List of yoga postures

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of some common Yoga postures, or asanas. It would be impossible to delineate all recognized postures and their variations. In addition, other labels may be given to postures, depending on the school, the origin of the system within that school, or the yogi or guru who developed the system in question. A case in point would be Hanumanasana, the supported version of which is typically called "Runner's Stretch" by Kripalu practitioners. Also, a "Flat Back Forward Bend" in the Shivananda system is referred to as "Preparation for Chair" in both Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Bikram Yoga.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Sanskrit

Some terms in Sanskrit are repeatedly used in the names of asanas. Generally these are prefixes and can be used on any pose to explain a variation.

  • Adho अधो means "downward"
  • Ardha अर्ध means "half"
  • Eka एक means "one" or "single"
  • Parivrtta परिवृत्त means "revolved" or "twisted"
  • Supta सुप्त means "reclining"
  • Urdhva ऊर्ध्व means "upward"
  • Upavistha उपविष्ट means "seated"
  • Utthita उत्थित means "extended"

[edit] List

Sanskrit Alternative Sanskrit names English
Adho Mukha Svanasana अधोमुख स्वनसन   Downward-Facing Dog
Adho Mukha Vrksasana अधोमुख वृक्षसन   Handstand (Downward-Facing Tree)
Anjali Mudra अञ्जलि मुद्रा   Salutation Seal
Ardha Chandrasana अर्ध चन्द्रसन   Half Moon
Ardha Matsyendrasana अर्ध मत्स्येन्द्रसन   Half Spinal Twist
Baddha Konasana बद्ध कोणसन   Bound Angle
Bakasana बकसन   Crane
Balasana बालसन   Garbhasana गर्भसन Child's Pose (relaxation)
Bharadvajasana भरद्वजसन   Bharadvaja's Twist
Bhujangasana भुजङ्गसन   Cobra
Chakrasana चक्रासन   Wheel
Chaturanga Dandasana चतुरङ्ग दण्डसन   Four-Limbed Staff
Dandasana दण्डसन   Staff pose
Dhanurasana धनुरसन   Bow
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana एक पद रजकपोतसन   One-Legged King Pigeon
Garudasana गरुडसन   Eagle
Gomukhasana गोमुखसन   Cow Face
Halasana हलसन   Plow
Hanumanasana हनुमन्सन   Monkey (named after Hanuman)
Janu Sirsasana जानु शीर्षसन   Head-to-Knee Forward Bend
Kakasana काकसन   Crow
Krounchasana क्रोन्चसन   Heron
Kukutasana कुकुतसन   Cockerel
Kurmasana कूर्मसन   Tortoise
Makarasana मकरसन   Crocodile (relaxation)
Matsyasana मत्स्यसन   Fish
Matsyendrasana मत्स्येन्द्रसन   Lord of the Fishes (named after Matsyendra)
Mayurasana मयूरसन   Peacock
Natarajasana नतरजसन   Lord of the Dance
Pada Hasthasana पद हस्थसन   Standing Forward Bend
Padmasana पद्मसन   Lotus
Paripurna Navasana परिपूर्ण नवसन   Full Boat
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana परिवृत्त पार्श्वकोणसन   Revolved Side Angle
Parivrtta Trikonasana परिवृत्त त्रिकोणसन   Revolved Triangle
Pasasana पाशसन   Noose
Paschimottanasana पश्चिमोतनसन Paccimasana, Paschima tana Seated Forward Bend
Prasarita Padottanasana प्रसारयत पदोत्तनसन   Intense Spread Leg Stretch
Salabhasana शलभसन   Locust
Sarvangasana सर्वाङ्गसन   Shoulder Stand
Savasana शवसन Shavasana, Sarvasana Corpse Pose (relaxation)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana सेतु बन्ध सर्वाङ्गसन Sethubandasana सेतुबन्धसन Bridge, Half Wheel
Siddhasana सिद्धसन Muk-tasana मुक्तसन, Guptasana गुप्तसन Perfect Pose
Simhasana सिंहसन   Lion
Sirsasana शीर्षसन   Head Stand
Sukkasana सुखासन   Auspicious Pose
Supta Baddha Konasana सुप्त बद्ध कोणसन   Reclining Bound Angle
Supta Padangusthasana सुप्त पादाङ्गुस्थसन   Reclining Big Toe
Supta Virasana सुप्त वीरसन   Reclining Hero
Svastikasana स्वस्तिकसन   Prosperous Pose
Tadasana तदसन संस्थिति Samasthiti Mountain Pose
Trikonasana त्रिकोणसन   Triangle
Upavistha Konasana उपविष्ट कोणसन   Open Angle
Urdhva Dhanurasana ऊर्ध्व धनुरसन   Upward Bow, Backbend, or Wheel
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana ऊर्ध्व मुख स्वनसन   Upward-Facing Dog
Ustrasana उष्ट्रसन   Camel
Utaana Kurmasana उत्तान कूर्मसन   Upside-Down Tortoise
Utkatasana उत्कटसन   Chair
Uttanasana उत्तानसन   Standing Forward Bend
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana उत्थित हस्त पादाङ्गुस्थसन   Raised Hand to Big Toe
Utthita Parsvakonasana उत्थित पार्श्वकोणसन   Extended Side Angle
Utthita Trikonasana उत्थित त्रिकोणसन   Extended Triangle
Vasisthasana वसिस्थसन   Side Plank
Viparita Karani विपरित करणी   Legs-up-the-Wall
Vajrasana वज्सन   Thunderbolt
Virasana वीरसन   Hero
Vrksasana वृक्षसन   Tree

[edit] Gallery

[edit] References

  • Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swami Svatmarama
  • The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnu-devananda
  • Devereux, G. (1998) Dynamic yoga: The ultimate workout that chills your mind as it charges your body (Thorsons, London)
  • Farhi, D. (2000) Yoga mind, body and spirit: A return to wholeness (New leaf: New Zealand)
  • Hewitt, J. (1977) The Complete Yoga Book (Rider, London)
  • Iyengar, B.K.S (2000) Light on Yoga (Thorsons, London)
  • Iyengar, B.K.S (2001) Yoga: The path to holistic health (Dorling Kindersley, London)
  • Mira, S. and Methta, S. (1990) Yoga: The Iyengar Way (Dorling Kindersley, London)
  • Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre (1996) Yoga, Mind and Body (DK, London)
  • Sturgess, S. (1997) The Yoga Book (Element)
  • Swami Muktibodhananda (1993) Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India)
  • Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1996) Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha (Yoga Publications Trust, India)
  • Swenson, D. (1999) Ashtanga yoga: The Practice Manual (Ashtanga yoga production, Houston)


[edit] External links