Difference between yoga asnas and meditation
 

What is the real difference between yoga asnas and meditation. Do they compliment one an other?

Yogasana/postures increase flexibility and such. For those of us who grew up sitting in chairs, hip flexibility can be a problem. If you are practising a type of meditation that requires sitting for very long periods of time, you run the risk of losing the meditative state due to the body becoming uncomfortable. Practising movement, postures, etc. outside of sitting time should help to prevent that from happening.

In Sanskrit, the word yoga, of course, means connection or union. Union or connection of the individual soul with God, divine Self, Brahman, whatever you want to call it. So, the word can be translated as 'meditation', because the usual prescribed way to do this is to still the body, direct the senses inward and quiet the mind by focusing on a symbol of divinity that speaks to you.

I am not sure why we, in the west, say just yoga when we mean the exercises. If I had to guess, I would say, maybe it means establishing a connection with the body. Does anyone here know?

Thank You Aditi for your kind response.

You are most welcome. It's an interesting subject :smile:

Like Aditi wrote, the asanas increase flexibility.

Asanas are also mediation postures. Yoga is most of all great for improving posture and strengthening the back which is important for a more comfortable sitting meditation so you're not distracted by the body's pains. Yoga is usually part of a healthy lifestyle that helps meditation too.

The pranayama (breath control) that is part of basic hatha yoga is also important in a well rounded meditation practice. You learn the full belly breathing from any basic yoga class which is an important practice for energizing the body and relaxation too that is important for getting into the meditation at the beginning and also for coming out of meditation at the end (and in the middle too to stay awake and start learning to move energy mentally).

As you become more sensitive to subtle energy you will be able to flow with energy and get into the "zone" which is a physical way to experience meditation. And once you can feel subtle energy your meditations will take you deeper and bring better results (depending on what you're meditation goals are).

Hope this helps Munesh Sanja.

Hatha yoga (or ashtanga yoga or iyengar or any of the established schools) are basically about wellness practices for the body - especially when it encompasses a yogic lifestyle. And it's common sense that when the body feels good the mind is going to be more relaxed and less scattered, and teaches how to be in tune with the body and focus the mind - all of which is good for a meditation practice.

Yoga does also mean "union" and that means a spiritual path of some sort, of which meditation is one. But a spiritual path requires proper guidance which I don't think is going to be found in a typical yoga class.

I think the asanas were developed initially to help yogis sit for long periods in meditation.

As you see in this "Pashupati seal" which is 4,000 years old, yoga has been around for a long time.

That seal is amazing. Imagine having created devotional art that would still be admired all this time later.

I only wish I could sit in the lotus pose. Maybe, someday...

Yoga
 

Yogasana/postures increase flexibility and such. For those of us who grew up sitting in chairs, hip flexibility can be a problem. If you are practising a type of meditation that requires sitting for very long periods of time, you run the risk of losing the meditative state due to the body becoming uncomfortable. Practising movement, postures, etc. outside of sitting time should help to prevent that from happening.

Thank You Dear