The word “Asana” comes from Sanskrit, meaning a place or pose in which the yogi sits. In essence, it means joining the form with the flow—staying centred while moving amidst distraction.
Asana is more than a physical practice; it’s a preparatory step towards achieving a steady and focused mind. By cultivating comfort and stability in each posture, practitioners lay the groundwork for deeper meditation and spiritual growth.
There are 84 lakh asanas that are cultured from animals, objects, nature, etc.
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, an ancient yoga guide to spiritual growth, Ashtanga Yoga shows eight connected steps. Asana, the third step, plays a key role in getting the body and mind ready for deeper meditation. The Sutras give a brief look, but asana has become a main part of today's yoga, showing ideas that go beyond just working out.
"Sthira Sukham Asanam"
(The pose should be firm and comfy.)
This meaning shows how important steadiness (sthira) and comfort (sukha) are in each pose, giving a solid base to meditate on.
Getting Ready to Meditate: Asanas help the body prepare for long meditation by making it more flexible, strong, and comfy overall. A steady and relaxed body helps the mind focus, making it easier to start and keep meditating.
Building Body Awareness: Doing asanas boosts how we sense our body and its feelings. This helps us link our physical and mental states more. To meditate well and focus our minds, we need this awareness.
There are common misconceptions regarding asanas, which create confusion or misapplications. Some of these are:
Asanas Are the Whole of Yoga: Some say asanas are the be-all and end-all of yoga, but the fact is that yoga is an inclusive exercise, teaching ethical principles (Yamas and Niyamas), breath control (Pranayama), meditation, and self-study.
Asanas Are Only Meant for Flexibility: Many people think that asanas are all about doing stretching exercises and gaining flexibility in the body. True that there is flexibility, but asanas also bring strength, balance, and overall physical as well as mental well-being.
Yoga Requires You to Be Flexible: Yoga is not something that requires you to be flexible. It is more for you to meet yourself wherever you are and progress from there with time, regardless of how flexible you are.
You Need to Do Advanced Poses in Order to Gain the Benefits of Yoga: Many hold the idea that predefined, advanced poses should be the crux of benefit-bearing practice. In fact, all of the simplest poses, when done with the awareness of alignment, can be totally benefit-bearing.
Pain Means You're Doing It Wrong While some discomfort or strain may be felt when you are really pushing limits, pain generally means something has gone amiss. One should always practice asanas mindfully and, above all, listen to your body to keep away from injuries.
Asanas Are Only for Young People: The take of all people on asanas to be very true, and this cannot be left out. The schedules for yoga get placed in such a way that they are easy or hard so that they are able to bring health and vitality all through life.
Asanas should be performed with a comfortable outfit in a spacious place with a comfortable atmosphere, like we have at Nattika retreats.
Commonly, there are four categories in asanas; they are:
Relaxation: After practicing the asanas, it's important for the guests to relax their body and mind by lying down in savasana. This helps them to recover fast and also to get the maximum benefits of the asanas.
In summary, the asanas teach the guests to strengthen the body as well as the mind, and it encourages them to practice acceptance, allowing things to be the way they are.
Practicing asanas at Nattika retreats can bring numerous benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved flexibility and balance, and a deeper connection with nature, leading to a more transformative and rejuvenating experience.
