Yoga Asanas

Hi everyone, I am up with this new presentation about yoga asanas. Like, Share and Comment y"all :)

1. TOPIC – IMPORTANCE OF ASANAS PRESENTED BY – SWARNIM SAHU COURSE – BA LLB SEMESTER – 1 SUBJECT – VALUE ADDED COURSE (YOGA & MEDITATION)

2. CONTENTS ASANA HISTORY OF ASANAS ORIGIN OF ASANAS BENEFITS OF ASANAS TYPES OF ASANAS CONCLUSION

3. 1. ASANA An  asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a  sitting meditation pose , and later extended in  hatha yoga  and modern  yoga as exercise , to any type of position, adding reclining,  standing , inverted, twisting, and balancing poses. The   Yoga Sutras of Patanjali  define "asana" as "[a position that] is steady and comfortable ". Patanjali mentions the ability to sit for extended periods as one of the  eight limbs of his system . Asanas are also called yoga poses or yoga postures in English.

4. 2. HISTORY OF ASANAS From a long history, yoga asanas have been modified time to time. Many yogis today effortlessly do different Vinyasa flow in the class but knowing basic asanas origin is worthwhile for a real seeker. In the history of yoga asana, its evolution has 4 main eras. Pre-Vedic Age of Asana Asana in the Vedic Texts Asana in The Yogic Texts Modern History of Asana

5. 3. ORIGIN OF ASANAS Some of the yoga postures came into existence when Indian exercise tradition (called  vyayama ) and west’s gymnastics approach exercises get mixed. These are called modern yoga asanas , barely has 200 years of history. However, traditional asanas have a history even before when Patanjali existed 2000 years back in India . Some examples of asanas originated from natural observation are: Cobra Pose – By observing how cobra releases their aggression and emotions by stretching through the head, Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) is derived. Tree Pose – By observing how a tree firmly stands on its base, Virksasana (tree pose) is derived where we try to balance our upper body on unshakable feet. Sun Salutation – For being a source of light to the world, Sun Salutation is derived to worship the sun at the time of sunrise. It comprises 12 asanas which said to have ties to ancient times.

6. 4. BENEFITS OF ASANAS The practice of Yoga Asanas has been around for ages because of their several health benefits. Following are some of the most significant benefits of asanas :- Yoga asanas help stretch our back, knees, and hips, thus relieving tension and muscle pain. Yoga poses help calm our minds and reduce stress and anxiety. They also boost concentration. As the body movement during yoga stretches our muscles, blood circulation in the body increases. It makes the body more flexible. The majority of the yoga poses require us to sit or stand with our backs straight. It helps in improving body posture and also increases strength.

7. 5. TYPES OF ASANAS Asanas can be classified in different ways, which may overlap: for example, by the position of the head and feet ( standing ,  sitting , reclining, inverted), by whether balancing is required, or by the effect on the spine (forward bend,  backbend , twist), giving a set of asana types agreed by most authors. Mittra uses his own categories such as "Floor & Supine Poses ". Darren Rhodes and others add "Core strength ", while Yogapedia and  Yoga Journal  also add "Hip-opening" to that set. The table shows an example of each of these types of asana, with the title and approximate date of the earliest document describing (not only naming) that asana. GS =  Goraksha Sataka , 10th century HY =  Hemacandra 's   Yogasastra , 11th century VS =  Vasishtha Samhita , 13th century HYP =  Hatha Yoga Pradipika , 15th century JP =  Joga Pradipika , 18th century ST =  Sritattvanidhi , 19th century TK =  Tirumalai Krishnamacharya , 20th century

8. Types of asana, with dates and examples Type Described Date Example English Image Standing TK 20th C. Parsvakonasana Side angle Sitting Meditation GS  1:10–12 10th–11th C. Siddhasana Accomplished Reclining HYP  1:34 15th C. Shavasana Corpse Inverted HY 11th C. Sirsasana Yoga headstand Balancing VS 13th C. Kukkutasana Cockerel Forward bend HYP  1:30 15th C. Paschimottanasana Seated Forward Bend Backbend HYP  1:27 15th C. Dhanurasana Bow Twisting HYP  1.28–29 15th C. Ardha Matsyendrasana Half Lord of the Fishes Hip-opening HYP  1:20 15th C. Gomukhasana Cow Face Core strength ST 19th C. Navasana Boat

9. Some of the most common types of yoga asanas that people regularly practice are :- Tadasana Commonly called the mountain pose, tadasana requires one to stand on their toes with hands stretched above. It is best for improving posture and body balance.

10. Bhujangasana Also known as the cobra pose, bhujangasana requires laying down on the stomach and stretching the torso. It strengthens the shoulders and spine and is also good for the nervous system.

11. Vajrasana It is commonly called the thunderbolt or the diamond pose, in which one has to fold their legs and sit in a kneeling position.

12. Trikonasana It is called the extended triangle pose .  Trikonasana  improves blood circulation in the body and improves heart health. It also helps in getting rid of lower back pain.

13. Dandasana Also called the plank pose, dandasana is one of the best yoga poses to improve body posture. It also helps to calm the mind.

14. Sarvangasana This pose is called the shoulder stand, in which one has to lift their body with the help of their shoulders. Sarvangasana is good for getting relief from constipation and back pain.

15. Vrikshasana In this pose, you need to stand straight like a tree with one foot on the other leg. It helps in improving body balance.

16. Naukasana Also called the boat pose, where one sits on their hips with the upper body and feet lifted. Naukasana strengthens the core and abdominal muscles and also improves the health of the kidney and liver.

17. Sirsasana It is the king of all yoga poses. Sirsasana is the inverted yoga pose where one has to perform a headstand for a few minutes. It strengthens the core and also helps in reducing swelling in the legs.

18. Uttanasana It is the standing forward bend pose where one needs to stand straight and bring their upper body down. Uttanasana helps in releasing tension from the back and neck and also makes the legs strong.

19. 6. CONCLUSION The purpose of Yoga is to create harmony in the physical, vital, mental, psychological and spiritual aspects of the human being. In the foregoing pages of this book, I have described the Technique of relaxation in different postures viz., standing, lying and sitting postures which brings in this harmony. Yoga is not mere practice for an hour or two in a day but it is the most scientific way of living, all the twenty-four hours of the day. During the whole day you may be only in one of these three postures and hence a skilful adjustment in them will effect the required harmony. " Yogasthah Kuru Karmani - Be established in Yoga and do all your duties." " Yogah karmasu Kausalam -Yoga is skill in action." Skill here means to be in tune with the nature of the Supreme Reality. Be a Yogin always, is the loving instruction of Lord Krishna. Convert life into Yoga, so that you may ensure success in all the fields of activity. By regular practice, by using your presence of mind, skill and wisdom, you can become Yogins and enjoy happiness and peace, whatever be the circumstances and conditions in which you are placed.

20. BIBLIOGRAPHY   Patanjali .  Yoga Sutras . p. 2.47.  Verse 46, chapter II, " Patanjali Yoga sutras" by Swami Prabhavananda , published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math  ISBN   978-81-7120-221-8  p. 111 Mittra , Dharma  (2003).  Asanas : 608 Yoga Poses.  ISBN   978-1-57731-402-8 . Rhodes, Darren (2016). Yoga Resource Practice Manual. Tirtha Studios.  ISBN   978-0-9836883-9-6 . Beyogi Library of Yoga Poses  – an illustrated set of asanas with descriptions Jack Cuneo Light on Yoga Project  – a photographic record of one man's attempt to perform all Iyengar's asanas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asana https://bebodywise.com/blog/types-of-asanas/ https://www.fitsri.com/poses/what-is-asana