Yoga Stories Episode 10: Asanas

Monica and Matt examine the third limb of yoga: asanas. The
discussion gets perhaps more serious than one would imagine for
the topic... and Oréo can be heard begging for Monica's coconut
cookies!

There's not much to go on in Patanjali or the Gita... so Monica
turns to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (HYP). A marvellous handbook
for yoga but it only refers to sitting postures. So where do the
standing asana (postures) come from?

Of the modern posture styles best known in the west (Hatha,
Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Iyengar), most, if not all, trace back to
Krishnamacharya's school in Mysore, in the royal palace. We
discover that there is some myth behind Krishnamacharya's own
training and the origin of some of his ideas contain some
mystery. But does that mean it's not authentic? How do we find
the right style for us when we in the west are concerned to have
our yoga style prove its authentic lineage, but we are also
easily tempted by new, seemingly more exciting and dynamic
styles?

What should we think when our asana practice guru gets into
trouble? Our teachers, after all, are as human as we are. And
inspired yoga styles are still channelled through mortals with
egos and appetites. 

Patanjali and the HYP both see asana practice as a preparation
for meditation and we do too! That's one way to decide how
authentic and useful your asana practice style is - if it lights
tapas, if it prepares your body and mind for meditation, then
it's probably good.