![]() ![]() The Yoga Sutras do not mention a single asana by name, merely specifying the characteristics of a good asana: Īsana means a steady and comfortable posture. Patanjali describes asanas as a "steady and comfortable posture", referring to the seated postures used for pranayama and for meditation, where meditation is the path to samadhi, transpersonal self-realization. Īsanas, along with the breathing exercises of pranayama, are the physical movements of hatha yoga and of modern yoga. The eight limbs are, in order, the yamas (codes of social conduct), niyamas (self-observances), asanas (postures), pranayama (breath work), pratyahara (sense withdrawal or non-attachment), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (realization of the true Self or Atman, and unity with Brahman, ultimate reality). 2nd to 4th century CE), which placed asana as one of the eight limbs of classical yoga A page from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and Bhasya commentary (c. The word asana, in use in English since the 19th century, is from Sanskrit: आसन āsana "sitting down" (from आस् ās "to sit down"), a sitting posture, a meditation seat. 2nd to 4th century CE) describes asana practice as the third of the eight limbs ( Sanskrit: अष्टाङ्ग, aṣṭāṅga, from अष्ट् aṣṭ, eight, and अङ्ग aṅga, limb) of classical, or raja yoga. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks or boxes, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text.Īsanas originated in India. However, with no proof anywhere of an Indus Valley origin for Shiva, with multiple competing interpretations of the Pashupati seal and no obvious way of deciding between these, there is no reliable evidence that it is actually a yoga pose that is depicted in the seal. If correct, this would be the oldest record of an asana. ![]() 2500 BC was identified by Sir John Marshall in 1931 as a prototype of the god Shiva, recognised by being three-faced in a yoga position as the Mahayogin, the god of yoga having four animals as Pashupati, the Lord of Beasts with deer beneath the throne, as in medieval depictions of Shiva having a three-part headdress recalling Shiva's trident and possibly being ithyphallic, again like Shiva. The central figure in the Pashupati seal from the Indus Valley civilization of c. 2500 BC, its central figure in a pose resembling Mulabandhasana. History Ancient times Mould of Pashupati seal from the Indus Valley civilization, c. With the popularity of yoga as exercise, asanas feature commonly in novels and films, and sometimes also in advertising. Religious Indian art depicts figures of the Buddha, Jain tirthankaras, and Shiva in lotus position and other meditation seats, and in the "royal ease" position, lalitasana. Īsanas have appeared in culture for many centuries. More recently, studies have provided evidence that they improve flexibility, strength, and balance to reduce stress and conditions related to it and specifically to alleviate some diseases such as asthma and diabetes. Hundreds more were illustrated by Dharma Mittra.Īsanas were claimed to provide both spiritual and physical benefits in medieval hatha yoga texts. ![]() Many more asanas have been devised since Iyengar's 1966 Light on Yoga which described some 200 asanas. Together they described hundreds more asanas, revived the popularity of yoga, and brought it to the Western world. Among Krishnamacharya's pupils were influential Indian yoga teachers including Pattabhi Jois, founder of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, and B.K.S. In that environment, pioneers such as Yogendra, Kuvalayananda, and Krishnamacharya taught a new system of asanas (incorporating systems of exercise as well as traditional hatha yoga). In the 20th century, Indian nationalism favoured physical culture in response to colonialism. The 10th or 11th century Goraksha Sataka and the 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika identify 84 asanas the 17th century Hatha Ratnavali provides a different list of 84 asanas, describing some of them. Asanas are also called yoga poses or yoga postures in English. Patanjali mentions the ability to sit for extended periods as one of the eight limbs of his system. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali define "asana" as " is steady and comfortable". Left to right, top to bottom: Eka Pada Chakrasana Ardha Matsyendrasana Padmasana Navasana Pincha Mayurasana Dhanurasana Natarajasana Vrkshasana YashtikasanaĪn āsana ( Sanskrit: आसन) is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose, and later extended in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, to any type of position, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses. Postures in hatha yoga and modern yoga practiceĪsanas in varied contexts.
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