The Practice of Advanced Yoga Asanas

Defining an Optimal Physical Development Method using Hatha Yoga Techniques

 

INTRODUCTION

It is likely that most of us, first perusing the full fantastical range of yog asanas presented in “Light On Yoga”, had either or both of the following reactions: incredulous disbelief that such bodily positions were possible and a dread of even imagining ourselves in them, and alternatively a fierce desire to experience each and every one! My own experience probably leaned more toward the latter, but was luckily tempered fairly early on by the customary admonishments of caution from my teachers! But over the years I have been given the opportunity to safely explore and develop systematically toward these strange realms of experience, and slowly develop the expanse of relatively comfortable territory.

Curiously, the more advanced asanas are generally not regarded in the classical texts, and especially backbending poses. Emphasis is definitely on the seated poses and forward-bending poses such as Padmasana, Virasana, Paschimottanasana and Yoganidrasana, which are positions directly related to the practice of pratyahara, pranayama and dharana. Likewise, the techniques of pranayama, the cleansing kriyas and the mudras (including the three bandhas) receive more mention, in texts such as Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Gheranda Samhita. In Patanjalils Yoga Sutras the qualities of asana practice are described, for example comfort and firmness, effort and detachment; whereas knowledge of asanas themselves are assumed, and presumably were common knowledge at the time it was composed. It is even possible that it has not previously been common practice to attempt to develop the full range of asana, if one did not begin yoga practice at an early age or was not naturally flexible. Certainly it is likely that many of the positions modern Westerners (and many wealthier Indians for that matter!) find most difficult – such as lotus, kneeling and squatting – were commonplace amongst the general populace of pre-Raj India, accustomed to spending more of their time sitting on the ground or floor. However, practice of the more difficult standing postures, twists, sitting positions, balances and backbends has probably always been less than common.

DISADVANTAGES

So what really is the point, it might well be asked, when we sometimes hear that all of the postures exist within Utthita Trikonasana; or, usually outside of the Iyengar method, that all one really has to do to maintain health and/or enlightenment is Padmasana, or Sirsasana? All the more relevant is this question, when there are real dangers of physical or psychological harm if we exceed our readiness, experience or appropriate knowledge, and perform asanas with inadequate preparation. Injury may not even be as immediate as a torn muscle or a broken toe; perhaps conditions such as endometriosis may be the result of frequent practice of inversions by women during menstruation, and many people appear to have created distortions to their skeletal structure from inappropriate or one-sided practice – e.g. a posterior cervical spine or a thoracic kyphosis from years of an unenergetic sarvangasana without shoulder support.

An overly-aggressive and forceful attitude may delay us further from our goals if it is not balanced out by objectivity and detachment. The use of force to break through stiffness and “get the pose” may well have the undesirable effect of conditioning this approach to pranayama, sitting in dhyana et cetera, where the results, we are warned, may be more serious damage to our psychological stability, nervous system, or to our vital organs. my own experience of a period of chest pain induced by overdoing jumps, backbends and apparently straining in pranayama helped me to realise why caution is advised. Anyway, an overemphasis on “achievement” alone is possibly as much of a futile digression as excess comfort – i.e.”bhoga yoga” (notwithstanding that supportive, rejuvenative asana such as supported halasana can be a wonderful, albeit temporary, panacea, for the rajasic nature of modern living). This would seem to be a material bondage within a spiritual discipline ostensibly lacking a worldly purpose. Physical adeptness itself might serve to inflate the ego rather than restrict it to its necessary functions, as is often suggested the yoga may help us to achieve.

Subscribe to the newsletter

Easy changes to enjoy lasting health!