InsIde the asanas 67
Does the joint action involve lifting the weight of the body or the limbs away from the
floor, or moving against another kind of resistance? (If this is the case, we’re looking
for concentric muscle actions to overcome the pull of gravity.)In joints that aren’t articulating but are instead maintaining a position
or neutral alignment
Are there outside forces, such as the pull of gravity or the action of another body
part, that would pull the joint away from that alignment if nothing were active? (If
so, then even though there is not a change in the joint, changing muscle actions may
be necessary to maintain the alignment as it moves through space.)
An understandable question that could arise at this point is: Since the poses are all static,
why wouldn’t all the muscles just be doing isometric contractions?
We are describing how to come into the pose from a starting position, rather than how
to be in the pose. Even if you maintain a pose for a period of time, the muscle actions that
got you there from the starting point are likely still present.
The idea that we are ever not in movement is an illusion, one of the veils of maya (a
Sanskrit word for the temporary truths that arise from the world of matter). On the most
fundamental level, the actions of the breathing structures never cease. We might talk about
a final position, but in fact the image we hold is a kind of snapshot in a never-ending pro-
gression of movement, extending infinitely forward and backward in time. As long as we
are alive, we are never actually still.
inforMation for each PoSe
With an occasional variation, each pose description includes the following sections:
Name—Each asana is presented with its Sanskrit name and its translated English
name. Additionally, some descriptive text is added to clarify the meaning or context
of the pose’s name.
Classification—Poses are classified by their symmetry, base of support, and general
action (forward bending, twisting, balancing, etc.).
Skeletal joint actions—The main joints that are involved in the process of moving
into the asana are identified according to their actions (flexion, extension, adduction,
abduction, rotation, etc.).
Muscular joint actions—Muscles that create the joint actions are identified by the
kind of contraction (concentric, eccentric, or isometric), their name, and their general
actions.
Notes—From a certain perspective, yoga is the practice of uncovering and resolv-
ing obstructions in the human system. Practicing yoga asanas is a systematic way of
illuminating those obstacles and learning from them. Presented are the most common
opportunities for observing potential obstacles and suggestions for deepening your
exploration.
Breathing—Specific shape-changing challenges to the respiratory mechanism are
outlined.