Yogasana

Asana is a Sanskrit word that means “posture,” “seat,” or “place,” and yoga means “union; to yoke.” Although the physical postures performed in a yoga class are the most popular aspect of yoga in Western culture, the yoga asanas are the third of eight limbs of yoga outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the original yogic text.

The eight limbs of yoga are: the yamas and niyamas (moral and ethical guidelines), asanas (postures), pranayama (breathwork), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (spiritual absorbtion).

Sutra 2.46 in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali states that asana is a steady, comfortable posture, therefore performing postures is balancing steadiness and ease, or strengthing and softening. It is a practice of balancing mind, body, and spirit.

My training with Chopra Yoga taught us a combination of breathwork, mindful awareness, self-reflection, and poses or asanas designed to help awaken you to your own unique light. Yoga is a powerful practice that helps you feel at home in your mind and body, it awakens you to patterns in your body-mind and guides you to find balance in mind, body, and spirit. I look forward to diving deeper into yoga classes with you soon!