6

Āsanas—Postures

Āsanas, the third part of Haṭha Yoga, are today a victim, either from ignorance or a concern for simplification, of an unfortunate conflation that tarnishes the whole teaching of Yoga by reducing it to yogic postures. Under cover of educational or therapeutic intentions, this reductionist notion, always arbitrary and often opportunistic, and with a mercenary aim, explains to a great degree the abundance of methods offered to the general public.

It is, above all, in the Western world that we find the misappropriation of the empirical tradition of these intangible resources, whose ancient origins and sacred character welcome everyone, and yet at times become the prey of ignorant or time-serving, dishonest individuals. These people do not hesitate a single moment to formally establish an exclusive right to market their services via millennium-old words such as mantra, often with unaware public institutions, thereby preventing a continued good faith use by others. There are also cases of patent rights’ claims for traditional āsanas, or particular series of āsanas, where smart business-minded applicants invoke a personal style to justify their senseless claims.

Other than certain methods and techniques transmitted orally by highly responsible yogis, a number of discoveries of the yogic heritage are available to whoever wishes to appropriate, transform, and exploit them. The goal of the monopolization of the yogic patrimony, often under the label “amateur/imitator,” is for the most part lucrative, when it does not serve the vain self-glorification of an “illumined” initiator or founder of a self-proclaimed sect. While such appropriations are doubtless legal, they remain nevertheless ethically debatable. Unaware, or feigning unawareness, of the yogic origin of the new product they are commercializing, the appropriators refrain from mentioning the original source of the service they are marketing to the general public. Only respect and a deep study of the sacred nature of the origins of Yoga will lead to a decent restraint in its dissemination.

In a world that favors miracle cures and fast money to the detriment of serious study and the search for durable ethical values, Yoga is presented in a superficial way. Among the many derivatives of Yoga, we should note the artistic sport of “calisthenics,” the self-control method of Coué, Pilates, energy manipulation in Japanese Reiki, and sophrology, without forgetting an impressive range of exercises for relaxation and “meditation” offered by many medical or educational institutions, or even spas as a common service along with other beauty treatments. On a strictly physical level, we should mention stretching techniques, “aerobics,” and other fitness fads of the day. It is also in the vast repertoire of Yoga that visualization and mental exercises are found, the ones so esteemed by coaches of high-level sportsmen, business leaders, and other persons in charge of the industrial and commercial world.

As a result of its unlimited availability in a world that is hardly eager to respect what seems to it to be an unhoped-for windfall for enriching itself, the doctrine of Yoga also feeds the imaginary world inhabited by the promoters of new sectarian ideologies. These are generally based on arbitrary and ignorant interpretations of its sacred nature. Their objectives are sometimes doubtful, and even abusive. They are directed at a category of people who are easily duped by these unscrupulous predators, often with harmful social consequences.

The production of both physical and mental effort allows a person to extract from Yoga the energy that will bring a beneficial feeling of self-control, well-being, virtue (from the Latin virtus, “a valorous man, aware of his force”), and the enjoyable pleasure that is obtained when the will is exercised. In the spirit of traditional Haṭha Yoga, which rests on the ten ethical rules of yama and niyama, such self-assertion or efficiency in action—something that in principle could help criminal persons in being more “efficient” in their wrongdoings—has no relationship with self-assertiveness or Nietzsche’s ideal of the superman. This is because, even though the yogi is fully invested in a supreme effort to achieve physical perfection, such a person’s gaze is not lowered, like that of a predator; it is raised, on the contrary, toward an elevated ideal, yet without ignoring the surrounding world or its distress.

Rather than acting directly on the mind, as does Raja Yoga, Hat. ha Yoga presents the idea that the mind can be reached and influenced through physical exercise, and more particularly through the exercise of voluntary muscles. Motions are achieved at the gross muscular level after their natural beginning as fine, downward oscillations of the mind.

At different levels of its practice, such as in Jala Vasti or Vajrolī, Haṭha Yoga teaches methods that aim at reversing the body’s constant tendency to downward motion. To achieve such reverse motions supposes, however, a perfect technique, much practice, determination, and perseverance. In harnessing these motions along with the mental oscillations, āsanas are the first step toward preliminary mind control while providing sukha (ease) and sthira (calmness).

There is no clear and definite information on the number of existing āsanas. Hindu tradition claims eighty-four thousand, while the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, an old basic text on Haṭha Yoga, refers to eighty-four āsanas, mentioning only a few by name. Sri S. S. Goswami illustrates his classic manual Advanced Haṭha Yoga with 108 āsanas, and is thus at variance with other contemporary authors who include many āsana variants in their counting. Innumerable as they are, the āsanas are intended to influence the innumerable thought-patterns.

The arbitrarily selected sample of āsanas displayed in the color plates, which are performed in the Goswami Yoga style, demonstrate how Haṭha Yoga can aid the development of a symmetrical and well-controlled body. Besides some speculative interpretations of the aesthetics and ethics of āsanas, it remains a fact that in yogic tradition these psychophysical performances carry the dedicated efforts of would-be yogis toward a higher spiritual ideal. Āsanas may also be regarded as willful acts intended to bring forth control and harmony and elevate consciousness above the sensorial. They are the tangible cornerstone of a spiritual culture that aims at developing a well-controlled body, vitalized and purified by various cleaning methods, yogic asceticism (tapas), and the application of ethical rules, yama and niyama. Spiritually empowered and equipped with a flexible and strong body, the adept is then able to endure life’s inescapable crises and the challenges of sādhana.

Too often, today’s practice and obtuse interpretations of Haṭha Yoga āsanas are the repository of deep misunderstandings about the role and aims of the third limb of Aṣṭānga Yoga. Analytical points of view emphasizing the alleged benefits of specific postures—often in comparison to other physical exercises, gymnastics, fitness, and aerobics—are not relevant for a yogic discipline with a vocation that is fundamentally holistic.

It is, of course, indisputable that a regular practice of certain āsanas may strengthen the body, make it more supple, enduring, and often even release a temporary sense of well-being. But the so-often-sought feel-good effects or excitement resulting from Haṭha Yoga workouts do not really go beyond the realm of the individual, with highly subjective, temporary sensations, added to which wishful thinking as placebo often plays an important role. To be wise and hopefully find a way to achieve durable results, it is far better to place oneself and one’s efforts in the right context from the outset, remembering that āsanas are no panacea per se. What is good for one person may turn out to be risky or quite inappropriate for another.

To objectively assess the merits and value of āsana training, it is therefore important to refrain from speculating too much, dissecting or generalizing on the basis of the benefits of one or two specific āsanas. In the Haṭha Yoga practice, as elsewhere, certain prerequisites are to be taken into account. After all, training conditions vary according to the individual’s age, personal ambitions, motivation depth, health condition, and, last but not least, the time available for training, which is crucial, given that success is intimately bound to regularity in exercise.

As regards the other party of the “partnership,” the teaching proper, it is important to remember that genuine, traditional Yoga teaching supposes high credentials, something that is often ignored in the West. I still remember Ma Santi Devi saying: “Nowadays, there are more gurus than genuine celas!”

As with school education, and perhaps still more when it comes to the practice of Yoga, the presence of a teacher who is unselfish, knowledgeable, and experienced is really a must. As with Aristotle’s formula “logos, pathos, ethos,” given when he was advising would-be experts in the art of politics, to properly conduct an āsana class, it is not sufficient to just enumerate the āsanas to be executed one after another. This is no more than the first step of an enriching lesson.

More complete than any other athletic discipline, the āsanas simultaneously include force, flexibility, speed, and endurance. A regular practice of Haṭha Yoga makes it possible to model one’s body upon a harmonious symmetry of proportions, to increase energy, to balance it, and to make it capable of effort. To do this, it is essential to methodically practice various exercises of relaxation and mental concentration. Over time, the practice of āsanas has evolved considerably. It has become a method that is perfectly adapted to the needs of modern people. It includes dynamic and static exercises as well as a complementary method of muscular contractions (detailed in the next chapter, “Cāraṇā—Yogic Bodybuilding”).

Though it is true that āsanas are very important in the practice of Haṭha Yoga, it is also the case that their effectiveness is apparent only when they are practiced intelligently, preferably regularly with other complementary disciplines, particularly purifying acts (ṣaṭ karman), control of the life force (prāṇāyāma), and mental concentration.

The importance of these notably psychophysical exercises has not escaped the notice of Indian sages, which is why most ancient writings repeatedly recommend mastery of the body. In fact, all Yoga schools, whether Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, or Raja Yoga, suppose that the meditator has gained control of the seated posture, generally with legs crossed and the spine kept perfectly straight. Thus the text Vedāntadarśana (4.1.9) states: “Mental concentration depends on an unmoving (straight) body posture.”

The term āsana is very ancient. It is found in the Veda Samhītās and also the Brāhmaṇas. It was the god Śiva who revealed the processes of the manifold types of āsanas, thus demonstrating their preUpaniṣad origins. However, the sage Patañjali was the first to describe their technical value by introducing them in the eightfold path of Yoga (Aṣṭānga Yoga).

The root of the word, āsa or as, indicates a motionless physical state. Āsanas are thus traditionally static postures. Their application involves two distinct methods: a static phase facilitating the practice of mental concentration and a dynamic phase that serves as preparation for the static phase. The static phase of an āsana, that is to say, the maintenance of a suitable unmoving posture, requires a certain preparation, in particular the practice of synchronized movements in a starting posture, “A,” which evolves into another posture, “B.” In the execution of these movements, breathing is rhythmic, the body relaxed, and attention fully mobilized. The dynamic application of āsanas is always preliminary to that of a static āsana. The former has in particular the effect of countering the prolonged muscular inactivity of the latter.

Static Exercises

In Haṭha Yoga, methods have been conceived to create concentration postures that provide a good base for the student, while procuring a feeling of ease. These methods are termed static or isometric exercises, and they require maintaining certain special positions for a particular period of time. Three phases are distinguished during the training: easy, painful, and a phase of willpower.

The easy phase has the feature of being free of any discomfort. A degree of training in this phase supports serenity and powers of concentration. Physically, this implies that the body can function without impediment. The vital functions become stronger, which leads to better health. The goal of Haṭha Yoga is, as a result of the static exercises, to combine the best physical and mental conditions in order to reach an optimal state of concentration, as well as better health.

The easy phase is followed by a painful phase, which follows a preliminary phase of discomfort. Training makes it possible to acquire the capacity to endure the pain. In this way endurance increases and the immune system is boosted.

The third phase starts when the pain becomes almost unbearable. The capacity to endure the pain, developed by a special method of concentration, greatly contributes to the reinforcement of the will. When this method is practiced in a state of breath suspension, the effect is further amplified. The phase of willpower is then reached. Finally, the moment arrives when the pain becomes absolutely unbearable, and the maintenance of the posture must be stopped. In regular training, it is not advisable to continue beyond the first feeling of discomfort. The transition to the phases of pain and willpower must be accomplished gradually and under the supervision of a qualified teacher.

Every part of the body is reinforced by static exercises. The back, the abdomen, and the pelvis are trained to remain absolutely unmoving. Included in these exercises are the reversed postures, standing on the head or the shoulders. In addition to their contribution to mental concentration, static exercises have no equal for developing endurance, invigorating the nervous system, and contributing to optimal health.

Dynamic Exercises

In order to carry out the static exercises in the most effective and beneficial way possible, dynamic exercises are an essential preliminary preparation; they facilitate control of the muscles, making them flexible, strong, and able to tolerate strain. The dynamic exercises are postural movements that, practiced methodically, promote good muscular development. The mental concentration exerted on the muscles and with the movements plays a very important part. A static posture can be successful only if it is supported by its dynamic version.

The dynamic exercises are grouped into six categories—dorsal, abdominal, pelvic, neck, arms, legs—with the aim of developing the principal groups of muscles, that is, the dorsal, abdominal, and respiratory (thoracic and diaphragm). The training of the leg muscles aims at optimizing the activity of the dorsal and abdominal muscles. Complementary exercises have been created for that purpose.

Āsanas (postures) and cāraṇā (exercises of contraction and muscular control) introduce the first stage of exercises combined with concentration. They consist of front, back, and side flexions, torsions, extensions of the limbs outward and backward, pendulum and rotational movements. The ancient system of gymnastics for girls, known as “calisthenics” (general balance movements on the head or shoulders), as well as the modern exercises of muscular control, all have their origin in āsanas and cāraṇā.

The movements are based on two fundamental principles: the choice of a posture appropriate to the desired effect and the progressive adaptation to the movements. In the discipline of Haṭha Yoga, a given posture allows the contraction and the extension of the muscles to be light, medium, or strong. Thus the postures are classified into light, medium, or strong contractions. According to the muscular development of the pupil, a posture is selected from one of these alternatives.