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14-September-2008 12:50:21 - Asana Not to be confused with Ya-Asana. Padmasana or Lotus pose is a more advanced seated posture Padmasana or Lotus pose is a more advanced seated posture Ardha Padmasana or Half Lotus pose is an intermediate seated posture Ardha Padmasana or Half Lotus pose is an intermediate seated posture Asana Sanskrit आसन sitting down आस to sit down1 is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, intended primarily to restore and maintain a practitioner's well-being, improve the body's flexibility and vitality, and promote the ability to remain in seated mation for extended periods.2 In the context of Yoga practice, asana refers to two things: the place where a practitioner yogin general usage; yogi male; yogini female sits and the manner posture in which s/he sits.3 In the Yoga sutras, Patanjali suggests that asana is to be seated in a position that is firm, but relaxed.4 As the repertoire of postures has expanded and moved beyond the simple sitting posture over the centuries, modern usage has come to include variations from lying on the back and standing on the head, to a variety of other positions.2In the Yoga sutras, Patanjali mentions the execution of an asana as the third of the eight limbs of Classical or Raja yoga.5 The word asana in Sanskrit does appear in many contexts denoting a static physical position, although, as noted, traditional usage is specific to the practice of yoga. Traditional usage defines asana as both singular and plural. In English, plural for asana is defined as asanas. In addition, English usage within the context of yoga practice sometimes specifies yogasana or yoga asana, particularly with regard to the system of the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. That said, yogasana is also the name of a particular posture that is not specifically associated with the Vinyasa system, and that while ashtanga small 'a' refers to the eight limbs of Yoga delineated below, Ashtanga capital 'A' refers to the specific system of Yoga developed by Sri Krishnamacharya at the Mysore Palace. Contents 1 Third of the eight limbs 2 Variety of asanas 3 Common practices 3.1 Pranayama and asana 4 Surya Namaskara 5 Benefits of practice 6 Some common asanas 7 See also 8 References Third of the eight limbs In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali describes asana as the third of the eight limbs of classical, or Raja Yoga. Asanas are the physical movements of yoga practice and, in combination with pranayama or breathing techniques constitute the style of yoga referred to as Hatha Yoga.6 In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali describes asana as a firm, comfortable posture, referring specifically to the seated posture, most basic of all the asanas. He further suggests that mation is the path to samadhi; transpersonal self-realization. 7 The eight limbs are, in order, the yamas restrictions, niyamas observances, asanas postures, pranayama breath work, pratyahara sense withdrawal or non-attachment, dharana concentration, dhyana mation, and samadhi realization of the true Self or Atman, and unity with Brahman the Hindu and Vedantic interpretation of God, also the Taoist Supreme Ultimate, the Judaic Yahweh, the Islamic Allah, or simply the Godhead, etc..57 Variety of asanas In his Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, Swami Vishnu-devananda published a compilation of 66 basic postures and 136 variations of those postures. 8 Sri Dharma Mittra suggested that there are an infinite number of asanas.citation needed, when, in 1975, he set out to catalogue the vast number of asanas in the Master Yoga Chart of 908 Postures, as an offering of devotion to his guru, Swami Kailashananda Maharaj. Through this effort, he compiled 1300 variations, derived from gurus, and yogis, as well as both ancient and contemporary texts.9 Although it is impossible to establish a complete and exact set of yoga postures, this work is considered a leading collection by students and yogis alike.1011 Common practices In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali suggests that the only requirement for practicing asanas is that it be steady and comfortable.5 The body is held poised, and relaxed, with the practitioner experiencing no discomfort. When control of the body is mastered, practitioners free themselves from the duality of heat/cold, hunger/satiety, joy/grief, which is the first step toward the unattachment that relieves suffering. 12 This non-dualistic perspective comes from the Sankya school of the Himalayan Masters. 13 Students in Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana High lunge Students in Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana High lunge Listed below are traditional practices for performing asana:citation needed. The stomach should be relatively empty. Force or pressure should not be used, and the body should not tremble. Lower the head and other parts of the body slowly; in particular, raised heels should be lowered slowly. The breathing should be controlled. The benefits of asanas increase if the specific pranayama to the yoga type is performed. If the body is stressed, perform Corpse Pose or Child Pose Some claim that asanas, especially inverted poses, are to be avoided during menstruation.14 Others deny this view. Asanas are generally not performed on floor, but on Yoga mats instead. Pranayama and asana Main article: Pranayama Pranayama, or breath control, is the Fourth Limb of ashtanga, as set out by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra. The practice is an integral part of both Hatha Yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in the execution of asanas. Patanjali discusses his specific approach to pranayama in verses 2.49 through 2.51, and devotes verses 2.52 and 2.53 of the Sutra, explaining there the benefits of the practice.15 Patanjali describes pranayama as the control of the enhanced life force that is a result of practicing the various breathing techniques, rather than the exercises themselves.1617 The entirety of breathing practices, those classified as pranayama, and other is called svarodaya, or the science of Breath. It is a vast practice that goes far byond the limits of pranayama as applied to asana. 18 Surya Namaskara Adho Mukha Svanasana, Sun Salutation no. 5, 8 Adho Mukha Svanasana, Sun Salutation no. 5, 8 Main article: Surya Namaskara Surya Namaskara, or the Sun Salutation, is a form of worshiping Surya, the Hindu solar deity by concentrating on the Sun, for vitalization. The physical aspect of the practice links together twelve asanas in a dynamically expressed series. A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses, with a change in the second set where the opposing leg is moved first. The asanas included in the sun salutation differ from tradition to tradition. Benefits of practice This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. August 2008 The physical aspect of yoga, the asanas, has been much popularized in the West, and devoted celebrity practitioners like Madonna and Sting have contributed to the increased visibility of the practice. Physically, of the practice of asanas is considered that it improves: muscle flexibility tendon strength stamina better functioning of respiratory system empiric evidences suggest it helps control blood pressure and other issues related to the functioning of the circulatory system improvement in health problems related to stress1 The emphasis on the physical part has given rise to the perception that yoga consists only of asana practice. A more esoteric intention is to facilitate the flow of prana vital energy; qi in Chinese; ki in Japanese to aid in balancing the koshas sheaths of the physical and metaphysical body. Depending on the level of mastery, the practitioner of asanas is supposed to achieve many supernatural abilities. For instance, a yogi who has mastered Mayurasana will not be affected by eating any poison. Some common asanas Main article: list of hatha yoga postures Uttanasana Standing Forward Bend Paschimottanasana Intense stretch of the west Adho Mukha Svanasana Downward Facing Dog Bhujangasana Cobra Dhanurasana Bow Halasana Plow Urdhva Dhanurasana Upward Bow Sarvangasana Shoulder Stand Shirsasana Head Stand Shavasana Corpse Pose Vajrasana Diamond Pose Vrksasana Tree Pose See also Karanas Yoga Raja Yoga Pranayama Mudra Kriya Majick References ^ Monier-Williams, Sir Monier 1899. A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford Clarendon Press, p. 159 ^ a b Feuerstein, Georg 1996. The Shambhala Guide to Yoga. Shambhala Publications, Boston. pp. 26 ^ Patanjali Yoga sutras by Swami Prabhavananda , published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math ISBN 81-7120-221-7 p. 111 ^ Verse 46, chapter II; for translation referred: Patanjali Yoga Sutras by Swami Prabhavananda , published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math ISBN 81-7120-221-7 p. 111 ^ a b c Patanjali ± 300-200 B.C. Yoga sutras, Book II:29 ^ Arya, Pandit Usharbudh aka Swami Veda Bharati 1977/1985. Philosophy of Hatha Yoga. Himalayan Institute Press, Pennsylvania. ^ a b Swami Prabhavananda Translator, Christopher Isherwood Translator, Patanjali Author 1996, 2nd ed.. Vedanta Press. ^ Vishnu-devananda, Swami 1959 The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga ^ Mittra, Dharma, 2003 Asanas: 608 Yoga Poses, ISBN 1-57731-402-6 ^ Yoga.com and Dharma is often mentioned among other leading yogis writing on Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, and other classical and contemproy texts ^ Yoga Journal, Talking Shop with Dharma MittraDharma Mittra - the master teacher behind the 908 yoga asana poster -shares his insight on the practice ^ Feuerstein, Georg 2003. The Deeper Dimensions of Yoga: Theory and Practice. Shambhala Publications, Massacheusetts. ^ Rama, Swami 1980. Living with the Himalayan Masters. Himalayan Institute Press, Pennsylvania; India. ^ Effect of Inverted Yoga Postures on Menstruation Pregnancy ^ Taimni, I. K. 1996. The Science of Yoga. Adyar, Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House. ISBN 81-7059-212-7. Eight reprint ion. ^ Kriyananda, Swami. The Art and Science of Raja Yoga, ISBN 81-208-1876-8 ^ Yogananda, Paramhansa, The Essence of Self-Realization, ISBN 0-916124-29-0 ^ Rama, Swami 1988. Path of Fire and Light, Vols. 1 2. Himalayan Institute Press, Pennsylvania; India. v d e Yoga Classic Yogas Bhakti yoga · Karma Yoga · Jnana Yoga · Raja Yoga Other Yogas Agni Yoga · Anahata Yoga · Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga · Dream Yoga · Hatha yoga · Integral yoga · Kriya yoga · Kundalini yoga · Natya Yoga · Six Yogas of Naropa Tummo · Sahaja Yoga · Surat Shabd Yoga · Viniyoga · Yantra Yoga · Yoga Nidra Texts Bhagavad Gita · Yoga Sutras · Hatha Yoga Pradipika · Gheranda Samhita · Shiva Samhita Raja Yoga limbs Yama · Niyama · Asana · Pranayama · Pratyahara · Dharana · Dhyana · Samadhi Lists Yoga schools and their gurus · Hatha yoga postures Related topics Ayurveda · Chakra · Mantra · Tantra · Vedanta · Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine · Nadi Category Retrieved from http://en..org/wiki/Asana Categories: Yoga positions | Sanskrit words and phrasesHidden categories: All articles with statements | Articles with statements since October 2007 | Articles needing additional references from August 2008 Views Article Discussion this page History Personal tools Log in / create account Navigation Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Search Go Search Interaction Community portal Recent changes Contact Donate to Help Toolbox What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Printable version Permanent link Cite this page Languages Deutsch Español Français í•œêµì–´ हिनà¥?दी Italiano Lietuvių मराठी Nederlands Polski Português РуÑ?Ñ?кий SlovenÄ?ina СрпÑ?ки / Srpski Suomi Svenska This page was last modified on 11 September 2008, at 19:54
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