A regular yoga practice can be a very effective way of treating anxiety. Read more about how yoga can be helpful for anxiety. 

Yoga practices for anxiety

Yoga practices which can be particularly beneficial for anxiety include:

Mindfulness Meditation

Open Monitoring

Inversion poses and passive backbends

Forward bends

  •  Forward Bends especially when they are supported, help relieve an anxious mind

Active poses

Active poses like Warrior poses and Sun Salutations help engage the mind and avoid restlessness

The aim of these postures is to

  • Bring awareness to the breath and calm it
  • Focus the mind in the present and calm it
  • Soften tension from the muscles and face
  • Relax the muscles which can lead to a more relaxed mind

While moving in these postures, pay attention to the way your body feels and notice the sensation of the breath moving in and out of your nostrils. This will help ground you in the present moment, which reduces anxiety and worry about the future.

When a pose feels challenging, this may be an opportunity to hold it a little bit longer or extend the stretch a bit further (without pain) to safely experience the sensation of stillness within difficult moments. Yoga poses can show us how difficult emotions and sensations often change and fade away just as quickly as they arise.

Iyengar for anxiety

The poses below have been taken from B.K.S Iyengar (2008 edition), Yoga The Path To Holistic Health as particularly helpful for anxiety.

Hold each one for 5 deep breaths.

1 Tadasana Samasthiti

1 Tadasana Samasthiti

2 Tadasana Urdhva Hastasana

2 Tadasana Urdhva Hastasana

3 Uttanasana

3 Uttanasana

4 Prasarita Padottonasana

4 Prasarita Padottonasana

5 Adhomukha Svanasana

5 Adhomukha Svanasana

6 Salamba Sirsasana

6 Salamba Sirsasana

7 Uttanasana (2)

7 Uttanasana (2)

8 Utthita Trikonasana

8 Utthita Trikonasana

9 Ardha Chandrasana

9 Ardha Chandrasana

10 Viparita Dandasana

10 Viparita Dandasana

11 Ustrasana

11 Ustrasana

12 Adhomuka Swastikasana

12 Adhomuka Swastikasana

13 Adhomukha Virasana

13 Adhomukha Virasana

14 Janu Sirsasna

14 Janu Sirsasna

15 Paschimottonasana

15 Paschimottonasana

16 Upavista Konasana

16 Upavista Konasana

17 Baddhakonasana

17 Baddhakonasana

18 Supta Baddhakonasana

18 Supta Baddhakonasana

19 Supta Virasana

19 Supta Virasana

20 Setubandha Sarvangasana

20 Setubandha Sarvangasana

21 Viparita Karani

21 Viparita Karani

22 Savasana

22 Savasana