Understanding Asana

gym class

Āsana is a generic term for the different postures used in yoga. Originating from the Sanskrit word for ‘seat’ many of the oldest mentioned asanas are seated postures for meditation.

Asanas may be performed in various positions; while the practitioner is standing, seated, arm-balances, inversions, prone or in supine postures as well.

Because there are many various schools of postural yoga, there is rarely any uniformity in names used, and most often than not, different names from different schools could refer to the same asana.