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List of Ashtanga Yoga Asana Names

Meaning of the yogasana poses of the primary series

The practice of the Ashtanga yoga Vinyasa Primary Series heals the body of impurities
List of All Yoga Poses and Asanas names

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Ashtanga yoga asanas names and sequences

List and meaning of yoga poses of primary series of the Ashtanga yoga

The names of the yoga postures come from the Sanskrit language. With its complex pronunciation, this holy language was spoken thousands of years ago in the Indian subcontinent and is still used in the Hindu religion and by some schools of spirituality.
Yoga asanas names that make up the primary series of Ashtanga yoga give clues to their ability to promote health in the physical body. Many Ashtanga yoga postures are named after an animal or natural phenomenon that symbolises the essence of a specific life force quality. Take Navasana, for example. Visually speaking, the boat posture imitates a ship on the water. Symbolically, the practitioner of Navasana is making a journey through the troubled waters of samsara to the other shore.

The practice of yogasanas is excellent for promoting physical strength and inducing emotional, energetic and spiritual healing. It is common and tedious to accumulate a lot of stress in our bodies and mind. Releasing these tensions through the correct yoga practice becomes a profound and enlightening experience. Great masters have illuminated this path. Among them was the sage Pantanjali, who traced the path to enlightenment through yoga in 8 stages: 1. Yama, 2. Nyama, 3. Asana, 4. Pranayama, 5. Pratyhara, 6. Dharana, 7. Dhyana, 8. Samadhi. These steps include returning to virtuous attention and physical and spiritual practices, such as asana and meditation. The diligent and dedicated practice of yoga and its values has the power to bring about an awareness of this mind-body relationship to the whole, without division or duality — the ultimate goal of yoga.

What are the poses and sequences of the primary series of Ashtanga yoga?

1) STANDING POSES

  • Samasthiti
    Standing still
  • Surya Namaskara (A & B)
    Sun salutation
  • Padangushtasana
    Thumb to foot pose
  • Pada hastasana
    Hand to foot pose
  • Utthita Trikonasana
    Extended triangle pose
  • Parivritta Trikonasana
    Revolved extended triangle pose
  • Utthita Parshvakonasana
    Extended sideway angle pose
  • Parivritta Parshvakonasana
    Revolved extended sideway angle pose
  • Prasarita Padottanasana (A, B, C & D)
    Spread feet stretching pose
  • Parshvottanasana
    Sideways stretching pose
  • Utthita Hasta Padangushtasana
    Extended triangle pose
  • Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana
    Half bound lotus stretching pose
  • Utkatanasana
    Uneven pose
  • Virabhadrasana (A & B)
    Warrior pose

2) SITTING POSES

  • Dandasana (Chaturanga Dandasana)
    Four-Limbed Staff Pose (staff means spine, body support)
  • Paschimattanasana (3 types)
    West-Back (extended-intense) stretching pose
  • Purvatanasana
    Est-Front (extended-intense) stretching pose
  • Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimattanasana
    Half bound lotus forward pose
  • Trianga Mukhaekapada Paschima
    One foot transversely facing back forward stretch
  • Janu Shirshasana (A, B & C)
    Head to knee pose
  • Marichyasana (A, B, C & D)
    Marichya (Ray of light (of sun or moon)) pose
  • Navasana
    Boat pose
  • Bhujapidasana
    Arm pressure pose
  • Kurmasana
    Tortoise pose
  • Supta Kurmasana
    Sleeping tortoise pose
  • Garbha Pindasana
    Embryo in the womb pose
  • Kukkutasana
    Roster pose
  • Baddha Konasana
    Bound angle pose
  • Upavishta Konasana
    Seated angle pose
  • Supta Konasana
    Sleeping angle pose
  • Supta Padangushtasana
    Lateral sleeping thumb to foot pose
  • Ubhaya Padangushtasana
    Both thumbs to feet pose
  • Urdhva Mukha Paschimattanasana
    Upward facing forward stretch pose
  • Setu Bandhasana
    Bridge configuration (construction) pose
  • Urdhva Dhanurasana
    Elevated bow pose
  • Paschimattanasana
    West-Back (extended-intense) stretching pose

3) FINISHING POSES

  • Salamba Sarvangasana
    All limbs pose
  • Halasana
    Plow pose
  • Karnapidasana
    Ear pressure pose
  • Urdhva Padmasana
    Elevated lotus pose
  • Pindasana
    Embryo pose
  • Matsyasana
    Fish pose
  • Uttana Padasana
    Extended foot pose
  • Shirshasana
    Head standing pose
  • Baddha Padmasana
    Bound lotus pose
  • Yoga Mudra
    Yoga gesture
  • Padmasana
    Lotus pose
  • Uth Pluthi (Tolasana)
    Sprung up
  • Shavasana
    Corpse pose

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The aim is to release body-mind tensions and open up through passive stretching that allows one to discover new ways through movement and easing coordination.
As a result, one feels more open and acquires a better movement amplitude during practice, avoids injuries, or recovers more quickly. There is a deep sense of grounding, stillness and coming home.

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Sequences, asanas names and meaning of yoga poses of the intermediate series of Ashtanga yoga, also called second series or Nadi Shodhana in Sanskrit language. Click here