Defining āsana How do we know what is and what isn’t a yoga posture? Is it enough to adopt a particular pose, to place our limbs and trunk in a certain way? When we look at ancient texts on yoga, it comes as quite a surprise to find that āsana, far from being what yoga is all about, has a relatively minor role in traditional practice. Instead, āsana is seen as a means to an end. There are two important functions of various āsana discussed in ancient texts such as the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā: firstly, as postures for meditation, and secondly, for manipulating the energies (rather than the anatomy) of the body. The purpose of this purification and energetic manipulation is primarily to promote spiritual experiences, but certain health benefits also arise. The Support of the Nostrils: Nostril Control Breathing Implicit in the technique of ujjāyī is a vertical polarity—that of head and pelvis, of chest and abdomen, and prāṇa and apāna. But it’s also worth remembering that ujjāyī is fundamentally a symmetrical technique; it does not address the relationship between the two sides of the body. It is only when we introduce nostril control breathing that the breath becomes asymmetrical. While ujjāyī is unifying, we could say the introduction of nostril control breathing is separating. It allows us to view one side from the other side, to make distinctions—and thereby to forge new relationships between left and right. Breath and Spinal Position One of the hallmarks of this approach to yoga is the focus on the breath. It is precise, logical, considered and refined. For Desikachar, it was of primary importance and without its sensitive application, something profound is missing from āsana practice. As we have said, breath brings potentially disparate elements into relationship; it yokes mind (attention) and body (form). In this sense, breath is yoga. Desikachar was very insistent that when practicing āsana, body and breath should be synchronised. Certain movements are to be performed as we inhale, others as we exhale. To synchronise the breath is to make the breath at least as long as the movement; ideally we practice in a way that makes the breath “frame” the movement so it starts slightly before the movement begins and finishes just after the body has come to stillness. Furthermore, the breath should remain long, slow and smooth with an even quality throughout. Two Types of Inhale, Two Types of Exhale While postures that open the chest and favour the inhalation can be classified as “prāṇa” postures (also known as bṛṃhaṇa kriyā), and postures favouring the exhalation can be classified as “apāna” postures (also known as laṅghana kriyā), not all breathing works with the same energetic intensity and efficiency. It is useful to distinguish between two types of inhalation and two types of exhalation. An inhalation that fills is very different from an inhalation that opens: it occupies space rather than opening it. The more we fill as we breathe in, the tighter we become and at the end of the breath we feel completely blocked: there is nowhere left to go. This is a crude inhalation that creates rigidity as it grasps and holds on. However, we can also inhale in a much more subtle way in which we “open from inside” rather than “filling from outside,” and this gives a completely different feel to the practice. It is as if we could go on breathing in forever. Yama as the “prāṇāyāma of Relationships" An important principle in yoga is the cultivation of the free flow of prāṇa, vital energy. Prāṇa flows within the body governing all physiology and psychological processes, but also circulates outside the body in our perception and interaction with the world around us. As we have seen, in Haṭha Yoga, prāṇāyāma is understood as a process by which blockages and restrictions in the body can be removed from the system of energetic channels called nāḍī. The free circulation of prāṇa brings vitality, clear perception and stability of mind. Blockages in the system create illness, psychological issues and ignorance. Clearing the central channel by removing the fundamental blockage at its base, allowing prāṇa to flow where normally it does not, is associated with profound wisdom and deep absorption. Adapting Our Practice Although we will be presenting a number of postures, techniques and practice principles in this book, it is important to remember that they need to be approached within your own limits. It has never been intended for everyone to practice everything. Even though the yoga tradition has explored the extreme limits of human possibility in working with the body, the breath and the mind, much of this is not relevant or even possible for most people. However, it is possible to achieve profound results with the simplest of practices skillfully chosen and practiced with care. As long as we can still breathe, we can practice yoga— it does not necessarily mean we all need to stand on our heads!
✔ Author(s): Ranju Roy,David Charlton
✔ Title: Embodying the Yoga Sutra: Support, Direction, Space
✔ Rating : 5 out of 5 base on (17 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 1578636884
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
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