(First published 24/2/2008)
Following on from the first two, yama and niyama, in the eight limbs of hatha yoga, the next limb, or part, is the one the majority of us come across in yoga. It is called asana.
The Sanskrit word, asana, translates as “posture”. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root as which means “to stay”, “to be”, “to sit”, or “to be established in a particular position”.
As the various translations indicate what is important when practising a yoga asana is the ability to stay in position, to sit in it, so to speak and “be” in it.
The renowned yoga teacher, BKS Iyengar, says: “The body cannot be separated from the mind, nor can the mind be separated from the soul. No-one can define the boundaries between them. In India, asana was never considered to be a merely physical practice as it is in the West.”
Iyengar wrote this during the 1990s and since then there are signs that more and more people in the West are becoming aware that there’s more to yoga than just asana… that there is more to it than just working out and stretching the body.
The body is a means to an end, or another way of putting it is that it’s a vehicle that will carry you on this journey.
An important principle to be aware of is that there are three things to consider: the mind, the breath, and the body. When one is doing an asana it is important to keep these three linked at all times. In effect, the breath is the link between the mind and the body. The mind has to be focussed at all times when in a pose, as like an errant child, it will wander off unless kept busy. By practising an asana and staying alert, focussing on the body and the breath, the mind will remain still and clear. This is one of the primary reasons one practises asanas.
In terms of the eight limbs of yoga, all can be present within an asana. To explain what I mean by this it is useful to consider that Indian logic is not linear like in the West, it can be described as cyclical. So although, the eight limbs of yoga are written as a list, one to eight, and at times can run in that order, they can also happen simultaneously, or even in a different order. By mastering yoga one can develop the ability to manifest all eight simultaneously at will, holding this clarity and keeping it for longer.
But before you read this and think, “I am no master, why bother?”. This is a “practice” and although perfection would be appreciated, it is the journey that is important not the destination. It is a practice that works through repeated actions and this takes time. Do not expect perfection immediately, but aim for it, so that you remain alert. If you are fully present, the mind, body and breath all linked and present, you are practising yoga. Stretch and pull the body with the mind elsewhere and you are not really practising yoga.
Though I should add that it’s a different matter if you are in a posture and for a moment you let the mind wander off, because should you catch yourself, and return to the breath, that is part of the process. Many people do find they spend more time “returning to the breath” than actually focussed on it, but that is the practice. Some days we are more focussed that others, some days the mind is all over the place. Without judging we return to the point of focus, this being the breath and the yoga asana. It’s like returning home, repeatedly.
To be continued…
