Yoga comprises of various asanas that are based on their postures, objectives and methods. These asanas are classified differently by different yoga schools. Sometimes asanas are classified based on its starting position like standing, sitting, prone and supine asanas. Sometimes, asanas are classified based on the final pose of the asana like meditative and cultural asanas.
In meditative yoga asanas, you have to sit still for long lengths of time, without moving the body and without feeling any distress. It is only if the body is still will you be able to experience true meditation.
It is only if the spinal column is straight is it possible to reach deep meditation; and only a few asanas attain this. Though you may find it difficult to sit in an asana for a long periods at the start, with practice your legs and hips get flexible enough for you to sit comfortably, while maintaining good posture. Examples of such asanas are Padmasana, Sukhasana, Siddhasana and Ardha Padmasana.
Care for beginners of meditative asanas
Beginners should practice meditative asanas in a basic cross legs position for a few minutes, and then slowly move on to the more advance positions of asanas. This is because there is the possibility of your damaging the knees if you get over stressed while doing meditative asanas. However if done regularly, and carefully, meditative asanas help in offering peace of mind and relaxation to the body.
Cultural asanas are however asanas that help culture the body and mind, and thus maintain the health of the body. Most asanas fall in this category. These cultural asanas help maintain an efficient circulatory system, which in turn provides a constant supply of nourishment to tissues and glands.
Asanas like Sirasasana and Sarvangasana keep the thyroid, pituitary and pineal glands active while Bhujangasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana and Salabhasana help in maintaining abdominal organs and efficient removal of waste products. The Sirasasana and Sarvangasana maintain cranial nerve health by sending a richer blood supply to the brain.
Asanas help in maintaining health
Yoga asanas are also great for the spine. Based on the final movements of these asanas, these cultural asanas can be further classified as backward and forward bending asanas, spinal twisting asanas, balancing asanas and inverted asanas. Yoga asanas are also useful in maintaining health and as an alternative therapy in curing diseases like blood pressure, digestive disorders, diabetes and asthma.
Cultural asanas are connected to daily physical exercise postures you experience everyday like sun salutation, triangle posture and sirshasana. On the whole, cultural asanas work at reconditioning the mind and body, especially on the abdominal part of the body. They aim at making the spine and spinal muscles strong and flexible.
Slowly get into position
While practicing cultural asanas, you have to make sure you get into position, hold the position and get out of the position in the right amount of time. Doing things too quickly leads to negative effects.
So it can be seen that the many asanas you find in yoga have their individual and specific benefits and uses. Though it may be possible to choose and start these asanas on your own, it is better to do so under the guidance of a yoga trainer, privately or in a yoga class.