Yogi Corner: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Asana)
The most famous part of the Yoga Sutras is called the "eight limbs." Sometimes referred to as branches, these limbs are to be worked on until the impurities are dwindled away in order to achieve yoga. For May we get to the most commonly known yet still little understood section on the yoga postures.
"Prayatna Saithilyananta Samapattibhyam."
B.2, V.47
Translation: By lessening the natural tendency for restlessness and by meditating on the infinite, posture is mastered.
"Tato Dvandvanabhighatah."
B.2, V.48
Translation: Thereafter, one is undisturbed by the dualities.
You see those two sections above? Number 47 & 48? That is all that the Yoga Sutras gives us about our wonderful world of yoga postures or asanas. And yet every yoga class across the country dedicates just about 90-99% of their entire yoga class to this section. Funny, isn't it? There are no directions on how to perform "Downward Facing Dog" or what muscles to engage or where to focus your vision or drishti.
Interesting.
Begs the question, "so why do we spend so much time with the poses?" I suppose the easiest answer is that the body is the most identifiable aspect of our self that most of us have (and trust me, most of us are cut off from at least some of it anyway). Upon further reflection, the answers are already given in the sections.
First of all, attaining a perfect Crow or Handstand is NOT the goal of your yoga practice. The "goal" is union, achieved by a completely relaxed and settled mind into oneness. How do we relax the mind? Well, first we have to relax the body. How do we relax the body? Well, first, let's release the toxic build-up in the tissues so that we CAN actually find comfort. How do we release the toxic build-up in the body? By stretching, squeezing, twisting, inverting, and strengthening the tissues. Notably, for each of us we store our own specific areas that need more tending to than others. Of course we have already started to eat cleaner (thanks to our earlier lessons), so now we have to work the stuff that we have accumulated out - on a cellular level.
Ever had the urge to cry in class? Laugh hysterically? Well, guess what? GOOD! Cry. Laugh. Let it go!!! This is how we sometimes release on a cellular level. Otherwise, we can bend and twist and work more and more, but if we never let it out, where is it going? Nowhere. It's staying inside - all the toxic energy we have taken in.
The second sutra tells us how to feel in each posture: firm and comfortable. While performing a posture, that is the equanimity that we are looking for. To be able to perform the asana, firm and comfortable, still and relaxed, means that you have cleared the toxic energy out.
Does this mean that there will be a time when Frog pose becomes a meditation for you? I hope so! Not there yet? Not even sure what Frog is? Keep coming to class...you'll hit upon it one day. You will probably dislike it a lot at first. You may have the strongest urge to use the bathroom or talk to the person next to you when you first try it. But, try this instead: breathe into it.
Yes, we all have our postures that we are working on. We all have toxic energy to move out. But thankfully we have our yoga classes with our supportive teachers in which to help us understand what we should be feeling in them!
NO YOGA = NO PEACE.
KNOW YOGA = KNOW PEACE.
Now, get your asana to class soon!
Namaste.
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