Four Asanas are prescribed for the purpose of Japa and meditation. They are Padmasana, Siddhasana, Svastikasana and Sukhasana. You must be able to sit in any one of these four Asanas at a stretch for full three hours without shaking the body. Then only you will get Asana-Jaya, mastery over the Asana. Without securing a steady Asana, you cannot further get on well in meditation. The steadier you are in your Asana, the more you will be able to concentrate and make your mind one-pointed. If you can be steady in the posture even for one hour, you will be able to acquire one-pointed mind and feel thereby infinite peace and Atmic Ananda.

Excerpt from the book Kundalini Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Asanas: Importance Of Asanas

• Asana - Conditions & general directions for Good Asana
• Asana - Yoga Asana Poses or Postures

Read more here: » Asana: Encyclopedia - Asana

Asanas:

Yoga body postures.

(See also: Asanas, Body Mind and Soul)

Here we focus on a yoga program for Diabetics. Although genetic factors are also involved, a diet over- rich in carbohydrates, obesity, not enough exercise and stress also contribute to a large extent to this disease.

Yoga, with its amazing range of practices, can not only give you an exercise program to help reduce blood sugar but also realign, revitalize and improve the functioning of the Endocrine System and the organs and glands that are involved in diabetes.

Instructions and benefits for:

-       Bhastrika Pranayama

-       Uddiyan Bandha

-       Agnisar Kriya

-       Ushtrasana

-       Paschimottanasana

-       Bhujangasana

-       Ardhamatsyendrasana

-       Vakrasana

-       Merudandasana

(See also: Yoga and Health, Yoga, Yoga and Health, Yoga Systems, Yoga Positions)

Four Asanas are prescribed for the purpose of Japa and meditation. They are Padmasana, Siddhasana, Svastikasana and Sukhasana. You must be able to sit in any one of these four Asanas at a stretch for full three hours without shaking the body. Then only you will get Asana-Jaya, mastery over the Asana.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Asanas: Most important Yoga Positions - Yoga Asanas

This is another relaxation yoga pose, and is practised before the Headstand and some other asanas.

Read more here: » Yoga Poses: The Child's Pose - Yoga Pose

Definition of The Headstand yoga position (Sirshasana): An asana in which you balance on your elbows, arms, and head

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: The Headstand - Yoga Position

The Forward Bend yoga position (Paschimothanasana) looks, and is, simple - provided you relax into the position, rather than forcing yourself into it. The pose is one of the most powerful and important Asanas, helping to ease the spinal compression caused by standig upright.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: Forward Bend - Yoga Position

Sarvangasana, the Sanskrit name for the Shoulderstand, comes from the word "sarva", meaning whole. This Asana strengthens your entire body; it gives many of the benefits of the Headstand, but here the circulation is directed to your thyroid gland instead of the head.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: The Shoulderstand - Yoga Position

The Bow yoga position (Dhanurasana) works all parts of your back simultaneously. In this asana, your head, chest, and legs are lifted, while your body rests on your abdomen. The pose is so named because as you hold it, your body is bent back like a bow and your arms are held straight and taut like a bowstring.

Read more here: » Yoga Poses: The Bow Pose - Yoga Poses

Definition of Hands-to-Feet yoga pose: Bending forward in a standing position.

Read more here: » Yoga Poses: Hands-to-Feet - Yoga Position

Definition of the Locust yoga position (Shalabhasana): Lying face down with lifted legs.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: The Locust - Yoga Position

Definition of The Peacock Pose (Mayurasana): Balancing with your body parallel to the ground.

Read more here: » Yoga Poses: The Peacock Pose - Yoga Position

The Fish Yoga Position (Matsyasana) is the stretch that counters the Plough, and so follows them in Yoga session. The name of the posture derives from the fact that if you adopt the position in water, you will float quite easily.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: The Fish - Yoga Position

During the Spiral Twists yoga position (Ardha Matsyendrasana) your vertebrae are mobilized; the exercises also allow more nourishment to reach the roots of the spinal nerves and the sympathetic nevous system.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: Spinal Twisting - Yoga Position

The objective with Plough Pose (Halasana) is to stretch your cervical and thoracic regions.

Read more here: » Yoga Poses: The Plough Pose - Yoga Pose

The Dolphin yoga position strengthens your upper body in preparation for the Headstand.

Read more here: » Yoga Positions: The Dolphin - Yoga Position

There are many different asana s (postures) in yoga, which you can practise at any time of the day with excellent benefits. However, best results can be obtained only by doing yoga under expert guidance. Here's a listing of the commonly practised asanas with both the name of the asana in sanskrit and in english.

Read more here: » Yoga: Major Types of Asanas - Yoga Positions

Asana steadies the body; Bandhas and Mudras make the mind firm; Pranayama makes the body light; Nadi-suddhi produces steadiness of the mind.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Asana: Asanas and Meditation

Practice Of Yoga Asanas

1. The practice of Yoga Asanas helps to prevent disease and maintain a high standard of health, vigour and vitality. It cures many diseases.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga Asanas: Practice Of Yoga Asanas and Health