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Yoga
Sutras 2.46-2.48:
Asana or Meditation Posture,
Rung #3 of 8
(Previous
Next Main)
 Third rung is Asana: The third of
the eight rungs (2.29) of Yoga is
Asana, or sitting posture for the later rungs. The word Asana comes from the root ~as, which means "to sit".
Two essentials for posture: Yoga
has been defined as the mastery of the thought patterns of mind field (1.2),
so that Self-realization can be experienced (1.3).
To be able to do the meditation practices that allow this, it is essential
that the posture be (2.46):
Two means of perfecting meditation
posture: Steady and comfortable posture comes through two means (2.47):
- Loosening of tension or effort to sit
in the posture
- Allowing attention to merge with the
infinite
Freedom from pairs of opposites:
From the attainment of a perfected posture, there arises an
unassailable, unimpeded freedom from suffering due to the pairs of
opposites such as heat and cold, good and bad, or pain and pleasure (2.48).
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2.46
The posture (asana) for Yoga meditation should be steady, stable, and
motionless, as well as comfortable, and this is the third of the eight
rungs of Yoga.
(sthira sukham asanam)
- sthira = steady, stable,
motionless
- sukham = comfortable,
ease filled
- asanam = meditation
posture (from the root ~as, which means "to sit")
Steady and comfortable: The two
essential characteristics of the sitting posture for meditation are that
it must be:
- Steady, stable, motionless
- Comfortable, or filled with ease
Suggested postures: The sage
Vyasa, commenting on this sutra, names several postures, which are further
described by Vachaspti Misra in the translation by Rama Prasada:
- Padmasana is well-known
[sitting posture]
- Virasana is that in which a
sitting man [or woman] has one foot in contact with the ground, and
places the other over the partially inclined knee.
- Bhadrasana is that in which the
sitting man [or woman] places the soles of both feet joined together
below the testicles [or genital area], and places both hands with the
fingers interlaced over that region.
- Svastika is that in which the
left foot is placed, a little downward inclined between the right
thigh and shank, and the right foot is placed in a similar position
between the left thigh and shank.
- Dandasana is practiced by
sitting with thighs, shanks and feet stretched straight along the
ground with the ankles joined together, but the toes kept apart.
- Paryanka is that in which the
knees are extended and the arms are used to lie upon.
- Sopasraya is that in which the
tiger's skin or the deer skin or some cloth is used to sit upon. [The
skins were used over grass due to the coldness of the ground, but
these are not generally necessary now.]
- Kraunchanisadana and others of
the same class are to be imitated from the sitting postures of the
Krauncha, the elephant, the camel.
- Samasamsthana is that in which
the feet are so placed that the heels and fore-parts of both are
joined together with the feet a little bent.
- Sthirasukha is whatever posture
may secure steadiness and ease. This is approved by the writer of the
aphorisms [Patanjali]. It is also described as Yathasukha. This means
any position that may secure ease.
Use any posture that brings steadiness
and ease: Note the suggestion in the last item noted above (Sthirasukha)
that any posture may be used, which brings steadiness and ease. This is a
common suggestion in oral tradition, that the posture might be varied, but
that the key is that it must be steady and comfortable. Steady is given to
mean that the head, neck, and trunk must be aligned, leaving the natural
curve in the spine.
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2.47
The means of perfecting the posture is that of relaxing or loosening of
effort, and allowing attention to merge with endlessness, or the infinite.
(prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam)
- prayatna = tension or
effort (related to trying to do the posture)
- shaithilya = by
relaxing, loosening, lessening, slackening
- ananta = infinite,
endlessness
- samapattibhyam = by
focusing attention on, by coalescence, coincidence, merging
Two means of perfecting meditation
posture: Steady and comfortable posture comes through two means:
- Loosening of tension or effort to sit
in the posture
- Allowing attention to merge with the
infinite
A still higher degree of steadiness is
attained by samyama (3.4-3.6) on the
channel below the throat, as noted in sutra 3.32.
Effortless attitude: Most of us
have busy lives in which everything happens because of a concerted effort
to "make it happen!" It seems as if we must do something
if anything is to happen. Perfecting posture for meditation comes not so
much by doing but of not doing. Surely we have to put some
effort into training the body to sit straight and be aligned. However,
after that is accomplished, the next step is to learn to do nothing,
allowing the posture to settle in for meditation. It is an active
form of doing nothing, of consciously ceasing to place any effort
into the posture. This conscious effort to release any form of effort can
be felt experientially, internally. You can know for yourself that this
really is a valid, useful, and key principle in developing a sitting
posture for meditation.
Loosening of effort through attention: One way of
loosening effort is to systematically move attention through the body
through a variety of relaxation practices.
By systematically moving attention and breathing smoothly, the releasing
of tension and effort comes easily. It is more a case of allowing
than of causing the release that leads to a perfected posture.
Focusing on the infinite: To focus
on the infinite simply close your eyes, sit as comfortably and erect as
you can, and allow your attention to expand. Attention likes to wrap
itself around an object. Allow that object to be the whole of infinity.
The mind will not be able to do it, but the effort to do so will easily be
seen to bring a stability in the sitting posture. With a bit of
experimentation, you can feel the effects of this yourself.
Effortless and the infinite go
together: By consciously, intentionally practicing the effortlessness
of posture, along with the focus on embracing the infinite, it becomes
self-evident how well these two work together. The expansion and letting
go bring a natural release, as the attention is ready to move inward to
the next rung, which deals with breathing and pranayama (2.49-2.53).
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2.48
From the attainment of that perfected posture, there arises an
unassailable, unimpeded freedom from suffering due to the pairs of
opposites (such as heat and cold, good and bad, or pain and pleasure).
(tatah dvandva anabhighata)
- tatah = then, thereby,
thence, from that
- dvandva = the pairs of
opposites, the dualities, dichotomies
- anabhighata = unimpeded
freedom from suffering, without effect or impact, cessation of
disturbance
Freedom from pairs of opposites:
From the attainment of a perfected posture (2.47), there arises an
unassailable, unimpeded freedom from suffering due to the pairs of
opposites such as heat and cold, good and bad, or pain and pleasure. That
perfected posture comes from the two means of loosening of effort and
focusing attention on the infinite (2.47).
The
next sutra is 2.49
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This site is devoted to
presenting the ancient Self-Realization path of
the Tradition of the Himalayan masters in simple, understandable and
beneficial ways, while not compromising quality or depth. The goal of
our sadhana or practices is the highest
Joy that comes from the Realization in direct experience of the
center of consciousness, the Self, the Atman or Purusha, which is
one and the same with the Absolute Reality.
This Self-Realization comes through Yoga meditation of the Yoga
Sutras, the contemplative insight of Advaita Vedanta, and the
intense devotion of Samaya Sri Vidya Tantra, the three of which
complement one another like fingers on a hand.
We employ the classical approaches of Raja, Jnana, Karma, and Bhakti
Yoga, as well as Hatha, Kriya, Kundalini, Laya, Mantra, Nada, Siddha,
and Tantra Yoga. Meditation, contemplation, mantra and prayer
finally converge into a unified force directed towards the final
stage, piercing the pearl of wisdom called bindu, leading to the
Absolute.
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