Asana

A yoga instructor performing an asana

An asana

Asana is a Sanskrit word that literally means a seat but in the practice of yoga refers to a pose or posture. In Patanjali's yoga sutras Asana means, mainly, sitting for meditation.

The practice of asana involves stretching and moving the body into various positions. With practice, the body can be made to remain in a given position for a longer period of time, comfortably. When a degree of comfort is attained in a given posture, it becomes Asana . In general, however, the term is also used to refer to physical yoga exercises in general.

The practice of asanas is very good for muscle flexibility, and many practitioners believe the positions massage and bring balance to the various internal glands and organs of the body, and that they facilitate and balance the flow of prana (vital energy) in the body.

This physical aspect of yoga has been much popularised in the western world and is practiced by a great deal of people, including many celebrities like Madonna, which has given rise to a misconception that asanas are all there is to yoga. This is not true. Yoga asanas such as shirsasana (headstand), etc. (see below) are actually part of Hatha Yoga, which itself is just one of several different ways of practising and approaching yoga. For example, in Patanjali's work referred to above, Asana is classified as the third rung in the ladder of the practice of Raja Yoga, which consists of 8 limbs: Yama and Niyama, which are ethical obligations, Asana , Pranayama, which is breath control, Pratyahara, which is sense withdrawal, Dharana, which is concentration, Dhyana, which is meditation, and Samadhi, which is the experience of unity with God.

Conditions & general directions for Good Asana

The Asana should be firm and easy. It should be steady and not cause discomfort of any kind. Any tightness or tension observed in the body should be consciously relaxed. It should be a comfortable posture in which he or she can sit for a long time. The Asana should be effortless both in the body and in the mind. Absolute ease of relaxation is the sign of perfected Asana. The breathing should be a natural rhythm, through the nose, breathing into the belly and not into the chest.

According to Hatha Yoga practitioners, when this bodily control is mastered, they are free from what they call the 'pairs of opposites,' such as heat and cold, hunger and thirst, joy and grief, and so on.

Listed below are traditional directions for performing Yogasana:

A glass of fresh water should be taken before performing asanas.
Stomach should be empty. Asanas can be performed 8 hours after a meal, 2 hours after a glass of milk and one hour after eating fruit.
Always perform asanas early in the morning.If this is not possible,the next best time would be evening around dusk.
Rich, very dry, left-overs, very hot or too much food should be avoided.
Force or pressure should not be used while performing asanas.
One must not go out in the cold after performing asanas.
Lower the head and other parts of the body slowly; in particular, raised heels should be lowered slowly.
The breathing should be controlled and should always be through the nose. The benefits of asanas increase if pranayama is performed simultaneously.
If the body is stressed, perform Shavasana.
Asanas should be performed in a well-lit, clean and ventilated room. The atmosphere should be peaceful.
A light physical exercise, followed by yogasana, pranayama and meditation is the ideal sequence.
Yogasanas, especially inverted poses, are to be avoided during menstruation. In contrast, modern teachers do recommend Yogasana for relief from cramps during this period.
During pregnancy, after the first 3 months, exercises that require lying on stomach are to be avoided. (Inverted poses should be avoided especially in the third trimester - This site recommends it for pregnancy - not too sure, clarification requested. )
Yoga Poses
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of yoga asanas (since in reality, any bodily position comfortably held could be an Asana). There is a wealth of knowledge in books and on the internet, but it is better to begin practicing with an experienced yoga instructor, who can see if you are performing the position correctly, and can prevent you from hurting yourself by overstretching. These days it is not difficult to find yoga instructors, although good ones are perhaps harder to come by. Yogaasana can be relaxing, gentle, athletic and invigorating, and they can be done standing or sitting.

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