthen through the back, and your exhale to go deeper into the pose.

Benefits of this Pose:

  • Relieves tensions and stiffness from the chest, shoulders and back
  • Helps with fatigue, anxiety and stress
  • Stimulates the body’s internal organs which keeps them supple and more active

2. Butterfly/Cobbler’s Pose – Baddha Konasana

Woman in a seated Butterfly or Cobbler's pose.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Start in a comfortable seated position.
  2. Bring the palms of your feet together.
  3. Interlace your fingers around your feet or toes and keep your back straight.
  4. On your inhale, lengthen through the back and as you exhale, begin to lower your chest towards the feet and floor.
  5. Stay here for 10 breaths, deeply breathing in and out through the nose.

Benefits of this Pose:

  • Stretches the inner thighs, knees, and groins.
  • Helps to relieve anxiety, fatigue, and mild depression.
  • Great pose for calming the mind.

3. Wide–Legged Seated Forward Bend - Upavistha Konasana

Woman in a calming Wide-Legged Seated Forward Fold.

How to get into this pose:

  1. Start in a comfortable seated position. Extend your right leg out first, and then your left leg.
  2. Keep both feet flexed so that the toes are facing up towards the ceiling.
  3. Rotate your hip forward, and bring the hands in front of you.
  4. Take a deep inhale, lengthen your back, relax the shoulders down and on your exhale, either stay in an elevated position, or bring yourself onto your forearms.
  5. Stay here for 8-10 deep breaths.

Benefits of this pose:

  • Relieves tension and stress from the hips and lower back.
  • Calms the nervous system down and helps to relieve anxiety.
  • Stretches hamstrings and groins.

4. Plow Pose – Halasana

Woman in Plow Pose, an inversion for calming the nervous system.

How to Get into this Pose:

  1. Start with laying on your back. Lift up one leg at a time, and flex both feet towards the ceiling.
  2. Press into your palms and lift your hips up into your shoulder stand.
  3. Bring your hands on your lower back for extra support, keeping the elbows on the mat.
  4. Begin to bring your legs over your head, until the tops of your feet are touching the ground.
  5. Make sure you don’t move your neck from side to side, in order to protect it.
  6. Stay in this pose for 10-15 deep breaths through the nose.

Benefits of this Pose:

  • Stretches the spine, shoulders, and back of the legs.
  • Stimulates abdominal organs and promotes better digestion.
  • Calms the mind, reduces stress, fatigue, and mild depression.

5. Happy Baby - Ananda Balasana

Woman in a relaxing Happy Baby pose.

How to Get into This Pose:

  1. Start by laying on your back, with your knees towards the chest.
  2. Reach for the outside of our feet with your hands.
  3. Open up the knees as wide as you can, allowing the knees to reach as close to the ground as possible.
  4. Keep your lower back glued to the mat, and your shoulders are relaxed away from the ears.
  5. Stay here for 10-15 breaths, allowing all the tension and cramps to slowly dissolve and relieve.

Benefits of this Pose:

  • Stretches and opens hips, inner thighs and groin.
  • Relieves lower back tension and pain.
  • Soothes the nervous system.

6. Legs Up the Wall Pose – Viparita Karani

Woman relaxing with her legs up against a wall.

How to get into this pose:

  1. Start with laying on your back, and place the palms of your feet on the floor, close to your hips.
  2. Lift up one leg at a time, and flex both feet towards the ceiling.
  3. Keep your lower back grounded into the mat, your shoulders away from the ears and your core slightly engaged.
  4. Stay here for 10-15 deep breaths through the nose, allowing your body to fully relax.

Benefits of this pose:

  • Relieves swollen ankles and varicose veins.
  • Restores tired feet or legs.
  • Regulates blood flow and calms anxiety.
  • Relieves symptoms of mild depressions and insomnia.

Free Online Yoga Class for Inner Peace

Join me for a free online gentle yoga practice for inner peace. This is a guided yoga practice that will help you ground, soothe the nervous system, and help you restore your harmony. Be sure to check out our Best Yoga Poses for Depression and Stress Relief for additional information on how to relieve stress and anxiety.

I hope you find this article helpful!

With Love,

Yana Thompson