The truth, though, is that each pose’s original Sanskrit name derives from an ancient tale, a fable, if you will, with a lesson to be learned, which renowned yoga instructor Alanna Kaivalya and author Arjuna van der Kooij so graciously share in Myths of the Asanas. Through each character, animal, or other being introduced, a human flaw is revealed, making the stories that lie at the heart of the yoga tradition more accessible and relatable to readers. “The myths behind the asanas are intended to serve as inspirational guides that can enhance our yoga practice, fueling it with a deeper, meditative quality,” says Shiva Rea. “They provide us with a fresh prospective on ourselves, helping us connect our everyday lives with yoga through the postures.”
Take Bhujangasana, for example. You’re probably better acquainted with its English name, Cobra Pose. With our torso and legs on the ground, hands planting down alongside our upper ribs, chest and head slightly lifted, the posture surely resembles its namesake. But did you know that snakes have no ears? As Myths points out, they have to make contact with the ground with their jaw in order to conduct vibrations through their aural nerves; they are literally listening internally, which is but one aim of our yoga practice. When the Buddha was meditating under the bodhi tree, a group of cobras gathered near him, and the Buddha’s calmness and stillness soothed the snakes’ minds so they decided to stay near him to protect him. A group of people had gathered around the scene, but did not dare approach the Buddha for fear of the cobras. Then it began to rain. The onlookers wanted to protect the Buddha from getting soaked, but dared not approach him with the snakes nearby. It was then that the king of the cobras slithered his way behind the Buddha, rising as tall as he could–about a third of his body came off the ground, similar to our yoga pose–and opened his great hood to offer protection for the Buddha from the falling raindrops, where he continued to meditate undisturbed.
Then there’s Tree Pose, or the name you might not be so familiar with: Vrksasana. For centuries, trees have held a special place in yogis’ hearts. They provide shelter and food, symbolize a simplistic life void of materialistic possessions, and create shade–thought to be one of the best places for a teacher to pass on knowledge to his student. We look to our yoga practice as a means to permeate our minds, bodies, and breath with strength, balance, generosity, and tolerance–all qualities associated with trees. With one foot rooting into the earth and both arms reaching toward the sky, Vrksasana “represents the flowering spirituality in a material environment.”
Each pose we come to on the mat has a specific meaning, with a special story or association that can help to illustrate some mystical, hidden potential within us. You may not know or understand the Sanskrit names for the poses you’re familiar with in class, but after reading Myths of the Asanas you’ll be sure to remember them. And after getting a better understanding of how each pose came to fruition, you just might take a little bit more from it each time your teacher leads you into it.
~Jessica Mahler
