A common misconception about yoga is that it’s just asana practice.
Asanas are the physical aspect of yoga where postures are practiced. The market today has latched onto this aspect of yoga and overlooked the rest.
Yoga is much more than a physical practice. While asana practice is an integral part of yoga, it is just a drop in the ocean of what yoga is.
Thousands of years ago, Sage Patanjali enumerated eight limbs of yoga where asana is the third limb. In this article, we’ll explore the role of yoga asanas, their significance and their purpose.
Table of Contents
What are the 8 Limbs of Yoga?
yama niyama–asana pranayama pratyahara dharana dhyana samadhayo-‘stavangani
|2.29| Patanjali Yoga Sutras
Restraint, observance, postures, regulation of breath, substitute food for the mind, ability of the mind to focus, meditation and higher states of consciousness are eight limbs of yoga.
The limbs of yoga develop together, similar to how pulling one leg of a chair results in the entire chair coming toward you. When you practice one limb of yoga, the other limbs begin to develop as well.
The Goal of Yoga
Before we dive into asana and its purpose, let’s understand yoga.
The word yoga comes from the root word yuj in Sanskrit. Yuj means union between the body, breath and mind. It is when we come into that union that we experience all the wonderful benefits of yoga.
Besides what is already commonly understood about yoga, here are some of the lesser-known facts about the practice:
- Yoga is a spiritual practice.
- Yoga brings your body, mind and soul into harmony.
- Yoga helps you find purpose, peace of mind and deeper meaning in life.
- Yoga helps you heal, burns your karmas and takes you toward moksha or spiritual enlightenment.
The goal of yoga is to eliminate pain and suffering from your life, empower you, and bring you home to your Self.
The Role of Asana Practice in Yoga
The concepts, ideas, and lifestyle of yoga can seem foreign, irrelevant and even intimidating when first introduced and the philosophy of yoga can seem like just that: a philosophy that’s interesting to think about but irrelevant to daily life.
Asana practice makes the Truth of yoga more tangible and approachable. Asanas serve to keep the physical body active, healthy and free from stagnant energy. Beyond that, asanas are a bridge for you to interact with your inner world via your body. They help you silence the chattering mind and experience the deeper stillness that lies at the core of your being.
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What is an Asana?
Yoga asanas are a series of movements and gentle stretches designed to help you stop overthinking and unify the body, breath and mind.
To bring the body, breath and mind together, a few things need to happen:
- The breath needs to flow in its natural rhythm
- The body must be in equilibrium
- The mind must be settled
One of the few sutras in the Patanjali Yoga Sutras that speak about asana practice is:
Sthira-sukham-asanam
|2.46| Patanjali Yoga Sutras
That which is steady and comfortable is an asana.
There are no specific postures that are given and defined as asanas in this ancient text. The only criteria for a posture to be considered an asana is for both the body and mind to be steady and comfortable in the posture.
And indeed, some of the most famous yoga postures are savasana and sukhasana.
The Secret of Yoga Asanas
If you’ve been to a few yoga classes in the past, you will have noticed that they all feel different. Perhaps the postures taught are similar but somehow, each instructor conveys the practice in a different way.
The secret of asana practice is that the essence of yoga is transmitted rather than taught.
Anyone can go up in a room full of people and guide them through a series of stretches, but the peace inherent in the practice can only be transmitted by one who is grounded in that peace themselves.
This is why finding the right yoga instructor to have an authentic experience of the practice is crucial.
Why Practice Yoga Asanas?
As mentioned above, the path of yoga is a path that is designed to help you cut through your karmas and reach spiritual enlightenment. Your karmas are stored in your body-mind complex and show up in your body as stiffness, limited range of motion, and chronic pain.
When you practice yoga asanas, not only are you healing the body and mind, you’re releasing stuck energy, and burning though your karmas.
By practicing asanas, you’ll be grounding yourself on the spiritual path, making progress toward a life of purpose, peace of mind and deeper meaning, and reconnecting with your higher Self.
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2 Comments
I really love this tip on what Asana is, because the popular thought among the masses is that you should push yourself beyond your comfort zones.
Hey Lindell, I’m glad you resonate with this post!
It’s true, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about yoga and the posture practice. A good rule of thumb is to always do what feels good – there should never be any pain in yoga, only gentle stretches! And every day can be different, just like you are different every day, so is your practice.