Asana: Form with a Function

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"The body is merely a vessel for the soul. While the body is here, enjoy it. But remember, it’s not who you are."

~ Rumi ~

What is Asana?

Have you noticed how your body and posture change depending on your emotional state? Take a moment to recall how your posture is when you feel sad or insecure or happy. The way we hold our bodies has a direct correlation to how we feel, and how we feel also has a direct and clear impact on how we hold our bodies.

Yoga theory asserts that the most dense part of our being is the physical body. Just like the more subtle aspects of ourselves (such as emotions, thoughts, and energy) influence the body, so can the body influence our subtle aspects. The basic premise of Asana is that, if we use our body as precisely and intentionally as possible, we can create a big shift in all levels of our being: physically, mentally, energetically and spiritually.

The word Asana is a Sanskrit term which is often translated as “posture” or “pose.” Patanjali further defines yoga asana in Sutra 2.46 as "Sthiram sukham aasanam", meaning that position which is comfortable and steady. In other words, we seek the spot where we feel comfortable and sustainably stable in the practice. This does not mean that it will always be easy, certain parts of a yoga practice can be hard, but comfortable at the same time. This is not about doing the postures perfectly, but the consciousness that we bring as we express our own unique perfection through each posture.

In short, asana are specific body positions which open the energy channels and psychic centers of the body. It is a fundamental tool used in yoga to connect with higher awareness and provide the stable foundation for exploration of the body, breath, mind and beyond.

How does Asana work?

"The body is the vehicle, consciousness the driver. Yoga is the path, and the chakras are the map."

~ Amit Ray ~

Stretching, strengthening, and moving the body consciously every day helps keep it healthy, and the practice of Asana does exactly that. If we understand that the physical body is a vehicle for the soul, we can also see the body as an influential tool that we can use to connect with it.

Asana Can Be Used As a:

Physical Tool: Asana isolates specific muscles to pressurize or open special areas that stimulate the functioning of glands and organs and redirect or increase circulation to parts of the body. THey are fundamentally life and health giving.
Meditation Tool: Asana creates a foundation of connection between body and mind. Each posture stimulates an area of the body, while you consciously breathe in tandem with the movement. The frequency of thoughts and emotions is influenced by your movements. When you synchronize your breathing with movement, it’s an invaluable step towards self-regulation, self-awareness and ability to work with your mind.
Energetic Tool: As a pathway of prana, postures open a route for energy between meridian points, giving you a subtle sensation of flow and a sense of feeling connected to the deeper energetics of your body. Over time, this can develop into awareness of the pranamaya kosha, or the pranic energy layer of the body, which can be used to heal and prevent illness.
Diagnostic Tool: Postures give you signals of pleasure or discomfort and pain, which indicate the state of the muscles, glands or emotions. This information can help you understand where you may have blockages or stored karmas. Get to know and listen to your body as you practice.

As Nirmal Lumpkin and Japa Khalsa mentioned in their book "Enlightened Bodies”, “practicing yoga develops awareness and present-moment consciousness by tuning you into the physical body and cultivating attentiveness to sensations in the body in each moment of the practice. Take, for example, a simple forward fold. As you come into the posture you may feel tightness or unease. These sensations are your body’s request for you to pay attention. Often as you continue with the exercise the sensation changes, the hamstrings release and you experience the feeling of letting go. Through this experience we come into a deeper relationship with the capacity to soften into resistance. As you continue to practice, there will be thousands of these valuable moments to cultivate awareness.”

The physical body is one of our main teachers in life and it is filled with messages and lessons that can bring awareness and learning into our lives. By tuning into our bodies consciously and syncing our movement with our breathing, we can hear these messages and learn from them. That is why asana is a fundamental building block of yoga.

How Many Asanas Exist?

Historic scriptures like the Gheranda Samihita, suggest that there are as many as 8.4 million asanas corresponding to each living being in the universe. Other classical texts of Hatha yoga mention 84 asanas as taught by Lord Shiva. In more recent times, Sri Dharma Mittra, a renowned yoga teacher associated with the Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa, and Sivananda traditions, has compiled a list of 1,300 yoga asanas.

So as you can see, there is not a predefined set of asanas. It really depends on the lineage in which you are studying, as each lineage has a different focus on Asana.

Aréte Asana Glossary:

We are currently building out our Asana Glossary, a growing resource designed to support your yoga journey. Throughout 2024 and 2025, we will continuously expand this glossary to give you detailed information on a wide array of asanas. Our goal is to create a valuable reference for students and teachers alike so that you can keep deepening your understanding.

Sukhasana

Vajrasana

Tadasana

Explore what we have so far, each entry includes the Sanskrit name, English translation, step-by-step instructions, benefits, contraindications, and variations.

Resources and Further Learning

Yoga Practice Building Blocks

Explore more about the other 5 yoga building blocks!

Beginning a Personal Yoga Practice at Home

Are just starting a personal yoga practice and do not know where to start? Explore this section of our website where it will walk you step by step on how to get started!

Amrit Vela

Amrit Kaur Ramos is the founder of Areté and a Kundalini Yoga instructor with over 20 years of experience guiding students through the transformative practice of Kundalini Yoga. She is also a dedicated women’s circle leader, with over 10 years of experience creating sacred spaces for women to connect, heal, and empower each other. Amrit Kaur brings a wealth of wisdom and compassion to her teaching, inspiring others to awaken their true potential and live authentically.