The first 28 Sanskrit Asana’s

The first of my tasks to prepare for my Ashtanga teaching was to learn 28 of the yoga asana’s, mostly level 1/beginners postures and I was so pleased to also learn that there are said to be over 1000 asanas. The flash cards Imade came in handy, as learning a new language, along with absorbing everything else on the intensive course was a struggle to begin with but eventually became second nature. The Sanskrit names are not always used by yoga teachers in their classes, with the English translation a popular visualisation and option.

At Byron yoga they focus on ‘Purna’ yoga, meaning a holistic approach to the ancient Indian practise. Asana meaning ‘seat’ is just one of the 8 limbs of yoga, according to Patanjali’s Yoga sutras (thread or line that holds things together)- The eight limbs are, in order, the Yamas (ethical and moral observations), Niyamas (restraints to create inner integrity), Asanas (postures), Pranayama (breath regulation), Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (realization of the true Self, enlightenment. Many of us go to yoga class and don’t think or even know that the yoga postures do not alone make up the practise of yoga. Over the 12 days of the course we were fully immersed in practising all 7 limbs of the sutras.

Bidalasana – Cat/Cow Stretch

Tadāsana – Mountain Pose

Balāsana – Childs Pose

Adho Mukha Virāsana – Down-ward Facing Hero Pose

Adho-Mukha Svanasana – Down-ward Facing Dog Pose

Savāsana – Corpse Pose

Śalabhāsana – Locust Pose

Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose

Adho Mukha Uttanasana – Down-ward Facing Intense Stretch

Ashva Sanchalanasana – High Lunge

Sūrya Nāmaskar – Salute to the Sun

Vrksāsana – Tree Pose

Adho Mukha Vrksāsana – Down-ward Facing Tree Pose

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana – One-legged King Pigeon Pose

Virabhadrasana 1 – Warrior 1

Utthita Trikonasana – Triangle Pose

Virabhadrasana 2 – Warrior 2

Prasarita Padottanasana –  Extended Leg Stretch

Supta Padangusthasana – Reclining Big Toe Pose

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana – Bridge Pose

Ardha Matsyendrāsana III Variation – Lord of the Fish Pose

Viparita Karani – Fountain of Youth

Salamba Sarvangāsana – Supported Shoulder Stand

Matsyāsana Variation – Fish Pose

Dandāsana – Rod Pose

Paschimottanāsana – Intense Back of the Whole Body Stretch

Upavistha Konāsana – Seated Angle Pose

Baddha Konāsana – Bound Angle Pose

Categorised in: Yoga, Yoga Teacher Training

This post was written by Laura Avery