Nowadays, we understand Asana as a form of physical exercises. Depending on the style that you practise, it can be done in a very active, strong and dynamic way, like Ashtanga Yoga, to more traditional orientated, holding pose by pose, like Hatha Yoga, or to a totally deep stretching orientated, like Yin Yoga. Whatever style you are practising, the focus is mostly physical. And modern Yoga puts tremendous focus on flexibility, it seems like the more flexible you are, the better your yoga practice.   

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However, traditionally Asana was not only seen as a way of improving physical fitness, but also a way of bringing awareness to our body-mind. When you hold a pose, you start to focus the mind on your only self, thus gradually preparing yourself for and facilitating the process of meditation. 

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In addition, the ways and attitudes of practicing asana are quite different if you compare modern Yoga to traditional Yoga. In"Yoga Sutra of Patanjali", verse 2.46 to 48 have mentioned how to practice Asana. 

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2.46:    Asana is a steady, comfortable posture 

2:47: By lessening the natural tendency for restlessness and by meditating on the infinite, posture is mastered

2.48:   Therefore, one is not disturbed by the dualities 

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In this three verse, it suggests that asana should be practiced in a steady and comfortable way. Instead of being "restlessness", our mind should be focused on the infinite (the divine) - be still within while doing the poses. If asana is practised in this way, it can take you beyond the dualities, i.e. the practitioner can be undisturbed by the ups & downs of the outer world. 

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If you understand the traditional way of practising asana and the real meaning of Yoga, you will know Asana is just the entry level of yoga practice, and you will not become too obsessive in asana practice. Practicing Asana can help you to have a better body and better health, it can help you to start calming and focusing the mind, it can help you to sit better when practising meditation. Don't forget it's just the starting point of a long journey of Self Exploration Within. 

 

現今的人多暸解瑜伽中的體位法 (Asana)為一種運動訓練。而根據你所練習的派別或風格，可以是活躍、強而有力的Ashtanga Yoga，或者是較傳統取向、逐個姿勢去做的 Hatha Yoga，又或者是深度伸展的Yin Yoga 等等。不論你練習哪種風格，重點都是放在身體鍛鍊上。而且現代瑜伽非常重視身體的柔韌性，彷彿是你越柔軟，瑜伽就練習得越好一般。

 

但傳統上，瑜伽體位法 (Asana) 不僅被視為改善身體健康的一種方式，更重要的是可提升我們身心的自我覺察力(awareness)。當你練習體位法時，你會開始將注意力集中在自己身上，從而為之後的靜心冥想練習打好基礎。

 

此外，如果你去研究傳統瑜伽經典，再與我們現今的方式比較，會發現練習體位法的方式和態度都有所不同。在“帕坦加利瑜伽經”中，第2章46至48節提到應如何練習體位法。

 

2.46：體位法 (Asana) 應該是穩定、舒適的姿勢

2.47：藉著減少自我不安定的自然傾向，並以無限(神性)作冥想，修習者便可以掌握姿勢

2.48：因此，修習者便可不受二元性騷擾

 

在這三節經文中，你可以看到帕坦加利是建議大家應以穩定和舒適的方式去練習體位法，減少我們“不安定”的傾向 (這個"不安定"你可以理解為我們思緒上的燥動不安)，並將思想專注在無限(神性)上；即練習姿態時應心情安定、不緩不急，練習的姿勢應適合自己狀況，感覺舒適不過份用力，而且思想上可與無限/神性/意識合一。如果以這種方式持續練習，它可以帶你超越二元性，另你可以保持內心穩定而不受外在世界的風雨影響。

 

當你了解傳統上練習體位法的真正含義，體位法只是入門級的修習，重點是修心而不是外在的形態，你便不會過份沉迷練習體位法或對自己姿勢上的完美過份執著。不要忘記，體位法的練習只是瑜伽自我探索這個漫長旅程的起點，不要只停留在起點而忘記真正的重點呀。