Asana Dictionary

Asana: Posture; seat.

(See also: Asana , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Asana: Posture, third stage of yoga.

(See also: Asana , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

A dictionary Of Siddha Yoga Terminology. From Abhanga to Yogini.

Please note that all words in grey, like "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

A dictionary Of Commonly Used Sanskrit terms. From A to Crore.

Please note that all words in grey, like "yoga", "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

A Theosophical definition of Asana :

Asana according to Theosophy

(Sanskrit) "A word derived from the verbal root as, signifying "to sit quietly." Asana, therefore, technically signifies one of the peculiar postures adopted by Hindu ascetics, mostly of the hatha yoga school. Five of these postures are usually enumerated, but nearly ninety have been noted by students of the subject.

A great deal of quasi-magical and mystical literature may be found devoted to these various postures and collateral topics, and their supposed or actual psychological value when assumed by devotees; but, as a matter of fact, a great deal of this writing is superficial and has very little indeed to do with the actual occult and esoteric training of genuine occultists. One is instinctively reminded of other quasi-mystical practices, as, for instance, certain genuflections or postures followed in the worship of the Christian Church, to which particular values are sometimes ascribed by fanatic devotees.

Providing that the position of the body be comfortable so that the mind is least distracted, genuine meditation and spiritual and actual introspection can be readily and successfully attained by any earnest student without the slightest attention being paid to these various postures. A man sitting quietly in his armchair, or lying in his bed at night, or sitting or lying on the grass in a forest, can more readily enter the inner worlds than by adopting and following any one or more of these various asanas, which at the best are physiological aids of relatively small value." (See also Samadhi)

See also: Asana , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

Asana

Asanastham

(Sanskrit) A lotus-like yoga posture

(See also: Asana , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

A Theosophical definition of Samadhi :

Samadhi

(Sanskrit) A compound word formed of sam, meaning "with" or "together"; a, meaning "towards"; and the verbal root dha, signifying "to place," or "to bring"; hence samadhi, meaning "to direct towards," generally signifies to combine the faculties of the mind with a direction towards an object. Hence, intense contemplation or profound meditation, with the consciousness directed to the spiritual. It is the highest form of self-possession, in the sense of collecting all the faculties of the constitution towards reaching union or quasi-union, long or short in time as the case may be, with the divine-spiritual. One who possesses and is accustomed to use this power has complete, absolute control over all his faculties, and is, therefore, said to be "completely self- possessed." It is the highest state of yoga or "union."

Samadhi, therefore, is a word of exceedingly mystical and profound significance implying the complete abstraction of the percipient consciousness from all worldly or exterior or even mental concerns or attributes, and its absorption into or, perhaps better, its becoming the pure unadulterate, undilute superconsciousness of the god within. In other words, samadhi is self-conscious union with the spiritual monad of the human constitution. Samadhi is the eighth or final stage of genuine occult yoga, and can be attained at any time by the initiate without conscious recourse to the other phases or practices of yoga enumerated in Oriental works, and which other and inferior practices are often misleading, in some cases distinctly injurious, and at the best mere props or aids in the attaining of complete mental abstraction from worldly concerns.

The eight stages of yoga usually enumerated are the following:

(1)  yama, signifying "restraint" or "forbearance";

(2)  niyama, religious observances of various kinds, such as watchings or fastings, prayings, penances, etc.;

(3)  asana (q.v.), postures of various kinds;

(4)  pranayama, various methods of regulating the breath; (5) pratyahara, a word signifying "withdrawal," but technically and esoterically the "withdrawal" of the consciousness from sensual or sensuous concerns, or from external objects;

(5)  dharana (q.v.), firmness or steadiness or resolution in holding the mind set or concentrated on a topic or object of thought, mental concentration;

(6)  dhyana (q.v.), abstract contemplation or meditation when freed from exterior distractions; and finally,

(7)  samadhi, complete collection of the consciousness and of its faculties into oneness or union with the monadic essence.

It may be observed, and should be carefully taken note of by the student, that when the initiate has attained samadhi he becomes practically omniscient for the solar universe in which he dwells, because his consciousness is functioning at the time in the spiritual-causal worlds. All knowledge is then to him like an open page because he is self-consciously conscious, to use a rather awkward phrase, of nature's inner and spiritual realms, the reason being that his consciousness has become kosmic in its reaches.

See also: Samadhi , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

A Yoga Dictionary from Abhyasa to Yukti.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Padma asana:

Padma asana: the lotus pose; a meditative  posture.

(See also: Padma asana , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Siddha yoni asana:

the female counterpart of the siddhasana meditative posture, in which the left heel presses the entrance to the vagina

(See also: Siddha yoni asana ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

lotus asana: The most famous of hatha yoga poses and the optimum position for meditation. It is known as the padmasana (lotus pose), as the legs are crossed, turning the soles of the feet up, which then resemble a lotus flower.

See: asana, hatha yoga.

(See also: Lotus asana , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Padma Asana (Sanskrit). A posture prescribed to and practised by some Yogis for developing concentration.

(See also: Padma Asana , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

A Yoga Dictionary from Asanas to Zerosis

Note that all words in grey (like the following examples; Yoga, Kundalini, Enlightenment) in the dictionary are links to archives with articles related to that word or expression.

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

hatha yoga: (Sanskrit) "Forceful yoga."

Hatha yoga is a system of physical and mental exercise developed in ancient times as a means of rejuvenation by rishis and tapasvins who meditated for long hours, and used today in preparing the body and mind for meditation.

Its elements are

1)    postures (asana),

2)    cleansing practices (dhauti or shodhana),

3)    breath control (pranayama),

4)    locks (bandha, which temporarily restrict local flows of prana) and

5)    hand gestures (mudra), all of which regulate the flow of prana and purify the inner and outer bodies.

Hatha yoga is broadly practiced in many traditions. It is the third limb (anga) of Patanjali's raja yoga. It is integral to the Saiva and Shakta tantra traditions, and part of modern ayurveda treatment. In the West, hatha yoga has been superficially adopted as a health-promoting, limbering, stress-reducing form of exercise, often included in aerobic routines.

Esoterically, ha and tha, respectively, indicate the microcosmic sun (ha) and moon (tha), which symbolize the masculine current, pingala nadi, and feminine current, ida nadi, in the human body. The most popular hatha yoga manuals are Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Gheranda Samhita.

See: hatha yoga, asana, kundalini, nadi, yoga, raja yoga.

(See also: Hatha yoga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Koormasana:

tortoise' pose - an advanced posture.

(See also: Koormasana ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Shashankasana:

moon pose

(See also: Shashankasana ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Trikanasana: The triangle posture is the only posture that improves every muscle. joint, tendon. and internal organ in the body

(See also: Trikanasana ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Uttankoormasana:

Tortoise pose

(See also: Uttankoormasana ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

raja yoga: (Sanskrit) "King of yogas."

Also known as ashtanga yoga, "eight-limbed yoga." The classical yoga system of eight progressive stages to Illumination as described in various yoga Upanishads, the Tirumantiram and, most notably, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

The eight limbs are as follows.

1)    yama: "Restraint." Virtuous and moral living, which brings purity of mind, freedom from anger, jealousy and subconscious confusion which would inhibit the process of meditation.

2)    niyama: (Sanskrit) "Observance." Religious practices which cultivate the qualities of the higher nature, such as devotion, cognition, humility and contentment- giving the refinement of nature and control of mind needed to concentrate and ultimately plunge into samadhi.

3)    asana: "Seat or posture." A sound body is needed for success in meditation. This is attained through hatha yoga, the postures of which balance the energies of mind and body, promoting health and serenity, e.g., padmasana, the "lotus pose," for meditation. The Yoga Sutras indicate that asanas make the yogi impervious to the impact of the pairs of opposites (dvandva), heat-cold, etc.

4)    pranayama: "Mastering life force." Breath control, which quiets the chitta and balances ida and pingala. Science of controlling prana through breathing techniques in which lengths of inhalation, retention and exhalation are modulated. Pranayama prepares the mind for deep meditation.

5)    pratyahara: "Withdrawal." The practice of withdrawing consciousness from the physical senses first, such as not hearing noise while meditating, then progressively receding from emotions, intellect and eventually from individual consciousness itself in order to merge into the Universal.

6)    dharana: "Concentration." Focusing the mind on a single object or line of thought, not allowing it to wander. The guiding of the flow of consciousness. When concentration is sustained long and deeply enough, meditation naturally follows.

7)    dhyana: "Meditation." A quiet, alert, powerfully concentrated state wherein new knowledge and insight pour into the field of consciousness. This state is possible once the subconscious mind has been cleared or quieted.

8)    samadhi: "Enstasy," which means "standing within one's self." "Sameness, contemplation." The state of true yoga, in which the meditator and the object of meditation are one.

See: yoga, asana, samadhi, raja yoga.

(See also: Raja Yoga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Siddhasana (Sanskrit) [from siddha perfected + asana seat]

The sitting position for attaining siddhis (spiritual powers) in hatha yoga theory; a sedent posture in religious meditation, where the left heel is placed under the body and the right heel in front of it, the sight is fixed between the eyebrows, and the mind is directed on the syllable Om.

(See also: Siddhasana , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Padmasana (Sanskrit) [from padma lotus + asana seat, posture]

The posture of a lotus; a yoga posture taken to develop concentration and religious meditation.

(See also: Padmasana , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)