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Asanas - Yoga Postures

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Seated Yoga Poses

Asana. In the practice of Yoga, Asana denotes the art of sitting still[1] and also any posture useful for restoring and maintaining a practitioner's well-being and improving the body's flexibility and vitality, cultivating the ability to remain in seated meditation for extended periods.[2] Such asanas are known in English as "yoga postures" or "yoga positions".

Asana

Any way that we may sit or stand is an asana while a posture used in yoga is called a yogasana. Modern usage includes lying on the back, standing on the head and a variety of other positions.[2] In yoga asana refers both to the place in which a practitioner (yogin or yogi if male, yogini if female) sits and the posture in which he or she sits.[3] In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defines asana as "to be seated in a position that is firm, but relaxed".[4] Patanjali mentions the ability to sit for extended periods as one of the eight limbs of his system, known as Raja yoga,[5] but does not reference standing postures or kriyās.

Shavasana. Shavasana, Savasana (shah-VAH-sah-nah[1][needs IPA]; Sanskrit: शवासन; IAST: śavāsana), or Corpse Pose[2] is an asana.

Shavasana

Etymology[edit] The name comes from the Sanskrit words Shava (शव, Śava) meaning "corpse",[3] and Asana (आसन, Āsana) meaning "posture" or "seat".[4] Description[edit] Shavasana or mrtasana (death pose) Yoga is a system of mental and physical training. The asana is released by slowly deepening the breath, flexing the fingers and toes, reaching the arms above the head, stretching the whole body, exhaling, bringing the knees to the chest and rolling over to the side in a fetal position.

Benefit[edit] It is intended to rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit. Relaxation[edit] After the exertions of the practice, shavasana allows the body a chance to regroup and reset itself. Furthermore, the physiological benefits of deep relaxation are numerous and include:[1] Integration[edit] An intelligent yoga practice will furnish the nervous system with a host of new neuromuscular information. Sirsasana. Headstand/Salamba Shirshasana Sirsasana, Shirshasana (sher-SHAH-sahn-ah[1][needs IPA]; Sanskrit: शीर्षासन; IAST: Śīrṣāsana), Sirshasana, or Headstand is an asana.

Sirsasana

In the Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana),[2] the body is completely inverted, and held upright supported by the forearms, while the crown of the head rests lightly on the floor. Sirsasana is nicknamed "king" of all the asanas.[3][4][5][6][7] A variety of other asanas can be used to build the upper body strength and balance required for Sirsasana.[8] List of asanas. Asanas are yoga-poses.

List of asanas

This page describes common asanas. Various names[edit] Over time as more schools of yoga emerged and more books were written by different teachers, the nomenclature has diverged. Sometimes names are switched around (e.g. balānanda and ānandabalāsana). Sometimes a pose has multiple names from different traditions (e.g. merudandāsana is the same pose as urdhvakoṇāsana or upaviṣṭhakoṇāsana A). Sanskrit Glossary[edit] Many asana names include the following Sanskrit words as affixes: Asanas[edit] See also[edit] References[edit] Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swami SvatmaramaThe Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnu-devanandaDevereux, G. (1998) Dynamic yoga: The ultimate workout that chills your mind as it charges your body (Thorsons, London)Farhi, D. (2000) Yoga mind, body and spirit: A return to wholeness (New leaf: New Zealand)Hewitt, J. (1977) The Complete Yoga Book (Rider, London)Iyengar, B.

Asana.