I know it's only February, but honestly, 2019 has been a really long year so far. Like, I think I've done more face masks in the past month alone than I did in the entire six months before that, so you know it's been trying. In these astrologically-intense and constantly busy times, self-care is a must — and trying to incorporate a quick mind/body/spirit moment of zen into your day is a super important practice! One easy way to accomplish this? Master a daily yoga pose. And choosing a yoga pose based on your zodiac sign will make things even more fun and personalized — as there are certain positions that can be especially relaxing for people with certain tendencies. As a balance-obsessed, conflict-averse Libra, I can attest to this. If I can't make the world around me a completely balanced place, I can at least work on my own literal balance, right?
Bustle spoke with Paula Pavlova, astrology expert and co-founder of lunar-themed wellness box Moonbox, about the intersection between yoga and astrology and how we can reap the benefits of synthesizing these two modalities. "Yoga is for every ‘body’, every sign, intention, and every kind of person. The practice itself is a deep dive into oneself to help us understand why we tick the way we do and love ourselves for it," Pavlova explains. "Similarly, Astrology is another fantastic practice and tool for self-study that can be incredibly revealing and helpful, especially in conjunction with Yoga. I like to think of both of these practices as healing modalities to befriend yourself and tap into your true essence."
Bustle chatted with Pavlova to get the scoop on the best yoga poses for each zodiac sign in order to "align with that particular energy and celestial makeup." Check out what pose you should be incorporating into your daily practice — take a deep breath, and go!
Aries: Navasana (Boat Pose)
You're basically a big ol' fireball of energy at all times, Aries. And whether that energy is physical, emotional, or sexual, it can be overwhelming — and we certainly don't want anything getting in the way of your drive to make things happen, so it's helpful to have a yoga pose that can meet you at your level of intensity. "Boat is a powerhouse of a core strengthening pose and Aries is the ultimate powerhouse sign, moving with a fiery blaze through any challenge with beauty and grace," explains Pavlova. Use this one to avoid one of your classic Aries blowouts.
Taurus: Vrksasana (Tree Pose)
Taurus, our sweet lil' Earth Mama, queen of the earthly pleasures. You love nothing more than feeling rooted, comforted, and deeply in your body, so a solid tree pose will be ultra relaxing for you. "Connecting to the element of Earth in any way we can is grounding and healing," shares Pavlova. "Tree Pose is in essence that, a posture that inspires grounded patience, presence, and an overall sense of fortitude and balance, much needed to tame and temper a wild bull." Any time you need an extra bit of grounding, try this pose.
Gemini: Garudasana (Eagle Pose)
This pose is a little complex — but that's OK, Gemini, because so are you! Your thoughts can easily race at a mile a minute, so fully concentrating your mental and physical energy on a pose like this one will help you chill and find a moment of quiet. "Ruled by the element of Air, Geminis possess a unique ability to float between social circles, experiences, and curiosities," explains Pavlova. "Eagle is just playful enough to pique their interest while offering the benefits of stability to help focus Gemini’s easily distractible energy and channel their energy towards something good."
Cancer: Balasana (Child’s Pose)
Cancers love to feel safe and protected (hence their crabby lil' shells), and this soothing, simple pose is the perfect way to unwind. "Child’s pose is a deep bow to the Earth, offering a soothing and cozy feeling as if you were in the comfort of your own home — a Cancer’s favorite place," says Pavlova. "This is the perfect pose for when a Cancer may be feeling overwhelmed and needs to take shelter for just a moment without fully retreating into their shell." Who needs an exoskeleton when you can just crawl into child's pose real quick?
Leo: Salamba Bhujangasana (Sphinx Pose)
You've got no shortage of energy and passion to share, Leo, and this simple back bend is an ideal pose to help you restore your energy after a long day/month/year of giving and zealously accomplishing your goals. "Regal and stunning by nature, Leo and the Sphinx couldn’t be a better match," explains Pavlova. "Also serving as a perfect pose to practice lion’s breath in, Sphinx offers relaxation for the lumbar spine and reproductive organs (the creative center of the body) while opening up the heart (the intention center) to lead with love like a true Leo would!"
Virgo: Utkata Konasana (Goddess Pose)
Virgos: The zodiac's detail-oriented, nature-vibing Cinderellas. "Often dubbed the Earth Maiden, Virgo is considered the caretaker of nature, signing to the birds and the bees while tending to branches and the trees," says Pavlova. "What better pose to describe these traits than the Goddess Stance, grounded, loving, patient, and powerful." It can be depleting to feel so responsible and meticulously attentive to others, so a little yoga at the end of your day can be a big game changer.
Libra: Ardha Chandrasana Or Chopasa (Half Moon Pose)
Little miss princess of the scales, Libra — life's not fair sometimes, but not if you can help it. Exert your balancing powers via yoga poses to offset the imbalances in the world you can't control. "Governor of all things balanced, just, and beautiful; the meaning of Libra can be most beautifully depicted by the balancing act of Half Moon Pose which is like a delicate dance through gravity, expanding in every direction while opening the heart," explains Pavlova. "All balancing poses are perfect for any Libra ... but this one happens to tick all the boxes with beauty in its expression[.]"
Scorpio: Shalabhasana (Locust Pose)
Quiet and unassuming yet incredibly intense and focused, this pose will resonate with any Scorpio — and hopefully help you find your chill on those days when you can feel your lethal stinger filling up with poison. "Locust is a strong and vigorous pose designed to strengthen the pelvic floor, the core, and the legs while activating every muscle in the body to support the pose," shares Pavlova. "Scorpio is considered the most sensual, passionate, and intense of all the signs making this pose the perfect expression of a Scorpios deep desire to feel it all."
Sagittarius: Viparita Virabhadrasana II (Reverse Warrior II)
Forever on the go, aren't you, Sag? Slow things down for a second and hop into this very sign-appropriate pose to help you focus your unbridled energy on your goals. "Known as the Archer, aiming her arrow towards hopes, dreams, optimism, joy and devotion, Reversed (or exalted) Warrior couldn’t be a more appropriate pose to assign to a Sagittarius," explains Pavlova. "The benefits of a Warrior pose are grounding, tenaciousness, and focus, which is exactly what a Sagittarius needs to keep their eyes on the prize and off of the next sparkly thing that floats by."
Capricorn: Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Just like the mountain goat that your sign is represented by, Cap, you're always steadily truckin' uphill — and this pose can help you to stop and chill for a moment to catch your breath. "Mountain Pose is seemingly simple but in reality, it’s pretty complex and can be considered the foundation of every other pose," shares Pavlova. "Capricorn energy is motivated by nature but can easily burn out if not committed to a steady pace. Practicing holding a strong Mountain on a regular basis can help establish the sense of fortitude needed to take on any goal, big or small[.]"
Aquarius: Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Facing Bow Or Wheel)
You're a visionary, sweet Aqua baby, and we need your self-care game to be high at all times so you can continue bestowing your gifts on the rest of the world. "Aquarius is the most ingenious, inspiration, and imaginative of all the signs, always finding a new and better way to approach an issue or creating a new design, solution, even a revolution," explains Pavlova. "Upward Facing Bow is a HUGE heart-opening energizer, giving an Aquarius the boost they need to keep dreaming, inspiring, and creating a better world with a wide open heart!" Aww.
Pisces: Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
Fish pose for our lil' zodiac fish, Pisces. It makes sense! And given that you feel things so deeply and intensely, a bit of yoga will be super beneficial in helping you work through those emotions physically. "[Fish Pose] can be practiced on its own, or supported by a block to open the heart and throat, the spaces of intention and truth," shares Pavlova. "Naturally, Fish Pose is the choice for the most spiritual of all signs — Pisces, which is depicted by two fish swimming in opposite directions melding the spiritual and material worlds into one."
