“If you look after the root of the tree, the fragrance and flowering will come by itself. If you look after the body, the fragrance of the mind and spirit will come of itself.” – B. K. S. Iyengar
The Patanjali’s Yoga sutra 2.46 gives us a definition of asana (poses or postures of yoga) as:
स्थिरसुखमासनम् sthira-sukham-asanam
“The practice of yoga should be steady, stable as well as comfortable.”
“Asana is a perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit.”;
“Asana is a steady comfortable posture.”
“Asana is a perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit.”;
or “Asana is a steady comfortable posture”.
Although there are so many interpretations for this sutra, most of them translate the Sanskrit word “Asana” to pose or posture. The root of the word asana in Sanskrit, “as”, means “to take one seat”.
We can interpret it as being here and now in this present moment, in harmony with our present experience and feelings, connecting the body with the mind through our breathing, finding a relationship and synchrony between ease and steadiness – the ease in an asana and the steadiness of the mind along with the presence of mind in the present moment.
“Sitting is like coming home; returning to ourselves; when we sit properly, not only the body sits, but also the mind joins in and sits with the body. With our center of gravity closer to Mother Earth, we become stable and quiet. In this relaxed, neutral state we can observe our tendencies: face our impatience, boredom, restlessness, agitation, etc. We can also follow our breath and just enjoy being in the ‘here and now’, savoring the present (gift) of being present at the present moment.” -Shifroni, Eyal, in “Volume 2: Sitting asanas and forward extensions”
Presently, some say there are 84.000 known asanas, of these 84 are the most significant, 32 crucial, and 7 basics in the yoga practice. The majority of postures are associated with or connected to nature, symbols, or animals.
We can see how long we came when we look back at the ancient book Hatha Yoga Pradipika (the oldest Hatha yoga text written), that only contemplated and discussed 16 poses in detail, were 6 of these were sitting poses to prepare the body for meditation. Traditionally, asanas were practiced to feel comfortable, steady, and at ease in seated postures, to improve health, and keep the practitioners feeling light on the body.
The yoga postures promote the toning and cleaning of the inner and exterior body, massage the internal organs, strength and align the spine, promote blood circulation, and increase physical strength, flexibility and balance.
On a mental level, they calm and free the mind, maintain the nervous system, and help to reduce stress and anxiety.
“Mahatma Gandhi did not practice all the aspects of yoga. He only followed two of its principles – non-violence and truth, yet through these two aspects of yoga, he mastered his own nature and gained independence for India. If part of yama could make Mahatma Gandhi so great, so pure, so honest and so divine, should it not be possible to take another limb of yoga – asana – and through it reach the highest level of spiritual development? Many of you may say that performing asana is a physical discipline, but if you speak in this way without knowing the depth of asana, you have already fallen from the grace of yoga.“ – The Tree of Yoga in the chapter: The depth of asana
We can classify the asanas taking into consideration the position of the body in a yoga posture.
Yoga poses categories
Standing poses;
Sitting Poses;
Forward bending poses;
Twisting poses;
Backbends;
Supine and prone poses;
Inverted poses;
Balancing poses;
Reclining and relaxation asanas.
Standing Poses
Standing asanas tend to be more energetically uplifting and opening, creating the foundation for our practice, building strength, flexibility, and power, refreshing the body and mind by removing tension, aches, and pains, providing stability in our legs and building the muscle actions required for more advanced asanas.
They also relieve digestion and constipation, regulate the kidneys, detox the heart and lungs, and improve circulation and breathing, mobility, and spatial awareness.
Another reason why beginners should first practice this type of pose is to learn how to use the legs in order to activate the lower torso (when we extend the muscles of the legs we get free movement of the legs, giving a free space to extend the spine) and to use the arms to activate the upper torso (so that the shoulders retain flexibility and the chest is opened, improving breathing, circulation, agility, lightness of the body and mind).
Standing poses teach us to activate and integrate all of our elements: we get rooting and grounding from our feet (earth); we sense flow and movement within us (water); we generate and release energy and enthusiasm (fire); we open the chest and relax our skin to enable continuous, uninterrupted breathing and bring lightness (air); and we develop awareness of our inner organs and the space within us (ether). – Shifroni, Eyal, in “Props for Yoga: A Guide to Iyengar Yoga Practice with Props”
Sitting asanas
These postures are essential for yoga practice because they not only prepare the body for meditation, pranayama, and the mind at the beginning of a class in a calming and nurturing way, but they also allow long sitting stays with stability and balance.
They remove fatigue, provide healthy sleep, refresh the brain and soothe the nervous system, improve circulation and also give vitality when practiced with the correct alignment of the pelvis and spine.
Forward bending poses
Forward bends give us a deeper internal awareness and as the previous asanas are also calming and soothing to the nervous system.
They work and open the hamstrings, lower back, and the backside of the body, they also release tension, detox the liver and intestines, improve digestion, and constipation, massage internal organs, and finally, they increase circulation providing fresh blood and oxygen to the brain.
Twisting asanas
Twists help us to alleviate headaches, backaches, and stiffness in the shoulders and neck, the spine becomes more flexible and the hips move more freely. When we turn the trunk, we activate and exercise the kidneys and abdominal organs, improving, therefore, digestion, and detoxifying the glands and organs.
Twists are stimulating if they are done after forward bends and cooling and soothing if you do them after backbends.
Backbends
These types of postures are strengthening, rejuvenating, and creating heat, therefore they should not be practiced close to the time for sleep. They give courage, energy, and battle depression for the reason that they release held emotional energy. They open the chest, upper back, and front groin, make the spine flexible, and the arms and shoulders become more strong.
After backbends, we should practice cooling asanas like twists or forward bends to allow the realignment of the spine.
Supine and prone poses
Increase mobility in the spine and hips, open the groins, and stretch the abdomen. They also strengthen the back, arms, and legs and could be also restful asanas and others are restful. These postures can be practiced intensively or quietly.
Inverted asanas
The inverted poses revitalize the whole system since they reverse the effects of gravity. So by inverting the inner organs they activate parts that function more slowly, improve circulation and tone the glandular system, strengthen the upper body, and nervous system, improve digestion and constipation, help with concentration, and are a wonderful aid to sleep.
This type of asana should not be practiced during menstruation or pregnancy.
Balancing poses
The balancing poses require focus, stamina, and strength as they develop lightness, poise, coordination, concentration, and agility. With these poses, we achieve muscle tone and enormous control over the body.
Reclining and relaxation postures
These asanas are usually done at the end of the practice to allow the body to cool down and give peace to the body and mind. They balance the nervous system, decrease fatigue and at the same time increase mental clarity.
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