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Asana is the posture work of yoga. There are many varieties and opinions about content and technique of an asana practice, but most focus on structural alignment, ways of breathing during the work, and awareness. Some systems focus more on one or more aspects and some divide the work into grades of complexity as the student advances.
My opinion is that, as I cannot prescribe the level of intensity or complexity at which someone else may wish to work, my job as a teacher is to present all possibilities I can whilst also including safety advice. Yoga practice can be very demanding and can have intense effects at all levels of being. I think the best advice is to proceed slowly, gently, and regularly to just below one’s maximum capacity. As well as varying from person to person, this may also vary with the same person from day to day.
Asana divides into several main types of body use. There are postures which incorporate standing, backward bending, forward folding, side stretching, twisting, and balancing. They build strength and stamina, facilitate controlled stretching, massage most parts of the body, put pressure on marma points. In addition they have beneficial effects on breathing, circulation of blood and lymph, joint mobility, connective tissue elasticity. However the main thing which distinguishes asana from many other forms of exercise is the focus on awareness as well as good technique.
There are some students and teachers of Yoga who focus mainly, if not entirely on the fitness aspects of practice. I have attended classes where the instructors are fitness teachers, with varying levels of knowledge of body work. They have mainly emphasised the stretching and, perhaps balancing, aspects of the work. Sometimes they have incorporated some of the breathwork, again with varying degrees of understanding of its original purposes. I have also attended classes with Yoga teachers who work in much the same way, ignoring the psychological and spiritual aspects of the original writings.
The above paragraph is not a criticism of this way of working. Some students only want a low impact form of exercise, or have been told that Yoga is a good path to stress relief. Yoga, of course can serve both these aims. Also, in modern times, “spiritual” can mean many different things, and some people feel the whole subject should be avoided in an “exercise” class. Yet again, some yoga teachers are well aware of, and even immersed in, the psych-spiritual aspects of the tradition, but feel that it should be reserved for students who wish to go deeper, after the bodily tensions and misalignments have been sorted out.
The word asana originally refers to a seated posture. Patanjali, the author of the “Yoga Sutras” says that asana should be steady and pleasant. In the practice of Hatha Yoga in which asana refers to different shapes assumed by the body, there are both static and dynamic forms. In this article, I am speaking mainly of the static types in which a posture is held for a time varying from seconds to minutes. Static asanas stretch and strengthen the areas used by the breathing mechanisms in preparation for pranayama. They also massage various part of the body helping to increase the flow of blood and lymph. The mind is constantly and increasingly aware of subtle signals from the body. These signals from the periphery as well as the core lead to gentle adjustments of alignment and breathing.
Asana simultaneously produces both contraction and expansion. This massages the connective tissue and the skin, which are kept moist and elastic. Joints move through their complete range in safety, although precautions and- contra indications will be given by a responsible Yoga teacher as not all bodies have the same immediate capacity. Because of precise alignment, the stretching muscles are moving in certain planes and the blood flow to specific areas will increase, but without putting a strain on other body systems.
Exercise is good for general health and longevity. It stimulates circulation, moves the joints and enhances glandular secretion. However, except for well conditioned athletes, bursts of intense exercise once or twice a week increase the production of free radicals which in turn leads to tissue damage. Whilst in the regular exerciser the body’s anti-oxidant enzyme system is enhanced, these changes occur slowly over time and are associated with other physiological adaptations to a regular training programme. During intense exercise by untrained individuals the increased free radical production can overwhelm the body’s inherent protection. Asana, being a steady and slow system of movement produces a smaller quantity of free radicals which can easily be dealt with by the body’ defences. Asana, by the massage effect, also helps to remove cellular toxins.
An asana programme should be carefully designedfor each individual. This can be done by the person themselves, as they are the experts on their body’s needs. A teacher can help by showing technique and ensuring safety. A person who finds back bends easy, may be challenged by forward bending and so on. The development of maximum extension and contraction in all directions for any individual requires constant practice and self awareness. Many schools recommend the use of pose and counter pose in a session, but Dr Krishna Raman, author of “A Matter of Health; an integration of Yoga and Western Medicine” does not think that this should be used in all asana.
Asana does not just affect skeletal muscles and their associated joints. Nor does it only have added value for circulatory, lymphatic and respiratory systems. It is designed to produce health giving affects on connective tissue, nervous system, and the various organs of the body. I hope to explore each of these areas separately in other articles, but in brief, connective tissue, especially the myofascial layer, covers muscles, muscle fibres, bones and blood vessels. Because the whole body is interconnected by fascia, any tension or weakness in one part has immediate effects elsewhere. Connective tissue has properties of both elasticity and viscosity. The slow, long held stretches of asana (provided no damge is done by forcing) allow the connective tissue to be permanently elongated without sacrificing elasticity. A word of caution here for those who are hypermobile:- these students should focus on asanas which strengthen the muscles which stabilise the joints.
Asana has many proven health benefits.. There is a growing number of scientific studies, but still not enough to prove many claims made by generations of practitioners and teachers. However, personal experience affirms the effectiveness of asana practice, though the benefits will vary with the individual. Lack of current, reputable studies is not proof of ineffectiveness. More yoga teachers now have medical, scientific, or bodywork training and are sharing their insights with the yoga community. Amongst these is Timothy McCall MD whose book “Yoga as Medicine” contains many references to studies on therapeutic Yoga. A particularly interesting study mentioned by him showed that poor posture was a particular risk factor for premature death. Yogis know that slouching badly affects the heart, lungs, and other organs with deleterious effect on the functioning of all parts of the body. Asana opens up the front of the body as well as strengthening the back. The balance between front and back, strength and flexibility, is what maintains good posture throughout life.
McCALL, Timothy, “Yoga as Medicine”
PATANJALI “Yoga Sutras” – one of the core texts of Yoga. Many translations are available. I think more than one is valuable as there are different interpretations.
RAMAN, Krishna “A Matter of Health: an integration of Yoga and Western Medicine”
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