Both partners should be breathing and moving together, as one. Here are five great couples’ yoga poses for beginners, to get you started.
“The attitude of gratitude is the highest yoga”. –Yogi Bhajan
The word “yoga” derives its roots from the language, culture, and spiritual traditions of ancient India. Literally translated as “union,” yoga is all about oneness and unification. Yoga brings together the body, mind, and spirit. It unifies the individual self (the human being reading this article) with the higher self (the Universe and Existence Itself). Yoga can even create a powerful union between human beings… which makes it great for couples who want to form a deeper bond.
Couple’s yoga can help to invigorate trust, understanding, and love in romantic relationships. It is also known to strengthen bonds and enhance connectedness between partners. Couple Yoga leads to improved levels of communication, deeper expressions of postures and the encouragement of faith in one another.
In any couples’ yoga pose, the key is to coordinate the breathing and the movement. Both partners should be breathing and moving together, as one.
Please practice carefully, with love and kindness for yourself and your partner. Don’t push yourself or your partner too hard. If something hurts, stop doing it. Always make sure to communicate with each other about what you need and how you feel in each of these couples’ asanas.
Here are five great couples’ yoga poses for beginners, to get you started.
Bound Angle Pose
Bound angle pose is also known as Baddha Konasana, or Cobbler’s Pose. It is known to strengthen and improve flexibility in the inner thighs, groin, and knees, as well as soothing menstrual discomfort and digestive issues. This is perhaps the easiest of the couples’ yoga poses. Great for beginners.
Buddy Boat Pose
Paripurna Navasana, or “buddy boat pose,” is beneficial in toning and strengthening the abdominal muscles, improving the balance of the body and digestion, aiding in stress relief and improving confidence in the couples practicing it. While it may look more impressive than the bound angle pose above, buddy boat pose is also one of the easiest couples’ yoga poses that you can try at home.
Assisted Backbend
Assisted backbend, or Anuvittasana, is used to counteract hunched or rounded shoulders. It also helps to increase the mobility of the spine, improve posture, relieve stress, and open the heart & mind.
Since this posture can have a powerful opening effect on the spine, please make sure to practice slowly, gently, and carefully.
Flying Bow/Wheel Pose
Urdhva Dhanurasana is known to strengthen your arms, legs, abdomen, and spine. It also increases energy, counteracts depression and reduces the chances of asthma, back pain, infertility, and osteoporosis.
Compared with the simpler poses above, Flying Bow is a bit more advanced, as far as couples’ yoga poses go. If you are new to this or having difficulty, it might be helpful to have a teacher or friend to help you in and out of this pose, to make sure you don’t hurt yourself! The most important thing is to go slowly, easily, gently, and carefully.
Double Down Dog
Downward dog can help strengthen your upper body and increase your bone density. Also known as Adho Mukha Svanasana, downward dog is known to help with nasal congestion, build strong bones, and increase the blood flow to the face and brain, thereby providing a youthful glowing skin.
Like the flying wheel pose above, double down dog should be practiced with care.
Practicing these five couple’s yoga poses can strengthen your body and mind. Perhaps more importantly, though, they can help you strengthen your “yoga” (or “bond”) with yourself, your partner, and the Universe as a whole.
Please be sure to practice these poses slowly, gently, and carefully, in order to avoid hurting yourself or your partner. And if you want to really dive into your practice, feel free to contact one of our Yoga teacher training centers in India!
May you be well.
Namaste.