Hi,
I want to know if there is some additional component other than just physically doing any Asana.
What is that extra thing?
Forgive me if I am wrong on this. I read this somewhere but not so sure.
Regards
Ram
I do not understand your question exactly…but there is considerably more to Yoga than just asana…continue to explore this forum and plenty of books to find out.
Others gave you those aspects in general, but if you are asking specifically about Asana practice, the most important components are:
-
Awareness and (in some schools) control of breathing.
-
Concentration on the body sensations and expansion of awareness to encompass more and more of those sensations. Body awareness may be obvious to some but there are people who can’t feel body sensations in some areas and need time to feel them (and of course there is a world of more subtle sensations in our body that even more sensitive people are missing).
-
Trying to be here and now (which basically happens when you follow point 2. but its good to remember that and strive to focus on here and now during Asana practice).
I think Asana practice should be a lesson and practice of sensitivity for us. To let go of desire to control and/or gain something but rather slow down and observe what’s happening.
[QUOTE=Pawel;80152]Others gave you those aspects in general, but if you are asking specifically about Asana practice, the most important components are:
-
Awareness and (in some schools) control of breathing.
-
Concentration on the body sensations and expansion of awareness to encompass more and more of those sensations. Body awareness may be obvious to some but there are people who can’t feel body sensations in some areas and need time to feel them (and of course there is a world of more subtle sensations in our body that even more sensitive people are missing).
-
Trying to be here and now (which basically happens when you follow point 2. but its good to remember that and strive to focus on here and now during Asana practice).
I think Asana practice should be a lesson and practice of sensitivity for us. To let go of desire to control and/or gain something but rather slow down and observe what’s happening.[/QUOTE]
Ahhh :eek: …you have hit bulls eye. I was exactly looking for this. Many thanks.
Could you suggest me some books exclusively which talk on this subject of asana and the points you made.
I will be waiting for replies.
Regards
Ram
[QUOTE=ramkishore;80166]Ahhh :eek: …you have hit bulls eye. I was exactly looking for this. Many thanks.
Could you suggest me some books exclusively which talk on this subject of asana and the points you made.
I will be waiting for replies.
Regards
Ram[/QUOTE]
Hi Ram,
Now I think of it, I don’t know any book exclusively talking about it. But I don’t read much and maybe others will know.
Basically its about mindfulness and being here and now. There are lots of materials on that. You could try joining meditation group if you want to focus exclusively on this aspect. Or, if you want quick and “brutal” course, try Vipassana retreat.
Regards,
Pawel
(sorry for the earlier post. something went wrong.)
This will help you to understand something more about asana.
Sage Pāta?jali says that the posture assumed must be steady and comfortable (Sūtra 2.20/II.46). This is the only sūtra that mentions posture. Such a brief ref?erence does not diminish Haţha Yoga and its whole body of knowledge that includes the discipline of āsana (postures). It is a marvelous discipline in itself and of tremendous benefit to health. But on the path of Yoga-Sūtra, āsana seems prescribed not for the technique, but for its enduring achievement??steady and easy? postures. Such postures elevate awareness, which is then released and set free from entanglement with a grosser or a sluggish body.
Though a steady posture of the physical body is essential, the physical is the least significant of the postures. Living in today?s complex world, you would also need a steadfast astral or emo?tional body that is not oscillating, and an even firmer and steadier causal body that is unwavering. Sage Pāta?jali is referring to this threefold posture, which has to be steady and easy. Such a posture enables a meditative attitude that lasts long.
It is really an unfortunate misrepresentation of the enormous promise of Yoga when people are left to believe that Yoga for physical fitness (meaning ?bodily postures alone?) is all that Yoga is. Some Yoga teachers correctly emphasize an unhurried, smooth-flowing approach, and encourage their students to let mind collaborate with the body in the culmination of a correct physical posture, reached through a proven rigorous technique. But as long as athletic prowess remains the focal point, and the full spiritual potential of Yoga is not presented to the seekers, a great opportunity is lost.
A physical posture, though important, is not the main point of asa?na practice, and certainly not the only one. The three bodies serve each other by working as a team. On the yogīk path, the subtle astral body learns to rein in the gross in order to arrest the mind modifications. The causal body learns to rein in desires, eventu?ally in order to stop the modifications. Such control is manifested in a steady physical posture, tranquil emotional posture, and con?centrated intellectual posture.
The center of gravity of concentration can be located inside only when the bodies remain steady and the externally generated dis?turbance ceases. Steadiness and ease of posture is to be achieved through persis?tent slight effort and through concentration upon the Infinite (Sūtra 2.21/II.47). But besides the obvious concentration upon the Infinite, ?persistent slight effort? in achieving that posture is a key guideline for Yoga practice. Persistence is needed because mind and emotions may lose steadiness at the slightest provocation. The effort also has to be slight or the effort itself will keep the subtle bodies consciously engaged. This brings us back to rhythmic breathing as the only solution that can be persistent (?continuous?) and requires only a slight effort to be embedded in your autonomous body functions.
Advanced practitioners of the discipline of āsana know that the test of a perfected āsana does not lie in the degree of athletic prowess but in reaching that one moment of equilibrium when the awareness of the physique dissolves and disappears from the mind?s radar. In that moment, you are aware only of your breath?ing. While many āsanas are designed to regulate bodily func?tions in order to promote health, a few simple āsanas direct us to hold a meditative posture uninterrupted for an extended period. Sukhāsana, siddhāsana, padmāsana and swastikāsana are recommended by some authors. These are characteristically different (and less glamorous) from other āsanas meant for physical fit-ness. Ironically, when one learns Yoga-Sutra and understands how the health of the physical body depends on the health of the astral body, one would also appreciate the āsanas not for their athletic challenges but for the opportunities they present to access the as?tral level.
Sage Pāta?jali recommends such āsanas because they allow you to lose consciousness of the physical body in order to facilitate rhythmic breathing with persistent slight effort, and to experience astral and causal bodies at the same time.
Posture leads to breathing. There is a complementary give-and-take between rhythmic breathing and the subtle bodies. The rhyth?mic breathing calms them and lets them attain the right posture, and a calm subtle body regulates breath and makes it rhythmic.
(Pl see the attachment as well.)
[QUOTE=ramkishore;80166]Could you suggest me some books exclusively which talk on this subject of asana and the points you made. [/QUOTE]
The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga: Vishnu Devananda
The Sivananda Companion to Yoga: Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
siva
Firstly I apologize for the delay.
@siro and @ Pawel
Thanks for pointing me to vipassana meditation.
@Suhas Tambe:
I was left thinking for long time after reading your post. For a beginner like me, it took some time to digest.
The following should be carved on stone:
[B][U][I]Advanced practitioners of the discipline of āsana know that the test of a perfected āsana does not lie in the degree of athletic prowess but in reaching that one moment of equilibrium when the awareness of the physique dissolves and disappears from the mind’s radar. In that moment, you are aware only of your breathing.[/I][/U][/B]
So the goal I have ahead is : Dissolve the awareness of physique from mind and become aware of only breathing.
I have a question:
Are you recommending Rhythmic Breathing mastery before doing asanas? I didn’t understand how to combine this breathing and asanas?
In the attachment you also recommend " upgrading awareness" and “Refining Exercises” in addition to Rhythmic Breathing. Where can I find further about those both?
I really thank you for pointing me to your great book.It shall shorten my journey time. Thanks Suhas.
Suhas,
The body of your attachment is excellent, and the quote deserves a highlight, however I hope you will allow me to lend emphasis to one point: While the asana is not the “main” point of hatha, it is the “first” in a hierarchy. Why? Because as you correctly state about both astral and causal bodies: “Such control is manifest in the physical posture.” The same goes for breathing. So, while physical posture is NOT the main point, it is where one begins, and so has it’s own significance.
There are some, very few beginners, who will sometimes get caught up in mental/emotional/behavioral, the subjective aspects of yoga which are not “directly actionable.” While it’s good to become aware of them, together with asana and pranayama, they can often become a substitute for the harder, more physically and time demanding work. I would suggest to beginners, to focus hard on asana, and breathing first, and the rest is a natural outcome. I say that from experience as well.
[QUOTE=ramkishore;80458]
So the goal I have ahead is : Dissolve the awareness of physique from mind and become aware of only breathing.[/QUOTE]
Ramki,
This is not the “goal,” but an outcome, a byproduct of the goal which is hatha yoga asana. Very important to distinguish. If you make this your goal, it will be born only into your imagination.
There is a reason why raja yoga is also referred to as the “yoga of action.” You only have so much time in a day, so I suggest the more relevant question is not which is more important, but rather, which is for you the most “actionable,” and hopefully that is the physical posture, but for those without the time or disposition, then the other aspects of yoga can become the next-best first step.
I hope that is worth mentioning.
siva
Ramkishore,
Happy to know that you find the post useful. This only shows what a vision sages of the Vedic times had as we can practice their words today as they were originaly written.
My guru, Late Shri Tavariaji brought a new sequence to the sutras with a fascinating new dimension and introduced some simple exercises without calling them any style, like “Tavaria yoga”. That is the humility of great masters.
Some of his followers have created a web site www.3srb.org where more information is available. In my book some essential information is provided, the hard copy sells on Amazon and B&N and soft copies are downloadable on Nook and from googlebooks.
Since you are interested in meditation, it is important for you to look at asanas’ spiritual side rather than the physical fitness benefits. By ‘posture’ Patanjali certainly implies all the 3 gross to subtle bodies - physical stability, emotional equipoise and intellectual equilibrium. In this sense, it will help you to say OM loudly when you begin any asana. The loud OM should become a whisper through the process of body movement and a muted recital of OM with concentration on breath as you reach the asana’s final posture.
No need to integrate Rhythmic Breathing with asanas. It should be practiced independently. Eventually, your regular breathing will become rhythmic.
You have hit bulls eye.Hat-off here.
To re-iterate,
[B][I][U]“Astral and causal bodies control is manifest in the physical posture.” The same goes for breathin[/U][/I][/B]g.
Now I reasoned out why asana and pranayama are the first steps of yoga system.hurayyyyyy!!!
Many thanks siva.
@Suhas
thanks for pointing me to another gold mine: 3srb.org
I now understand rhythmic breathing can be achieved separately.
Thanks Suhas for saving 5$ by pointing to ebook.