Asana Overview 1

This blog follows the Yogacharya Sundaram school of yoga exercise routines and therapy. This format was developed by Yogacharya S. Sundaram, who started one of India’s oldest Yoga school in Bangalore, India around 1925. These routines focus on maximising the effect of the exercise on the relevant portion of the body at a time, are holistic and cover all parts of the body.

It is necessary to differentiate between some terminologies;

Asana – The classical definition of asana is स्थिरसुखमासनम् ॥४६॥. Sthira (static) + sukham (calm) + asanam (seat). This means that any exercise which is called asana should keep the practitioner close to the state of homeostasis, which is a psychosomatic state of the body remaining in balance and equanimity. Therefore, asana is a static exercise where the body movement is minimal and the focus is on holding the pose to maximise impact on a specific area of the body.

Kriya - Dynamic exercises which increase flexibility of the body. Surya Namaskar falls into this classification.

Banda - this is a holding exercise. This exercise is far more complex than the above two types and focuses on smooth flow of prana in and around that area of focus. Uddyana and nauli fall into this classification.

Translation of the Sanskrit words - there is always a desire to make approximations to make the subject more appealing and less forbidding. That has been avoided in this blog. I will be trying to stay as close as possible to the classical aspects of yogasana, though I admit, I have not been very successful sometimes.

Many teachers get started with warm up asanas and beginner asanas. Yogacharya Sundaram never really did that. He got people performing the below mentioned asanas as soon as he could get them to flex. I think that is the right approach. Hence, I have started with the recommended asanas which need to be practiced in a normal routine and later, I will be drifting to other asanas which have specific uses.

The exercise routines recommended are:

Sl. No.	Asana	Meaning/ translation
Reverse bending exercises: Focus on the stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas and spine.
1	Bhujangasana	The Cobra Pose
2	Shalabasana	The Locust Pose
3	Dhanurasana	The Bow Pose
Forward bending exercises: Focus on lower abdomen and upper abdomen
4	Pavana Muktasana	The Air Relieving Pose
5	Paschimotanasana	The Torso stretch Pose
6	Halasana	The Plough Pose
7	Mayurasana	The Peacock Pose
Upper region exercises: Focus on the neck, shoulders, heart, lungs and head.
8	Sarvangasana	The Pan body pose
9	Matsyasana	The Fish Pose
10	Shirsasana	The Head Stand
11	Viparitha Karani	The Chest Pose
Abdominal exercises
12	Arda Matsyandarasana	The Half fish middle pose
13	Yoga Mudra	The Yoga seal
14	Padahastasana	The Hand to Toe Pose
15	Uddiyana	The Abdominal Suction
16	Nauli	The Rectus Isolation
Body Reset Exercise: Coming back to the condition of homeostasis
17	Shavasana	The Corpse Pose