Asana is yoga pose or posture or position of the human body. Patanjali in Ashtanga yoga defines asanas as Steady and Comfortable pose.
Asana is historically defined as the seated posture, used for meditation, from the Sanskrit that means “seat.” The term is now usually used to consult any Hatha yoga posture, determined in all sorts of yoga practice, including Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Restorative and Bikram.
In Sanskrit, asana is frequently used as a suffix ,call a pose. Although asana is now the most popular term of yoga, it is considered to be most effective one small part of the culture of yoga as a whole. It is the 3rd of Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga, following the yamas and niyamas and observed by pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.
Asana practice is considered important since it helps to keep the physical body healthy. Since the body is the vehicle for the soul, looking after the physical body is vital for spiritual development. Asana postures help to increase flexibility and strength, whilst stimulating physiological systems of the body, such as the circulatory, immune, digestive and nervous systems.
Regular asana practice will develop mindfulness, discipline and concentration, in turn preparing the mind for pranayama and meditation. On a subtle level, asana can help to stimulate the energetic body, opening the chakras and nadis in order to allow prana to flow freely.
YYOGYM: BRIEF ABOUT ASANA
Asana is traditionally defined as the seated posture, used for meditation, from the Sanskrit meaning “seat.” The term is now commonly used to refer to any physical Hatha yoga posture, found in all styles of yoga practice, such as Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Restorative and Bikram.
Regular asana practice will develop mindfulness, discipline and concentration, in turn preparing the mind for pranayama and meditation. On a subtle level, asana can help to stimulate the energetic body, opening the chakras and nadis in order to allow prana to flow freely.
Asana is outlined In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, a collection of discourses compiled by the sage Patanjali around 400 C.E. This was the first text to codify the practices of yoga, and is considered to be the basis of classical yoga philosophy.
Sutra 2.46 outlines the qualities required in order to practice asana: “Sthira Sukham Asanam”. In Sanskrit, sthira means strong, steady or stable, whilst sukha means comfortable, relaxed or at ease. As such, asana is described as a balance between stability and ease.
Whilst the Yoga Sutras only refer to the posture used for seated meditation, this description of asana remains appropriate for all modern forms of the practice. Regardless of the style of yoga, practitioners are generally encouraged to seek a position that is both steady and comfortable.
According to Patanjali, the primary focus of asana is to maintain a long and upright spine in order for energy to flow freely during meditation. Although modern asana alignment cues are not limited to seated postures, teachers similarly tend to focus on the direction and free flow of energy within the body.
Historically, different texts and teachers have outlined varying numbers of asana. The classic texts of Hatha yoga refer to 84 asana as taught by Lord Shiva, highlighting the first four of these as necessary to achieve spiritual perfection. These are siddhasana (Accomplished Pose), padmasana (Lotus Pose), bhadrasana (Gracious Pose) and simhasana (Lion Pose).
Other scriptures such as Gheranda Samhita suggest that there are as many as 8.4 million asana, one for each living creature in the universe. More recently, Sri Dharma Mittra (a well-respected yoga teacher within Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa and Sivananda yoga schools) catalogued a list of 1,300 yoga asana.
Asana should be practiced on an empty stomach and without using excessive force or pressure. In order to enhance the benefits of the poses, asana can be combined with pranayama practices such as ujjayi or kapalbhati. Regardless of the yoga style, asana should always be practiced with mindful awareness, as a means of uniting the
body, breath and mind. Specific asana can be used therapeutically to help alleviate specific health problems or physical issues
Asana is the Sanskrit word for posture or seat. As interpreted from the archeological record and primary source materials, the first yoga asanas were most probably seated positions for meditation. They are described in the "Yoga Sutras" of Patanjali, written around the third century
Understanding this goes a long way toward accepting that asana is not a static practice enshrined through the millennia. Instead, it is constantly evolving. A pose invented last week isn't less legitimate than one from the 1940s or the 16th century.
Asanas are part of the Hatha yoga practice, a branch of yoga combining physical movements and breathing techniques. The "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" was written in the 15th century and described only 14 postures, mostly seated positions.
There are many different styles and forms of yoga, and finding the best one for you may take time and discovery. Try out multiple styles of practice—Hatha, vinyasa, or hot yoga (Bikram)—to see which one best suits you.
Vinyasa, for instance, is fast-paced and challenging while Hatha yoga is gentle and paced more slowly. Newer physically-focused classes such as CorePower yoga provide a modern twist on the practice. Remember that yoga may be a lifelong practice, and its benefits grow over time.
YYOGYM: 15 BENEFITS OF ASANA
Though Asana yoga is thousands of years old, it is only in the past couple hundred years that it spread to the western world. Today, yoga is well-known all over the globe. People use it as a form of exercise, a kind of meditation, and for many other reasons to promote health and wellness in their lives. Whether you are new to yoga or interested in elevating your practice, asana in yoga is an excellent way to improve your physical body as well as take advantage of other yoga benefits in your life.
Asana yoga is one of the most beautiful ways to effect a positive change in your life. Paying attention to the way you move your body and the yoga benefits that come from your practice give you a foundation to build the remaining limbs of yoga in your life. This discipline can help you achieve your health and wellness goals.Yoga benefits are well-known. Asana yoga focuses on the postures and poses of the body in yoga practice for it to be productive and healthy for the body. These are just fifteen of the many, many benefits of the asana of yoga.
1 Helps positive change in your life
Most people come to yoga because they want to experience the numerous benefits it carries. Whether you are seeking benefit in body, mind, or spirit, a regular yoga practice can help you make positive changes in your life through increased physical health, improved mental health, and greater emotional awareness.
2 Increase flexibility
One of the primary yoga benefits is improved flexibility. Yoga practice is designed to move the body and improve flexibility through gentle movements and held poses. The more you practice asana in yoga, the easier the poses will become. Like any exercise regimen, a regular yoga practice will condition your body to the poses and movements, making them easier for your physical body. This reason explains why yoga can be so effective for those with limited mobility.
3 Increase concentration of self care
In recent years, there has been a big push for self-care practices, which means engaging in practices that promote your mind, body, and spirit health. Integrating asana in your yoga practice is a way to engage in self-care. Yoga has physical, mental, and emotional benefits to your health. That means you take care of yourself when you practice yoga.
4. Increase muscle strength
Asana yoga uses your body weight in your exercise to achieve tangible results. Regular yoga practice improves your muscle strength in the same way it improves your flexibility. The more you do yoga, the more your body is conditioned to the movements and poses in your practice. Also, once you begin to gain strength and the yoga poses
5. Eases physical pain
Both acute and chronic pain can be debilitating, keeping you from living your life the way you want. Fortunately, your yoga practice can ease your physical pain. The movements and poses move your muscles, which can reduce the tension that leads to knots or strains. The movement can also reduce inflammation, which can cause chronic pain, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. Even if an injury causes your pain, yoga moves your body gently, which helps your body heal more effectively, which can reduce the pain of the injury.
6. Improves spine health and posture
Your spine is a vital part of your physical health, but it’s also a part that many people neglect or overlook frequently. From sitting improperly at desks to using the wrong pillow at night, we can cause our spine a lot of stress. A focus on asana in yoga places a strong emphasis on the posture of your yoga poses, which typically require good posture, creating a straight line from your head all the way through your body. As you focus on straightening your spine in your yoga practice, you’ll find yourself keeping the same posture throughout your day, as well.
7. Reduces depression and anxiety
Yoga has a meditative quality to it that helps fight anxiety. Unlike other exercise regimens, yoga uses slow movements and held poses, aligned with conscious breathing, to achieve the desired results. Yoga practice allows you to focus on your breath and your body’s movements. This benefit is why yoga is effective as a form of meditation. Furthermore, it proves time and time again to be effective in fighting symptoms of depression and anxiety.
8. Allows increased oxygen intake
When you move from pose to pose in your yoga practice, you inhale or exhale based on the movement and the pose you are moving to. This technique aligns your breath with your movements. Your yoga instructor may also advise you to take a few slow breaths while holding a pose. Whether moving or holding a pose, the slow, deep breathing of yoga increases the oxygen brought into the body. This improvement in breathing can help your cells do their jobs better to keep your body healthy.
9. Increases blood flow
There are lots of exercise programs that are used to get the blood flowing. In fact, almost any form of exercise is effective for increasing blood flow. The poses in yoga do the same, and they do it gently so as not to overtax your system. In addition, yoga helps get oxygen to your cells better, which also helps improve your blood flow and circulation health.
10. Facilitates mental relaxation
Along with physical relaxation, yoga facilitates mental relaxation, as well. The focus on breathing and slow movements calms the mind and turns your thoughts to the present. For that moment, you are not worrying about the future or dwelling on the past. For the duration of your practice, you can let go of the mental stresses of your life.
11. Improves emotional health
When you feel better physically, you typically feel better emotionally, as well. As a low-impact exercise, yoga allows you to breathe consciously, align your breath and movements, and to concentrate on the moment you are in. This mindfulness helps improve your emotional health, making you generally feel more at peace, happier, and less emotionally distressed.
12. Facilitates physical relaxation
Since yoga uses slow movements and held poses, it is more relaxing than other forms of exercise. While other exercise regimens get your heart going and push your muscles to extremes, yoga uses your body’s muscles more gently, which helps you relax your physical body instead of tensing up. This can help reduce the chance of getting muscle aches and knots from your exercise regimen
13. Facilitates a healthier eating lifestyle
For many people, a regular yoga practice opens up additional changes in their lives. One thing that often changes is a healthier eating lifestyle. What you eat can have an impact on your yoga practice. Yoga teachers may recommend a yogic diet to improve your practice, which may include fewer red meats and more whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. When you start eating healthier, you’ll not only improve your health, but you’ll feel better and improve your yoga practice, as well.
14. Improves physical balance
Many yoga poses require some balance. Not all poses are as complex as headstands or balancing the body on one foot, but they do require you to be able to be balanced. As you build a regular yoga practice, your balance will improve, and you’ll find even more complex poses easier to manage. The balance you learn through yoga will help improve your balance throughout the day, as well.
15. Improves mental focus
Mindfulness is a way to focus your mind on the present and prioritize your thinking patterns to what is truly relevant and important in your life. As a result, you develop a mental clarity that can greatly improve your overall mental focus. Being able to focus like this can help you in your career as well as in your personal life.
