The third limb of the eight limbs of yoga is Asana. This is the most common of all eight limbs. It is the physical practice of yoga, the postures we take.
The sutra states:
"A stable and comfortable posture is asana."
Yet the asana practice is so much more than different ways of doing a lunge. The alignment principles of yoga are what brings stability and comfort. For many years the practice of yoga had rigid rules around alignment. "Foot must be here, arms must be here." This has evolved and is still changing to a point where we now understand that alignment, a stable and comfortable posture is subjective and can change from body to body and day to day.
Historically, the asana practice was designed as a way to prepare the body to meditate and was traditionally practised only by men. The physical postures come from "the heart of hatha yoga" a way of aligning to find an optimal balance of the forces that run through our bodies. The word Hatha refers to the sun and moon elements of the body, front and back, left and right.
The physical element of yoga has been practised for thousands of years and it amazes me that it still applies more now than ever. The way we set up certain postures stretches way beyond the mat, into our daily habits influencing our internal landscape.
"The discovery of the infinite wealth buried in the body begins with asana."
(Pandit RajmaniTigunait)
Pranayama
However, yoga would not be yoga without the breath. Here we have limb four which is Pranayama. Yoga is different from other forms of movement because the asana is specifically connected to your breath. The balance of Hatha is found when the breath is intentionally felt. The yoga Sutras highlight that pranayama is mastery over the inhale and exhale, what comes in and what goes out. In the practice of flow yoga (vinyasa flow), each movement is complemented by a breath. The breath precedes the movement, is in the movement and after. As teachers, we place the breath intentionally and with certain poses so that optimal stability, comfort and balance can be present.
How we link our breath into our yoga practice and our lives affects everything. How we feel, move, breathe, communicate, eat, sleep and even the longevity of our lives.
Asana is most often the entrance we have to yoga, we learn to move, eel and breathe. If we can really pay attention to the movements we make and how we breathe through transition and within a pose we step through a threshold that opens up the body, mind and soul. With the breath, the yoga practitioner meets their fullest expression of practice and some may say enlightenment.
Join today to try a class and feel the benefits.
Comments