| Asanas |
Shopping Asana |
Information AboutAsanas |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ASANA | |
| yoga positions | |
|
Asana, is and Standing On The Head , to a variety of Other Positions .Feuerstein, Georg. (1996). ''The Shambala Guide to Yoga''. Shambala Publications, Boston & London. The word ''asana'' in Sanskrit can appear in many contexts denoting physical position, although traditional usage is, as noted, specific to the practice of yoga. Traditional usage defines asana as both singular and plural. In addition, modern English usage within the context of yoga practice sometimes specifies yogasana or '''yoga asana''', particularly in the system of the Vinyasa Yoga system. It should be noted that Yogasana is also the name of a specific posture not specifically associated with vinyasa. Asana are the physical movements associated with a yoga practice, and, in combination with Pranayama or breathing techniques such as kupalubati and nadi shodna constitute what is commonly referred to as Hatha Yoga .Arya, Pandit Usharbudh (aka Swami Veda Bharati) (1977/1985). ''Philosophy of Hatha Yoga''. Himalayan Institute Press, Pennsylvania. In the Yoga sutras Patanjali describes "asana" simply as sitting meditation, suggesting meditation to be the path of self-realization, or Samadhi . Although asana originally referred to sitting meditation, its scope has evolved over centuries to cover a great variety of body postures. These postures have their roots in devotion and/or health, but, ultimately, all are intended to lead back to the possibility of sitting more comfortably in meditation. Of the practice of asanas is considered that it promotes:
A more esoteric intention is to facilitate the flow of Prana (vital energy; Qi in Chinese; ki in Japanese) to aid in balancing the Kosha s (sheaths) of the physical and metaphysical body. The physical aspect of Yoga , the asanas, has been much popularized in the West, and devoted celebrity practitioners like Madonna and Sting have contributed to the increased visibility of the practice. This has given rise to the misconception that yoga consists only of asana practice. Yoga asanas are actually part of Hatha Yoga , which is just one of several different yogic paths. In the Yoga sutras, Patanjali writes of asana as the third of the 8 limbs of classical yoga ( Raja Yoga ). These eight limbs are the Yamas (obligations), Niyama s (devotions), asanas (postures), Pranayama (breath work), Pratyahara (sense withdrawal or non-attachment), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (realization of the true self and/or unity with God ). CONDITIONS AND GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOLLOWED FOR ASANA PRACTICE In the Yoga sutras, Patanjali suggests that the only requirement for practising asanas is to be "steady and comfortable". The body should be held firm yet relaxed, and the practitioner should not experience discomfort of any kind. Tightness or tension observed within the body should be consciously relaxed. Breathing should be natural, through the nose and into the belly. This abdominal breathing ( Pranayama ) is called "ujjayi" (pronounced oo-JI-ya), or "ocean breath". Ujjayi means "lifted up". According to yoga practitioners, when bodily control is mastered, they are free from what they call the "pairs of opposites", such as heat and cold, hunger and thirst, joy and grief. This non-dualistic perspective comes from the Sankya school of the Himalayan Masters. Listed below are traditional directions for performing asana:
YOGA ''ASANAS'' "There are an infinite number of yoga ''asanas''." (Sri Dharma Mittra ) Mittra, Dharma , (2003) ''Asanas: 608 Yoga Poses", ISBN 1-57731-402-6 In 1975, as an offering of devotion to his " by Dharma Mittra . Dharma Mittra , (2003) ''Asanas: 608 Yoga Poses", ISBN 1-57731-402-6 Although there is no way to establish an exact set of postures, this work is considered the definitive collection by students and yogis alike. Injuries can occur when excessive pressure is placed on the cervical vertebrae (e.g., during the "plow pose" or the headstand) or when the spine is out of normal alignment and pressure is applied (e.g., during the "bow" pose or the "wheel" pose). The practice of these postures may damage the intervertebral discs and may cause other long-term injuries. The practitioner should feel free to abstain from performing any pose if in doubt as to its safety. SURYA NAMASKARA See Also: Surya namaskara Surya Namaskara ("Salute to the Sun"), is a form of worshiping God by concentrating on the Sun, for self vitalization. Surya namaskara gives equal weightage to both exercise and posture. The physical base of the practice links together twelve ''asanas'' in a dynamically performed Series . A full round of Surya Namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series. Generally Surya namaskara is performed before performing "asanas". REFERENCES |
|
|