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Asana is the word for a posture or a pose in yoga. According to Patanjali, an asana means to be seated in a firm but relaxed position. The word was originally Sanskrit for ‘sitting posture’, which is asanam as ‘sitting’ and aste as ‘he sits’. However, in more modern use the asanas are more than simply sitting postures, and may also include postures lying on the back, and postures in various other positions, including standing on the head! Asanas are also commonly referred to as Yogasana, or yoga asana as well when they are used as part of yoga practice.

Asana is the name for the physical part of different forms of yoga. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali essentially describes Asana as the sitting meditation, where meditation acts as the true path to one’s self-realization. What this means is that the term ‘asana’ has a dual meaning: First, asana means simple postures, and second, asana serves as a path to the unity of one’s spirit as it relates to the divine.

The term ‘asana’ did originally mean sitting meditation, but over several centuries the term’s scope has evolved greatly, and now covers a wide variety of different body postures. All of these postures have roots in health or devotion, and all ultimately lead back to the idea of sitting comfortably during meditation. Asana practice is considered to promote strength in the tendons, flexibility of the muscles and massage of all of the internal body functions. Another intention of the asana is to facilitate the flow of what is called prana, the vital energy within the body. In China, this is called qi, and in Japan it is referred to as ki. The physical aspect of yoga has become extremely popular within western cultures, and many famous people like Sting and Madonna have brought the physical aspect of Yoga, Asana, into their lives. Unfortunately, the popularity of Yoga brought about by these celebrities has given rise to the idea that yoga consists only of the asana practice, which is a misconception. Yoga asanas are just a single part of Hatha Yoga, which is one of several different types of Yoga.

Asana is the third limb of the eight limbs of classical Raja yoga. These eight limbs are Vamas, Niyamas, Asanas, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.