Yoga For Balance: Finding Harmony In Body, Mind & Energetic Body & 9 Best Balancing Yoga Poses

Balance is something that we all strive for in our lives.

Whether it’s balancing our work and personal life, our rest and self-care practices with fitness and other activities, or our relationships and boundaries, finding a sense of harmony, stability, and centering is key to living a fulfilling life.

In yoga, finding balance involves the body, mind, and spirit.

Maintaining a good physical balance can help you prevent injuries, improve your posture, and even improve your mental well-being.

When we dive deeper into what it truly means to be and feel in harmony beyond the physical body, is where yoga for balance practices can support your life.

In this article, we’ll discuss the best yoga for balance postures and techniques, as well as the many benefits of practicing yoga to improve inner and outer balance.

Here you’ll find:

• 18 benefits of yoga for balance
• 9 best yoga poses for balance
• Yoga for balance beyond asana
• A free yoga for balance class

Let’s dive right into how yoga can help you find balance

18 Benefits of yoga for balance

When we speak about yoga for balance, we are talking about how these practices (from asana and pranayama to meditation and yogic philosophy) can help us not only find physical balance – which is very important for daily life and tasks – but also help us connect to a sense of alignment in body, mind, and energetic body.

10 Benefits of Yoga for physical balance

When we talk about stability and balance, it is all about finding the middle point between too much and too little, it’s about coming to center.

In yoga, this balancing point, is often found between Sthira and Sukha, also known as the concepts of balance and ease.

1. Improves posture.
2. Increases flexibility and range of motion.
3. Strengthens core muscles.
4. Reduces joint pain and stiffness.
5. Enhances proprioception, or the ability to sense the position of one’s body in space.
6. Improves balance and coordination.
7. Boosts circulation and lymphatic flow.
8. Increases bone density.
9. Reduces the risk of falls and injuries.
10. Promotes relaxation and reduces stress.

8 Benefits of yoga for mental & energetic balance

As a yoga and meditation teacher, I often speak with a wide range of people from all backgrounds, and when I ask them what they seek most in their life, the answer often is “a sense of balance”.

Even incorporating as little as ten minutes of yoga practice into your daily routine can make a significant difference in how you feel.

The practice of mindfulness and meditation that often accompanies yoga asana helps individuals to stay present in the moment, increase self-awareness, and promote emotional regulation.

Yoga has proven to be an effective method for improving mental health and overall well-being, and many individuals are using it to find a balance in their mental and emotional lives.

Here are some of the main mental and emotional benefits of yoga for balance:

1. Yoga helps calm the mind and reduce stress levels.
2. Practicing yoga for balance releases endorphins that help improve your mood and overall well-being.
3. Yoga trains the mind to focus and concentrate, which can help improve cognitive function.
4. Regular practice of yoga helps build self-confidence and improve self-esteem.
5. Yoga helps you clear the mind of clutter and enhances clarity of thought.
6. Yoga helps calm the mind and promote relaxation, improving the quality of your sleep.
7. Yoga helps stabilize emotions, reducing mood swings and emotional highs and lows.
8. Practicing yoga regularly helps build resilience and the ability to cope with life’s ups and downs.

9 Best yoga poses for balance

There are many yoga postures that you can incorporate into your Sadhana or daily practice if you’re seeking to bring more physical, mental, or energetic stability into your life.

Here are a few of the ones you could explore:

1# Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Mountain pose, also known as Tadasana, is a foundational yoga pose that can help improve physical balance, mental focus, and emotional stability when practiced regularly.

Mountain pose strengthens the muscles in the feet, legs, and core while promoting a natural spinal alignment. This helps improve overall posture, which is crucial for maintaining balance during movement.

Mentally and emotionally, Tadasana is a grounding and calming yoga pose for balance that helps to relieve stress and anxiety. By focusing on your breath and the physical sensations, you can cultivate a sense of peace and stability.

2# Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge Pose)

Anjaneyasana is good for balance because it challenges the practitioner to stabilize their body on one leg while stretching and strengthening the muscles in both legs and the core.

The practice of this yoga pose for balance helps to develop a better sense of coordination within the body. It teaches you to move different parts of your body in synchrony, which ultimately leads to better physical balance.

3# Virabhadrasana III (Warrior 3 pose)

A challenging and fun yoga for balance pose is Virabhadrasana III because it requires both physical and mental concentration and awareness.

Focusing on the breath and controlling the mind while in Warrior III pose can help promote feelings of calm and relaxation. This can be especially beneficial if you’re working on managing elevated levels of stress in your life.

4# Natarajasana (Dancer Pose)

This asana is inspired by the ancient Indian dance form known as Bharatanatyam. It is named after Lord Shiva, who is also known as Nataraja, the “Lord of the Dance.”

The pose represents the balance between the masculine and feminine aspects of the universe, as well as the balance between the left and right sides of the body.

This yoga for balance asana also symbolizes the joy and freedom of dance.

5# Garudasana (Eagle Pose)

Garuda is a mythical bird that represents strength, power, and freedom.

This is a pose that also draws inspiration from the shape of an eagle’s wings, which are wrapped around its body in a similar way to the pose.

The Garudasana pose is designed to balance the body, mind, and emotions through stretching, balancing, and twisting movements.

6# Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

This yoga for balance pose imitates a sturdy tree, rooting down into the ground while expanding upward toward the sky, with all its strength and all its weakness, just as it is.

Tree pose is an excellent posture to improve balance. Practicing this pose regularly strengthens the legs, feet, and ankles, which supports the body’s balance and stability.

7# Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose)

The practice of Ardha Chandrasana requires practitioners to take risks and challenge their balance.

As you become more confident and comfortable in this pose, which may require for you to use props for support, you may be able to transfer this sense of confidence to other areas of your life, gaining a sense of greater emotional balance and self-esteem.

8# Kakasana (Crow Pose)

Crow pose is an excellent yoga pose for balance because it requires core stability and poise in the arms and shoulders while balancing on the hands.

The pose helps to develop focus and concentration while improving overall physical balance.

9# Sirsasana (Supported Headstand Pose)

Headstand was traditionally practiced as a way to develop strength, balance, and concentration.

This pose is beneficial for physical balance as it requires the practitioner to engage their core, arms, and legs to maintain stability and prevent falling over.

This strengthens the muscles necessary for balance and improves overall physical stability.

This yoga for balance pose is an inversion that requires you to explore your proprioceptive abilities—awareness of your body and its position in space—to maintain being able to stay in the shape, which strengthens your mind-body connection and eventually can improve balance in other areas of your life.

Yoga for Balance Beyond Asana

Even though practicing some of these postures regularly will be of great support for you to work on your physical, mental, emotional, and energetic balance, there are practices beyond asana that can be of great support and can be more accessible.

For example, alternate nostril breathing, in Sanskrit Nadi Shodhana, is a breathwork technique designed to help you balance the energetic channels of the body; the nadis.

This practice is believed to help balance the flow of prana (life force energy) throughout the body, bringing you to a calmer, more harmonized state.

Learn more about this yoga for balance practice here.

There are many other yogic practices that can help you bring more balance into your life. Some of those include:

• Guided meditations
• Yoga nidra
• Chanting
• Japa Mala
• And many more…

A yoga for balance class

For a short, fun, and balance-promoting practice, check out this free class on Youtube:

Conclusion

Yoga is an excellent way to improve physical balance, mental clarity, concentration, and overall well-being.

Incorporating some of these yoga poses for balance can also help you develop better body awareness, improve your posture, and prevent injuries as well as live in more harmony.

For more information on yoga for balance postures, check out the archive here.