Asana - A Steady and Comfortable Seat

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the third limb, Asana, the physical postures we see in a yoga practice.

Asana is only 'the tip of the iceberg', as I explain in this article.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

The Paths of Yoga

In a previous post I described asana, the physical practice of postures, one of the eight limbs of yoga. In this post, I explain some of the paths of yoga, with some emphasis on Hatha Yoga, the yoga of effort.

The word yoga comes from a Sanskrit term, which means to 'yoke'. In other words, it refers to union, integration or wholeness. So while we usually think in terms of doing yoga, you can also say that you can achieve yoga, a state when the mind, body and spirit work together.

Traditionally, the paths are identified as:

1. Raja Yoga - yoga of the mind, as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
2. Jnana Yoga - yoga of knowledge or knowing
3. Bhakti Yoga - yoga of devotion
4. Karma Yoga - yoga of action

Then depending on which texts you read, you might find the following:

5. Hatha Yoga - yoga of forceful action / physical practice / effort

6. Mantra Yoga - yoga of sound 

7. Tantra Yoga - yoga of technology or technique

So when we're thinking about the paths of yoga, it's important to remember that they all lead to this sense of unity or wholeness.

The paths overlap and cross-over, so they should not be seen to exist in isolation. In addition, different scholars or commentators use different definitions so its possible to find contradictions. The point is, the paths developed to suit different temperaments or strengths, for example Jnana Yoga is best suited to someone with an intellectual temperament, and Karma Yoga may be best for someone who more action-oriented.

Hatha Yoga refers to the physical postures (asanas) which are designed to align the body and mind. This word is often used to describe yoga classes, and it usually refers to a static or relaxing style of yoga. Technically speaking though, all physical yoga can be categorised as Hatha. In some explanations Hatha may also include Kundalini yoga.

Hatha can be translated as ha meaning 'sun' and tha meaning 'moon'. This refers to the balance of masculine qualities (eg. active, hot, projective) and feminine qualities (eg. receptive, cool, receptive) which exist in all of us. Hatha yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites, creating a balance between strength and flexibility, between effort and surrender, thereby helping us to be more present in every moment.

What to expect in a typical yoga class

There are a number of elements which are touched on in most yoga classes. In some styles there may be more of one or the other, but generally the following aspects will be present, whether the teacher refers to them by name or not.

Asana - Postures

These are the physical postures. Asana is one of the eight limbs of yoga. The physical aspect is also sometimes referred to as Hatha Yoga (the yoga of force). Postures may very from being pretty easy and unchallenging, to extremely challenging, depending on what your level of practice is. It also depends on the focus and effort you put in yourself.

Bandha - Energy locks

Basically, bandhas refer to three 'energetic locks' which are applied to the body in most styles of yoga. This may not be strongly emphasised in beginners' or open classes, but it is a key element of a strong yoga practice. The bandhas are muladhara bandha (lifting or contracting the pelvic floor muscles), uddhiyana bandha (lifting and tightening the abdominal muscles) and jalandhara bandha (tipping the chin down to slightly constrict the throat). Apply all three bandhas to create mahabandha.

Drishti - Gaze

This refers to the focus or gaze. The teacher will ask you to direct the gaze in a particular direction for every posture. You may be asked to look upwards, towards the knees, feet or hands, for example. The purpose may be to get the full stretch in the posture, to maintain mental focus, to help with balance, or sometimes make the balance more challenging.

Pranayama - Breath

Breath work is an intrinsic part of every yoga class, and is also one of the eight limbs of yoga. This is one of the elements which makes it so different from other forms of exercise, as you are asked to remain aware of the breath, and to work with the breath. Pranayama exercises may be included in the class on their own, and Ujjayi breath (breathing through the nose, through slightly narrowed throat passage) will be incorporated as part of the practice of asana.

Savasana - Relaxation / Corpse Pose

Translated from Sanskrit, this means 'corpse pose' (corpse = sava; pose = asana). Many teachers will tell you that this is the most difficult posture in the whole class, as you are asked to lie completely still, flat on your back for a period of time. Depending on what type of class you are doing, it could be for anything from 2 to 20 minutes. Most one-hour classes will have 5-10 minutes of savasana at the end of the class, which may be accompanied by a guided meditation from the teacher, music, or silence.

Vinyasa - the flowing element

Translated from Sanskrit, vinyasa means 'to place in a special way'. Each movement is a progression from one to the next. The movement is aligned with the breath so that you move with each inhale and exhale. It can be said that each action encourages the next. Vinyasa-style yoga classes are ones where there is a flow from posture to posture. These classes are also often referred to as Flow Yoga or Power Yoga and are derived from Ashtanga yoga. 

These are very simple descriptions of the elements you can expect to see in a yoga class. Experience these elements directly by joining one of my classes!