Some thoughts on Asana
Asana, the third limb of Maharishi Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga is usually defined as a body posture held with stability and ease (sthirasukhamasanam). (Bhavanani, 2011)
Hathayoga Pradipika emphasises this by saying that asana helps bring about stability in health and suppleness of body (kuryat tad asanam stairyam arogyam ca angalaghavam). (Bhatt, 2004)
Though the term pose is also often used, the noted yoga scholar Georg Feuerstein has referred to it as “poise”. (Feuerstein, 2010) This concept is tenable as asana seems to begin at the external level but in fact influences the emotions, mind and spirit ultimately.
The Tejobindu Upanishad says that asana is a state of the body which gives stability that enables one to practice long drawn meditation (sukhenaiva bhavedyasminnajasraṃ brahmacintanam āsanaṃ tadvijānīyādanyat sukhavināśanam). (Ramanathan, 2007)
As the performance of asana can be perceived externally and has similarities to other forms of physical activity, it has garnered attention worldwide and many researchers have studied effects of this limb of yoga.
However many adherents to the traditional yoga perspective have lamented the fact that asana has taken over the ‘Yoga World’ and felt that other aspects of yoga have been neglected in the process of focusing on body culture alone.
For any posture to qualify as an asana, it can be said that certain pre-requisites need to be fulfilled.
1. It must be stable and held with ease.
2. It must be done with awareness/mindfulness.
3. It should have the potential to bring about changes in the attitude of the practitioner.
In our daily activities, most humans often move only in a few directions, and even those are within a limited range of movement.
In the practice of asana, movements are done in all three planes, enhancing full range of movement, thus helping retain the ability to perform full and free movements, especially as one ages.
Maharishi Patanjali provides a most concise definition of asana, the means to attain it and benefit of doing so in Sadhana Pada of his Yoga Darshan. (Bhavanani, 2011; Bhavanani 2014)
He defines asana as sthirasukhamasanam, a state of wellbeing wherein one is established in a steady state of ease. (PYS II: 46)
The methodology to attain such a state of being is given as prayatnashaithilya anantya samaapattibhyaam, loosening of effort and contemplation of the infinite. (PYS II: 47)
According to the Shiva Samhita and Gheranda Samhita it is claimed that there are 8.4 million asana-s. However the text goes on only to describe 32 of them.
The Hathayoga Pradipika describes 15 and the Yoga Bhasya 11, while Hatha Ratnavali and Goraksha Samhita enumerate 84.
The general consensus in most traditional texts is that the preeminent four are: siddhasana, padmasana, simhasana and bhadrasana of which siddhasana is further extolled as the best of all. (Bhavanani, 2010; Bhavanani, 2014)
Asana-s may be classified in many ways depending upon the starting position, nature of performance and purpose, or individual application of the technique.
They are commonly classified into cultural, and contemplative classes (inducing meditation and relaxation) (Sovik & Bhavanani, 2016) but can also be classified based on spinal movements as front bending, back bending, twisting, lateral stretching etc.
Another classification may be made functionally depending on the therapeutic application of asana (Kogler, 1995):
- Asana-s for compensation: Compensative asana promotes general harmonious development of body by activating insufficiently loaded muscle groups and corrects imbalances of the motor system through regular and systematic practice. During intensive training activity, muscle groups are loaded individually, resulting in partial loading depending on the activity undertaken.
- Asana-s for regeneration: Regeneration is a biological process fostered to regain functional abilities and prevent injuries and hence is essential after intensive training as done in sports. The basic three types of muscle relaxation occurring in regenerative asana-s are:
i. Stretching involving relaxation of shortened and painful muscles.
ii. Post isometric relaxation through active stretching of muscles thus inhibiting motor neurons thus facilitating deeper relaxation.
iii. Anti-gravitational relaxation using natural resistance against which muscles are isometrically contracted, held firm and then released. It can be done without assistance and deep relaxation follows the active phase of muscle contraction (spanda nishpanda).
- Asana-s for supplementation : Supplementary asana-s are an effective means to avoid monotony and boredom that often occurs in sports / exercise training as it offers a form of active rest by balancing training load. It can effectively restore energy and provide psycho-physical harmony.
References:
Bhatt, G.P. (Ed.). (2004) The forceful yoga (being the translation of the Hathayoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita and Siva Samhita). Sinh, P., Rai Bahadur, S.C.V. Delhi, India: Mothilal Banarsidas.
Bhavanani, A.B. (2011). Understanding the yoga darshan. Pondicherry, India: Dhivyananda Creations.
Bhavanani, A.B. (2014). A primer of yoga theory (4th ed.). Pondicherry, India: Dhivyananda Creations.
Bhavanani, A.B. (Ed.). (2009). Hatha Yoga Practices of Rishiculture Ashtanga (Gitananda) Yoga Tradition. Pondicherry, India: Dhivyananda Creations.
Bhavanani, M.D. (2010). The history of yoga from ancient to modern times. Pondicherry, India: Satya Press.
Feuerstein, G. (2010). Poise, posturing, and posture. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from http://georgfeuerstein.blogspot.in/2010/09/poise-posturing-and-posture.html
Giri, G.S. (1976). Yoga: Step-by-step. Pondicherry, India: Satya Press.
Kogler, A. (1995). Yoga for Athletes: Secrets of an Olympic Coach. Woodbury, Minnesota, USA: Llewellyn Publications.
Natarajan ,B. (1991). Thirumandiram- A Tamil Scriptural Classic of Thirumoolar. Chennai: Sri Ramakrishna Math Publications.
Ramanathan, M. (2007). Applied Yoga-Application of Yoga in Various Fields of human Activity. Puducherry: Aarogya Yogalayam.
Ramanathan, M. (2007). Thiruvalluvar on yogic concepts. Puducherry: Aarogya Yogalayam.
Sovik, R., & Bhavanani, A.B. (2016). History, Philosophy, and Practice of Yoga. In: Khalsa,S.B., Cohen,L., McCall, T., & Telles, S (Ed.), The Principles and Practice of Yoga in Health Care (pp.17–29). East Lothian, UK: Handspring.
