To indicate a physical posture, asana is a term that has been in use through ages associated with yoga. Although metaphysical in origin, most modern asanas have a tangible aspect owing to their common interpretation as postures and positions. An important classical text which elaborates upon asana is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a renowned ancient text quoting the notion of asana in yoga.

Historical context

The whole system and science of yoga are laid down in a nutshell in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, written in about 200 b.c. It is a manual for practicing yoga: ethics and social justice, the kind of physical discipline one may wish to follow, meditative focus-clearly these, and more, are all to be found in Patanjali’s classic text. This text gets organized into four chapters or “padas” that, together, entail a pathway to spiritual enlightenment and self-realization.

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Asana is one of the eight limbs of yoga, under the system called Ashtanga Yoga.

Asana: A seat of stability

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defines asana in Sutra 2.46: “Sthira Sukham Asanam,” which translates to “a posture that is steady and comfortable.” This definition is sharply different from the current concept of asanas as difficult physical postures. Rather than that, Patanjali stresses the idea of ease and steadiness in one’s physical position to further facilitate meditation and spiritual practice.

The definition is simple and does not refer to the issues of physical strength or complicated asanas, but rather to inner quietness and the balance that makes it easy to breathe, think, and spirit more intensely. The same is useful for zonking for long stints of meditation without getting conscious disturbance since it is important for reaching higher states of consciousness.

The purpose of asana

Patanjali’s eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga comprised Yama (the ethical restraints), Niyama (self-discipline), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (spiritual absorption). As a third limb, Asana connects the outer extensions of ethics and self-discipline to the internal extensions of breath control and meditation.

It is not an end in itself, but it is the groundwork for meditation. With the stability and comfort that an asana brings, it is easy for the practitioner to sit for long intervals without discomfort and hence focus.

Philosophy of effortless effort

There is a more relaxing effort according to Patanjali with respect to asana. It states that, in Sutra 2.47, “Prayatna Shaithilya Ananta Samapattibhyam,” asana becomes perfected by reducing effort, and the mind merges with the infinite.

With this ideal, practitioners can ease up and let go of the tensions and strains in their muscles. Being free in the moment, the body joins with infinite consciousness, and it comes to experience harmony with nature.

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