My husband, for his business, uses software called Asana.  The software is designed to help companies organize work flow and project management.  He, and MANY other people I know pronounce it “ah-SAH-na,” with the inflection on the second syllable.  In yoga, the word asana is pronounced “AH-sa-na” with the inflection on the first syllable (How to Pronounce “Asana”).  In Sanskrit, the word asana means “seat” so this of course got me curious as to how or why the company chose this name for a project management tool.  This article does a pretty good job explaining it, however based on the description from the founders about how the tool helps business get in a “flow,”  I would argue that Vinyasa would have been a better name, but that’s a story for another day.

I know that this series of posts is called, “Taking Yoga OFF the Mat, but for this particular limb, after a brief bit of history, I’d like to explore how we can apply the first two limbs to the practice of asana ON the mat.  Because the third limb is literally about the physical postures, I think that makes more sense, however bear in mind the PURPOSE of the physical postures.  The purpose or “goal” of yoga and the 8 limbs overall is to guide you on a path to individual freedom from suffering.  A way towards liberation.  And asana is just one of the ways to attain that freedom.

First let’s look at the word asana itself.  In Sanskrit, the word asana means seat, and if we look at Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, it more specifically means a seat for meditation.  In fact there IS NOT A SINGLE “pose” mentioned in the Yoga Sutras — only a description  of characteristics of a good seat (Yoga Sutra 2:46 Sthira sukham asanam — a steady and comfortable posture).

Many teachers use the word asana synonymously with pose or posture (and sometimes “shape”) and indeed the suffix is tacked on at the end of most yoga poses we know today (malasana, utkatasana, trikonasana, etc.).  That said, I would also like to point out that the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (another VERY important written text on the practice of yoga written in the 15th century), penned some 2000 years AFTER the Yoga Sutras, mentions only 84 physical postures.  Fast forward another 500 years or so to B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga (1966) and 200 poses are described.  And today, who knows — perhaps hundreds more have been added.  (If you are interested in learning more about this evolution, this short article can get you started).

In general, it is my understanding that the physical postures are intended to prepare the body to sit in meditation.  Don’t get me wrong, there are tremendous physical health benefits to the movement practice that we experience on our mats.  However, the physical postures can also be done in a way that are meditative on their own and can also lead to the mental health benefits we enjoy.  To begin, one must apply the other limbs of yoga to the physical practice in order to receive those benefits.  Aha!  Back to my idea that we should talk about how to apply what we know about this third limb ON the mat instead of off!

As I think I mentioned in a previous post, a good yoga teacher can help facilitate this in any physical yoga practice they are instructing.  I think I also noted that this is my intention in every class, but it’s hard and I just don’t have those skills (yet?)!  The next time you are being directed into a physical shape, consider the yamas and the niyamas and how they can help guide you towards freedom from suffering (mentally or physically) in that pose.  Let’s break this down with some examples:

YAMAS:


Ahimsa (non-harming) — perhaps this means honoring your body and making choices to skip postures that you know could physically cause you harm based on your own anatomy or physical ability level, or maybe you are working through an injury and need to make modifications to stay safe.

Satya (truthfulness) — being honest with yourself about what version of a pose is right for you, in your body, in that particular moment.  Our practice changes every day!

Asteya (non-stealing) — How do you steal from yourself?  By practicing in a way that isn’t safe or pushes too hard you risk getting injured and steal your future ability to practice.  Alternatively, if you practice in a way that you DON’T push your boundaries and risk a little something, you steal the opportunity for growth and change.  Tricky I know, but the next yama should help with this:

Brahmacharya (moderation/balance) — finding the right balance of effort and ease in each posture and through the entire class.  There is always a balance of strength and flexibility needed in each physical shape and it’s your job to find that edge.  Try putting forth 70-80% of the energy you *could* give so that the practice becomes sustainable.  Practice today so you can practice tomorrow.  

Aparigraha (non-covetousness) — try to keep your focus on your mat and your practice, and not look around the room at others.  How often (pre-Covid) did you look around the room and see more “advanced” practitioners and think to yourself, “I wish I could do that.”  Remember the postures are just shapes that you make in a way that is possible in YOUR body — and their intended purpose is to guide you towards a better understanding of yourself.

NIYAMAS


Saucha (purity) — consider the amount of negative thoughts about yourself, especially in difficult poses, that happens during a class.  Start just by noticing them, and then work to replace them with positive affirmations.

Santosha (contentment)  — Be OKAY with what IS.  Allow whatever shows up in your body physically that day AND whatever thoughts cross your mind.  It’s simply a practice of noticing.  Having the awareness and then working to let go of your attachment to your idea of what *should* be.

Tapas (discipline) — This can have two applications ON the mat.  Literally the discipline to show up and do the work, but tapas is also defined as “heat.”  During the practice through our physical movement and our breath we build heat in the body, and it is through this heat that CHANGE can occur. 

Svadhyaya (self-study) — Once you develop a regular, perhaps daily, practice (which could be physical or could be a seated meditation) it becomes easier to see patterns — in your body and in your thoughts.  THIS is self study.  Seeing the patterns, allowing them to be there, and eventually (maybe) deciding to change those patterns that perhaps aren’t serving you anymore.

Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender) — Physically surrender to sensations — there are a LOT of sensations that you may feel in a physical yoga practice that perhaps aren’t “pleasant” but they ARE NOT PAIN.  I find that using the breath as a tool and as something to focus on, I can more easily let go of my mental attachment to the idea that something FEELS unpleasant, and then my body follows suit and relaxes into a deeper stretch.

As we start to take a look at the other 5 limbs of the practice, we will come back to this idea of how the physical practice — our asana practice — can include ALL the limbs of yoga including focused concentration and meditation.  For now however, I simply invite you to think about the yamas and the niyamas the next time you find yourself on the mat.

*Caveat / Disclaimer: Please keep in mind I am sharing with you my current understanding of these very complex ideas.  I am a middle-aged white woman from the midwest and have only spent the last 6 or 7 years studying this ancient tradition.  I implore you to consider these factors, and absolutely seek out other resources to dive deeper for yourself.  I also invite you to share YOUR knowledge, in a kind and thoughtful manner,  and offer different interpretations of the ideas I have presented as a way for us to all learn and grow.*