Standing asanas

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Vrikshasana (tree pose) at top left.[1]
7th century

The standing asanas are the yoga poses or

Surya Namaskar (the salute to the sun); and the gymnastics widely practised in India at the time, based on the prevailing physical culture
.

The origin of standing asanas has been controversial since

vinyasas) between them, and by suppressing most non-postural aspects of yoga, rather than a smooth continuation of ancient traditions. These changes enabled yoga to be practised as a flowing sequence of movements rather than as static poses, and in turn this allowed sessions to focus on aerobic exercise
.

Context

Prajnaparamita seated in Padmasana for meditation, Java. 13th century

meditation seats; other postures were gradually added.[3]

In hatha yoga

Further information: Hatha yoga

Among the few standing poses definitely practised in

Mahabalipuram appears to contain a figure standing on one leg, perhaps indicating that a pose similar to Vrikshasana was in use at that time. It is said that sadhus disciplined themselves by choosing to meditate in the pose.[1]

Natarajasana in Bharatanatyam classical Indian dance: the pose was not considered yoga until the 20th century.[5]

Some other standing poses have been suspected of having medieval origins, without reliable evidence. One difficulty is naming; the existence of a medieval pose with the name of a current standing pose is not proof that the two are the same, as the names given to poses may change, and the same name may be used for different poses. For example, the name Garudasana, Eagle Pose, is used for a sitting pose in the Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, 2.37.[4] The name Garudasana is given to a pose close to Vrikshasana in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi; the modern standing pose named Garudasana is not seen until the 20th century.[6][7]

Another issue is the use that is made of a pose; the existence of a pose in medieval times is not proof that it was used in hatha yoga. For example,

Krishnamacharya in the early 20th century, and taken up by his pupils such as B. K. S. Iyengar, who made the pose a signature of modern yoga.[5]

squatting pose in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi in Mysore Palace
; the modern pose is a standing squat.

Another case is Utkatasana, sometimes called chair pose, though its name, Utkata, means "fierce". In modern yoga, it is indeed a challenging squatting pose with the thighs approaching the horizontal,[9] whereas in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi it is illustrated as a low squatting pose with the buttocks resting against the heels; the Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā 2.27 is similar, but the heels are raised.[10]

In yoga as exercise

Further information: Yoga as exercise and List of asanas

Standing asanas such as

Pattabhi Jois and Iyengar.[12]

Downward Dog is one of the most widely-recognised asanas.[13]

In 1924,

Utthita Parsvakonasana, "Extended Side Angle Pose"); these are, he suggests, the ones developed in the 20th century.[22] The yoga scholar Mark Singleton argues that Krishnamacharya was familiar with the physical culture of his time, which was influenced by Scandinavian gymnastics such as the system of Niels Bukh;[23][a] Krishnamacharya's experimentation with asanas and his innovative use of gymnastic jumping between poses may well explain, Singleton suggests, the resemblances between modern standing asanas and Scandinavian gymnastics.[19]

The origin of standing asanas has been controversial[24][25] since Singleton's 2010 book Yoga Body argued that some forms of modern yoga represent a radical reworking of hatha yoga, in particular by adding standing asanas and transitions (vinyasas) between them, and by suppressing most non-postural aspects of yoga, rather than a smooth continuation of ancient traditions. The addition of vinyasas enabled sequences consisting mainly of standing asanas to be practised in a continuous flow. Such a sequence could be performed quickly if desired, making for aerobic exercise, possibly at the expense of a more meditative practice.[26]

Some standing asanas with origins and dates
Asana English Described by Date Image
Vrikshasana
 Tree pose[27]
Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā[4]
 17th C.[4]
Garudasana Eagle pose[28] Sritattvanidhi[6] 19th C.[6]
Parsvakonasana
 Side angle pose[29] Light on Yoga[29][b] 20th C.[29]
Trikonasana Triangle pose[30] Light on Yoga[30][b] 20th C.[30]
Utkatasana Chair pose[31] Light on Yoga[31][b] 20th C.[31]
Ardha Chandrasana
 Half moon pose[32] Light on Yoga[32][b] 20th C.[32]
Viparita Virabhadrasana
 Reversed warrior pose[33] Yoga Journal[33] 21st C.[33]

Surya Namaskar

Further information:
Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar, the salute to the sun, was taught as exercise and not as yoga in the 1930s, before it was incorporated into modern yoga as exercise.[34]

Surya Namaskar is a major source of standing asanas. In its modern form, it was created and popularised by the

Rajah of Aundh, Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, early in the 20th century. It was offered as a separate practice (not then described as yoga) from Krishnamacharya's yoga, and taught in the next-door hall of the Mysore Palace.[34][35][36]

Surya Namaskar was not recorded in any Haṭha yoga text before the 19th century.

Ashwa Sanchalanasana are also often incorporated.[39]

Notes

  1. Parsvottanasana (p. 86), Tadasana (p. 28), and Uttanasana
    (p. 44).
  2. ^ a b c d This is not to say that these poses were invented by Iyengar. Sjoman suggests that they most probably came from Krishnamacharya.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b Krucoff, Carol (28 August 2007). "Find Your Roots in Tree Pose". Yoga Journal.
  2. ^ Monier-Williams, Monier, "Yoga", A Sanskrit Dictionary, 1899.
  3. ^ Mallinson 2011, pp. 770–772.
  4. ^ a b c d Rai Bahadur Srisa Chandra Vasu (translator) Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā
  5. ^
    OCLC 926062252
    .
  6. ^ a b c Sjoman 1999, pp. 75 and plate 7, pose 39.
  7. ^ Iyengar 1991, pp. 97–98.
  8. ^ Bhavanani, Ananda Balayogi; Bhavanani, Devasena (2001). "Bharatanatyam and Yoga". Archived from the original on 23 October 2006.
  9. ^ "Chair | Utkatasana". Yoga Basics. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  10. ^ Sjoman 1999, pp. 83, plate 17.
  11. ^ Iyengar 1991, pp. 61–84.
  12. ^ Sjoman 1999, pp. 49, 54–55, 100–101.
  13. ^ Anon (28 August 2007). "Downward-Facing Dog". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  14. ^ Wathen, Grace (1 July 2011). "Kaivalyadhama & Yoga Postures". LiveStrong. Archived from the original on 12 November 2011.
  15. ^ Alter 2004, p. 31.
  16. ^ Singleton, Mark (12 February 2011). "Not as Old as You Think". OPEN Magazine. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  17. ^ Mohan, A. G.; Mohan, Ganesh (29 November 2009). "Memories of a Master". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  18. ^ Anderson, Diane (9 August 2010). "The YJ Interview: Partners in Peace". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  19. ^
    Singleton, Mark (4 February 2011). "The Ancient & Modern Roots of Yoga". Yoga Journal
    . Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  20. ^ Bharadwaj 1896.
  21. ^ Sjoman 1999, pp. 54–55.
  22. ^ a b Sjoman 1999, p. 49.
  23. ^ Bukh 2010.
  24. ^ Singleton 2010, p. 15.
  25. ^ Remski, Matthew. "Mark Singleton Responds to Critics Who Didn't Want to Understand His Book". Matthew Remski. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  26. ^ Singleton 2010, pp. 175–210, and whole book.
  27. ^ Iyengar 1991, p. 62.
  28. ^ Iyengar 1991, p. 97.
  29. ^ a b c Iyengar 1991, p. 66.
  30. ^ a b c Iyengar 1991, p. 63.
  31. ^ a b c Iyengar 1991, p. 88.
  32. ^ a b c Iyengar 1991, p. 74.
  33. ^ a b c McCrary, Meagan (15 July 2015). "#YJ40: 10 Poses Younger Than Yoga Journal". Yoga Journal. Reverse Warrior You won't find this playful variation of Warrior II Pose in Light on Yoga.
  34. ^ a b Singleton 2010, p. 124.
  35. ISBN 978-0-8122-3556-2
    .
  36. OCLC 1017424915
    .
  37. ^ Alter 2004, p. 23.
  38. ^ Mehta 1990, pp. 146–147.
  39. ^ "Surya Namaskar Variations: How it is done in these 3 popular yoga traditions". The Times of India. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2019.

Sources

External links
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