The term "asana" refers to yoga poses or posture, and
"prana" means breath. The different practices include vigorous
breathing exercises, sometimes called "pranayama," others merely
bring an awareness to the breath.
The meditative aspect of yoga is often achieved through an
individual's mental focus on the asana and prana. This is frequently referred
to as "moving meditation," though a yoga instructor may also dedicate
a segment of class solely to a still meditation, usually practiced in a
comfortable cross-legged position. In the latter instance, imagery may be used.
Regardless of the method of meditation employed, when the
mind quiets down, when we learn to tune out the past, the future, and the
stressors of the world and become aware of the present moment, it can do
wonderful things for the body. "Yoga is definitely a way of getting to
that point," says Joan Furman, M.S.N., R.N., and Holistic Nurse
Practitioner in Nashville, Tennessee. But how do the stressors of the world
physically affect our lives? "First of all, we know that the
communications between body and mind are instantaneous. As soon as the mind has
thought or feeling, there is an immediate and corresponding reaction in the body
that pervades the entire system. Stress, whether chronic or acute, produces
biological changes that are not only damaging, but can be deadly for
anybody," says Furman, "especially someone whose immune system is
compromised." Enough said.
With all this stress, tuning out the world through yoga,
even for a few minutes, can be difficult. "To support the yoga practices,
we need sangha, a community of like-minded people. This is especially true in
healing, when pain and depression can so easily interfere
It is believed that one of the most important things that
yoga and meditation can do is assist in reducing stress. "Meditation can
calm the mind," he says. "That enables us to focus on the things we
want to do, like healing." Though onerecognizes the existence of bodily
stress, focus should also be on eliminating stress in the mind, and with
effort, it is possible to experience a sense of peace that in ways is far
deeper than that of the physical level.
Asana is performed with a lot of attention to anatomical
detail. Attention is constantly drawn to alignment and different areas of the
body we are focusing on. Through the physical body you can quiet the mind. Some
of the poses are chest-expanding, often referred to as "open
postures," and require some type of prop, such as a bolster or chair.
One theory underlying open postures is that the breath flows deeper and more naturally than in other postures. The props are used to assist
students in accomplishing or holding a posture. You don't just fall into this
system of yoga; there is a real way to do it. The practitioners gain a real sense of well-being and control
over their bodies through the postures. This carries over to their daily lives.
