Asanas


Each yoga posture or position is an asana. Asana translated from its ancient Sanskrit origin means Seat. It is important to understand yoga in its historic and philosophical context. In India approximately 5,000 years ago, pre-dating even Ancient Egypt, in the prosperous Ancient Indus Valley Civilization, sages developed what is known to be the earliest, on record, yoga postures. Within this culture these ancient people had a pre-occupation with the spirit, an aspiration to realize their inner most Self…. impulses to go beyond ordinary human existence.

This pre-occupation is what gave birth to Yoga. The ancient sages learned that in order to achieve self transcendence and obtn freedom or liberation from ego bound rigidity they needed to turn their focus inward as well as look out. One definition of Yoga is to yoke or unite the finite with the infinite, the gross physical world with the more subtle realm which permeates all beings. Ancient yogis believed there was a vast inexhaustible “source” within. Yoga, the path that connects all individuals to their notion of the Divine began.

Techniques to still or single point the mind were developed. Asana in the beginning were postures in which you sat deeply within yourself to meditate. It wasn’t until many years later and within the context of “newer arrivals” on the scene of yogic traditions that other asanas, postures, developed.In contrast with India’s pre-occupation with the spirit and the Divine it is interesting to note that here in the West, by comparison, yoga is gaining in popularity mainly because of our pre-occupation with the physical body and a quest for eternal youth. None the less a little bit of yoga, even if practiced only for the physical benefits, goes a long way in improving the quality of one’s life.

 It is true that the more complicated or “advanced” the asnana the more focused, quieter, or single pointed the mind. Yoga requires laser like concentration and complete surrender. It is also worth mentioning, with the many yogic traditions now available, that Yoga is universal and doesn’t belong to any one man nor is its goal to illuminate the teacher but rather to support the student.

So go ahead: unroll your mats, take a seat, breathe, and begin to move. The journey out is in and through.