Asana, the physical aspect of Yoga

asanaAsanas are calm, quiet and easy running positions executed with adequate inhalation and exhalation. They exercise the nerves, tissues, glands and organs of the human body. By practicing ASANAS we enjoy physical and mental serenity.

The regular practice of Asana keeps the body healthy and cures many diseases. Thus, the Asana help the Sa’dhaka (spiritual aspirant) to balance the body and focus the mind.
Asana (the physical aspect of yoga) were developed over many years ago by yogis, watching the animals of the jungle, their movements, and how they rested and healed themselves instinctively in case of illness. These yogis experienced the different positions of the animals on their bodies, feeling the subtle effects of these movements on their organs and glands. Centuries of experimentation, these positions were perfected shaping a scientific system with thousands of exercises called Asana.

Ananda Marga teaches in regular classes of Asana and the Acharyas (the monks of Ananda Marga) also provide personalized instruction on these and other complementary techniques of meditation.

Along with these techniques it is also very important to follow a proper diet because the food we eat not only affects our body but also our mind. “We are what we eat,” says an old principle of Yoga. For this reason a vegetarian diet is recommended, which is the most suitable to promote the mental and spiritual development.

The Asana works primarily on the internal organs and endocrine glands. These glands are related to the Cakras or subtle energy centres