Continuing in our 8 Limbs of Yoga series, we come to the third, and most commonly known Limb, the Asanas. Asana, when translated directly, simply means "seat".
The Asanas are the Limb most commonly associated with Yoga, so the fact that it means "seat" can cause some confusion. However, once one understands that the Asanas are meant to prep oneself for meditation, it makes more sense.
In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali first mentions the Asanas by saying, "The meditation posture should be steady and comfortable." The Yoga Sutras don't even list any specific Asanas, just that they should be a posture on can hold for a period of time. While this may seem overly simple, obtaining stillness of the body and mind is quite challenging.
The modern-day Asanas didn't even come to be until the early 1920's, when the reach of yoga began to make it's way into the Western world. At this same time, there was a shift in mindset, worldwide, that physical health was something to be explored and expanded upon. This mindset, along with the expansion of Yoga to the West, brought together the principles of Yoga with the physical aspects of gymnastics and calisthenics.
These more physical Asanas also, perhaps unintentionally, serve another purpose, as well - a tired body is easier to calm. By working through a series of the Asanas, the physical body is able to release some of it's energy, leaving one able to focus more on calming just the mind, instead of both the mind and the physical body.
Some points for reflection:
How do different Asanas have a positive (or negative) impact on my feelings/emotions?
Is there a posture I can find stillness in? If so, how do I feel when this is accomplished?
Is there an Asana that I feel most drawn to, especially in times of mental discomfort?
Next week's post will delve into the fourth Limb: Pranayama, meaning "breath control". Perhaps you can already see how this limb connects to the next.
-Charlene 🧡
留言