yoga asana and life lived in form

Let’s talk about the yoga postures.

The sanskrit word “asana” can refer to an individual yoga posture, multiple postures, or a yoga posture practice. Through regular asana practice, the yoga practitioner hones both body and mind in preparation for the other practices of yoga: pranayama and meditation. Asana relates strongly to the earth element because the practice works directly upon our densest layer, the physical body—but asana’s effects have the power to touch every layer of our being.

Though it is only one piece of the whole, asana has become synonymous with “yoga” in the west. On its own, without engagement with the fullness of yoga philosophy and skillful breathing, asana can be nothing more than effective exercise. But for so many of us, it is the entry point into the totality of yoga. Asana works.

Why Practice Asana?

The only asana spoken of in the Yoga Sutra is a steady and comfortable seated posture. We learn to sit comfortably so that we can proceed to the other practices, which will take us into the subtle layers of mind, revealing more of the essential truths of who we are.

Fine. All good. We do want that. 

And also, we want to feel good in our lives. We want to move well, be healthy, feel vibrant and energetic. We want our perceiving capacities to be well-honed. We want to feel coordinated and graceful as we walk, run, dance. We want to not hurt ourselves when we do our jobs, or reach over to get the baby’s car seat out of the back. We want to notice and live within a body-mind system that is clear and radiant, and be able to witness directly the joys of subtle awareness.

It's a tall order, but it is still fair game. So how do we do this?

The practice of yoga postures is a direct and exacting method for enhancing our physicality and living in a much more vibrant and comfortable body. When practiced in combination with other aspects of yoga, the power of asana multiplies exponentially. Especially when combined with pranayama, asana is a great antidote to the stress and struggles of our modern life.

So often our bodies hurt, our minds are rigid, our breath is rough, and we feel terrible. Unless we do something about it. Without appropriate outlets, stress accumulates and lodges within the body. Then we sit at desks, in cars, on couches, and so forth. We have very little opportunity to release and rebalance. Over years or decades of living in this way, our habitual patterns of holding and moving our bodies become less than natural, perpetuating stress and discomfort.

Skillful asana calms the body-mind as it touches and clears energy channels. Asana affects all the body systems and generally promotes health and vitality. It releases muscular restriction and tension that is associated with hardening in body and mind. Asana prepares the entire system to be ready and able to sit and breathe comfortably, without agitation, in order to meditate.

A firm and comfortable seated posture is imperative for turning our critical and discerning attention inward during meditation. Physical discomfort is distracting and makes an already daunting task even more difficult. To successfully focus our attention on the inner realms, we must be as stable and comfortable in our bodies as possible.

Asana has a strong relationship to the earth element. Our inner earth and our asana practices hold keys to finding the roots of our responsibilities as human beings. Earth is the fundamental element of consciousness, the seed of commitment to be alive and to grow.

Asana includes our seat, or our place within the manifest field—within the world. A steady and comfortable seat in life requires a recognition and ease in knowing that we are here, in form. And it requires an acceptance of the responsibilities that are inherent in form.

Skill in Action

You don't even need to be adept at anything. Success in asana is the process of integration and coordination of body and mind that comes from skillful practice. All you need to do is pay good attention, move and breathe. Success in asana is not reserved for the fit, flexible, strong, or young. Paying attention and cultivating wholesome intention are the critical underpinnings of skillful practice.

Asana is the tool, not the goal. Allowing your movement and breathing to change and grow as you do is at the heart of successful practice. Asana clears the way for yoga to happen. It helps eliminate obstacles to clear inner vision. When used appropriately in yoga’s full context it can be very helpful. When used inappropriately it drains our energy, depletes our prana reserves, and wastes too much precious time. . It helps us to burrow deep through a lot of superficial thoughts and feelings. Its excavation process helps us free our our inner intelligence and begin to see with different eyes..

Skillful asana digs the well, but it is not the water. The water that is freed through our efforts is what nourishes us. The digging needs to to rest. When the digging stops the water rushes in. The resting phase is where we absorb the gift of life flowing from within.

Pay attention. Know when to stop digging. And let the water flow.