In June, we will focus on the third limb, Asana.
In Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defined Asana as follows:
Sthira sukham asanam.
(Asana is a steady, comfortable posture.)
We are practicing yoga asana to improve strength, flexibility and balance of the body in order to deepen meditation to achieve the goal of yoga—restraining the modification of minds. It is said that Hatha Yoga (yoga of technique) was created and the various poses were developed for this end.
If you are taking a pose without steadiness or comfortability, you cannot achieve the goal of yoga. You have to be able to neither master an acrobatic pose immediately nor show a great performance to other people. In practicing any yoga poses, you can experience your own “ah-ha moment” when you find a subtle move or a deep breath brings you toward steadiness and comfortability. This process will guide us to the goal of yoga.
That is why it is so important to practice asana constantly and repeatedly.