ASANA YOGA – Posture
The physical aspect of yoga is the third step on the path to freedom, and if we’re being honest, the word asana here doesn’t refer to the ability to perform a handstand or an aesthetically impressive backbend, it means ‘seat’ – specifically the seat you would take for the practice of meditation. The only alignment instruction Patanjali gives for this asana is “sthira sukham asanam”, the posture should be steady and comfortable.
Asana Yoga and its Types | IndianTechnoEra
While traditional texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika list many postures such as Padmasana (lotus pose) and Virasana (hero pose) suitable for meditation, this text also tells us that the most important posture is, in fact, sthirasukhasana – meaning, ‘a posture the practitioner can hold comfortably and motionlessness’.
The idea is to be able to sit in comfort so we’re not ‘pulled’ by aches and pains of the body, or restlessness due to an uncomfortable position. Perhaps this is something to consider in your next yoga class if you always tend to choose the ‘advanced’ posture offered, rather than the one your body is able to attain: “In how many poses are we really comfortable and steady?”
TYPE OF ASANAS
The asanas are poses mainly for health and strength. There are innumerable asanas, but not all of them are really necessary, I shall deal with only such asanas as are useful in curing ailments and maintaining good health. ARDHA CHAKRSANA (HALF WHEEL POSTURE)This posture resembles half wheel in final position, so it’s called Ardha Chakrasana or half wheel posture.
TADASANA (PALM TREE POSE)
In Sanskrit ‘Tada’ means palm tree. In the final position of this posture, the body is steady like a Palm tree, so this posture called as ‘Tadasana’.
The final position of this posture looks like a 'triangle' in shape, so it’s called Trikonasa or triangular stretch pose.
‘Veera Bhadra' is one of the Gana (can call as Soldier) of Lord Shiva. This pose dedicated to him, so this posture is called as Veerabhadrasana. This posture also called as Warrior pose.
PARSHWA KONASANA (SIDE ANGLE POSTURE)
In Sanskrit ‘Parshwa’ means Side, ‘Kona’ means angle. In the final position of this posture, the body forms a side angle, so this posture called as Parshwa Konasana.
The final position of this posture emulates the action of cobra raising itself just prior to striking at its prey, so it’s called cobra posture or Bhujangasan.
"Pada" means foot, "hasta" means hand. So the exact English translation is the foot hand pose. This asana widely called as the forward bending posture.
The final position of this posture looks like Camel, so its called camel posture or Ustrasana.
'Marjara' means Cat, this posture imitates the periodical upward and down word stretching of the Cat, so it’s called Marajarasana.
Paschima means back or west, 'uttana' means to stretch, in this posture back stretches nicely, so-called back stretching pose. This posture also called as Ugrasana.
Great yogi Matsyendra Nath did meditation in this posture. So this posture called as Ardha Matsyendrasana.
'Padma' means lotus, the final position of this posture looks like lotus, so it is called Padmasana.
‘Ananta shayana’ refers to Lord Vishnu. During ‘maha pralaya’ Lord Vishnu slept above ‘Adishesha’(1000 headed serpent) in this position. So this posture called as Ananta Shayanasana.
In Sanskrit ‘Pawan’ means wind, ‘Mukta’ means release. This posture is very useful in removing wind from the intestines and stomach. So this posture called as "Pawan muktasana".
‘Purva’ refers to the front part of the body.‘Uttana’ means raising. The front part of the body is rising in the final position of this posture, so it’s called "Purvottanasana".
'Vrksha' means tree, the final position of the posture resembles a tree. So it is called Vrkshasana or one leg stand.
Garuda is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. This posture resembles garuda or eagle so it’s called as Garudasana.
SHALABHASANA (LOCUST POSTURE)
‘Shalabha’ means Locust, The final position of this posture imitate the tail of a locust, so this posture called as Shalabhasana or Locust posture.
Dhanur means ‘bow’, in the final position of this posture the body resembles a bow, so this posture called Dhanurasana or Bow posture.
‘Ardha’ means half, ‘hala’ means plough, the final position of this pose resembles a half plough, so it’s called as Ardha Halasana.
In Sanskrit ‘Vipareeta’ means inverted,‘karani’ means to get done, mudra means psychic attitude; so the English translation of this practice is the inverted psychic attitude.
In Sanskrit ‘Sarva anga’ means the whole body. The whole body getting benefited by this posture, so it’s called so. The most common English name for this posture is shoulder stand pose. This is one of the very useful yoga postures. This posture called as the Queen of all the postures, whereas headstand called as the King of Postures.
In Sanskrit ‘Uttana’ means raising, ‘pada’ means foot. In the final position of this posture both feet are rising; so this posture called as Uttana Padasana.
HALASANA (PLOUGH POSE)
In Sanskrit ‘Hala’ means Plough. The final position of this posture resembles a plough, so this posture called as Halasana or the plough pose.
‘Chakra’ means wheel. The body looks like wheel shape in the final position of this posture, so it’s called as Chakrasana.
In Sanskrit ‘Nauka’ means boat; the final position of this posture resembles a boat, so this posture called as Naukasana.
In Sanskrit ‘gomukha’ means cows face. This posture resembles the face of a contented cow, so this posture called as Gomukhasana.
'Shava' means dead body. Lying down on the floor like the dead body is called Shavasana. One of the main classical texts of yoga, called hatha yoga pradeepika written by Yogi Swatmarama in the 16th century explains Shavasana as below.
'Makara' means crocodile, relaxing on the floor facing downwards steadily same like the crocodile, so it’s called "Makarasana".
Key: geeta, gita, bhagvat geeta, bhagwat gita,mahabharat, Krishna, indian traditional knowledge, shreemad bhagvat geeta gita, yoga, solah sanskar, shodash sanskar, bhojan, devaashur, ashan, aashan, asan,