Physical Postures or Asanas
During transportation from east to west, the 8 limb yoga system has split, and now America's favorite parts are the physical postures and meditation. It has gotten to the point of confusing yoga postures with stretching or exercises. Many get injured trying to power through a yoga class using it for cardio, competing in flexibility, or practicing in high temperatures. Instead, we must do them very gently with as much awareness as possible.
MEANING
Asana means the posture that brings comfort and steadiness. Luckily achieving just one pose is enough! It may sound simple, but unless the body is free from toxins and tensions, even one comfortable posture is hard to achieve.
Purpose
For some, it may be just to remove stiffness and become balanced and aligned; others try to make their body a ladder to the Divine. A way to become meditative, reach samadhi, know everything that has happened in creation, and experience the oneness that is the purpose of yoga. The physical body is the easiest to work with because your mind is deceiving. It can play tricks on you, and you won't know your real spiritual progress. But if you can sit still and be comfortable in the same position for 2.5 hours, you have attained asana siddhi, a mastery of yogasana through which one elevates consciousness.
Hatha Yoga
The Sun(Ha) and the Moon(Tha) are our original parents, while the Earth is the womb. Hatha yoga is the best way to draw directly from the origin of your life, bypassing the genetic memory of your ancestors who may have been unhealthy. By practicing Hatha yoga, we bring balance into our bodies and lives. It can remove stiffness, create flexibility and help us realize the wholeness of our existence. If your hips are tight, your legs get numb, your neck and back are aching, and your shoulders feel sore, you won't be able to concentrate and meditate.
HOW
For example, to cleanse the liver, spleen, and intestines from toxins, we bend forward, crushing the stomach a little bit. If that isn't enough, there is the peacock pose and the stomach lift or churning. We also loosen up the hips to create a neutral pelvis for an even foundation to keep our spine straight. Then we bend the spine to make it into "an antenna" to perceive higher dimensions of life.
Yoga asana is twisting in all different directions to bring balance and alignment within your body and the whole cosmos. So let's dive deeper into understanding the proper practice of asanas. Here is a complete guide with all the information you need.
References
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Translation and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidanada.
Integral Yoga Publications. www.yogaville.org
Isha Foundation website.
https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en
Sadhguru app.