Yoga and Meditation » Yoga Asanas

Learning Yoga Asanas
Yoga asanas or yogasanas are to be learned scientifically. Each asana has its own effect on body and mind. Knowing the effect of asanas or yoga positions is necessary before venturing into practicing that position.

The aim of practicing different yoga postures is to give regular exercise to sense organs, joints and all internal and external organs of our body.

Yoga sessions must begin and end with three minutes of silent meditation or prayers to God. It doesn’t matter if you are an atheist. Meditation is a method of freeing mind from many of the thoughts and troubles.

Yoga sessions must start with padmasana or lotus posture. (Padmam is a lotus). Don’t try to learn every yoga postures in a day. Consider yoga practicing as a long journey that lasts till your day. Learn one or two new asana, position in two or three days. Gradually update your knowledge. You don’t have to worry about all the positions quickly; there is a lot of time to learn each and everything of yoga, because you have a lifetime before you.

Never do yoga on ground. Always spread a thick clean cloth on the ground where you plan to practice yoga. Never allow any of your body part touch ground while doing yoga. This is to ensure the electric power developed in your body be not lost due to earthing.

You will be applying yoga positions in sitting standing and lying positions, so take a cloth wide large enough.

Meditation
Meditating is necessary to keep mental tribulations under control. You will naturally experience peace of mind while you take any yoga pose. The aim of meditation is to bring mind under control. Nothing will work if your mind is out of control.

Yoga poses or yoga postures
Each posture must be comfortable to the body. You shall not feel anything uncomfortable while taking any posture. Yoga science describes the poses that give calmness to body and mind.

Sparing some time of the day to practice yoga is necessary for everyone to ensure their mental strengths and powers are retained.

What are Yoga Postures/Asanas?
Yoga postures or yoga asana is the third limb of astanga yoga after yama and niyama. It is yoga postures or yoga poses that bring mind and body to tandem. The power of mind is concentrated on the body and the two units –mind and body– can work as a single unit. It is not to say such a tandem working condition is impossible outside yoga practice, but yoga asana repeatedly brings mind and body together in many different forms and prepares them to work together to tackle everyday problems and to solve your specific life problems.

Yoga postures are specially designed physical poses and movements that facilitate circulation, soothe nervous system and mind, give strength and flexibility to joints and body and control breathing pattern. Practicing yoga postures acts as the best measure of mind-body combination.

The yoga postures or asana are mutually beneficial to mind and body. While the breathing is calmed down and regulated, mind also becomes stress free. When mind becomes peaceful, the body produces less stress hormones. This leads to better physical health. Diseases are also kept away.

The yoga postures are exercises for mind and body at the same time. While you concentrate on physical movement and breathing, matters of worry don’t come to your mind. Yoga postures thus act like a stress buster. The physical movements also help in strengthening muscles, joints, ligaments, diaphragm, lungs, pancreas, stomach, intestines and heart. The yoga postures enhance blood circulation and bring more nourishment to brain, spine and all parts of body.

Each yoga pose has specific advantages. Many yoga postures are not suited for everyone. For example people with hernia or ulcer problems are not indicated for practicing stretching exercises that put much pressure on abdomen –bow pose (dhanurasana) and boat pose (naukasana) are examples.

Yoga Mudra, Yoga Symbol
Ancient yogis used this yoga mudra or symbol of yoga according to spiritual meaning.

The Procedure for Yoga Mudra

1. Sit on padmasana. Relax all the muscles in your body.

2. Bring both hands to the back of your body. Grasp the wrist of left arm with right hand. Make a fist with left hand while keeping the thumb inside the other fingers.

3. Inhale deeply and remain in the position for two-three seconds.

4. Slowly exhaling, bend forward and touch the ground with your forehead as you finish exhaling.

5. Don’t inhale for two-three seconds.

6. Slowly inhaling, raise your body.

7. Take care not to raise your buttocks from the ground or relaxing the grasp of fisting.

Notes on Yoga Mudra

This is beneficial for many diseases that affect the digestive system. It also relaxes each bone of the vertebral column.