Asanas - More than physical exercise.

 One of the most peculiar things which I am seeing currently in the yoga community is certain individuals who are themselves in the field of yoga denigrating the asanas aspect of yoga calling them trivial or limiting their usage & benefits simply to physical level. And this includes certain older schools of Yoga too.  Now , i understand not everyone might have an interest in the cultural asanas aspect of yoga. And that is absolutely understandable. But just because one isn't interested in something doesn't mean that it doesn't hold potential and value for others.  Asanas , both meditative & cultural are vehicles for pranayama. Yes. Even cultural asanas can be infused with prana by the means of kumbhakas and bandhas. These sahita kumbhakas become the foundations for Kevala kumbhaka, a state which is equated to samadhi. When one learns to effectively use the dynamic & Isometric aspects of a cultural asana efficiently in combination with  kumbhakas & bandhas , one has a very very powerful technology at hand. The Tibetans realised this very thing and developed an entire branch of yoga around this understanding called 'Yantra Yoga' . Another name for Yantra Yoga in Tibetan is Trul Khor. Another argument often cited against the efficacy of asanas aspect by some is, ' well there are only 3 sutras on asanas in Patanjali Yogasutras. So it's possibly not that important.'  Well to that I have 2 counters. 

1) Well there are only 2, 1,1  sutra  dedicated to the pratyahar, dharana & dhyana aspects respectively, of Yoga. Does that in any way reduce its value? 

2) Why are we looking at Asanas in isolation, when it is clearly known that an asana, whether meditative or cultural needs to be seen in combination with pranayama and other aspects like bandhas? 

Is it really fair to play the numbers game here?

Let's understand one thing. Every limb of yoga has a deep potential to take its practitioner to the apotheosis of Self Realisation. It's like BKS Iyengar says, and i Paraphrase - 'Just by the practice of one Yama, 'Satya', Raja Harishchandra attained Self Realisation,  it is by no means too far fetched to consider that by the incessant, diligent & sincere practice of the one whole limb called Asana an individual is capable of realising all other limbs of Yoga.'

Now i understand the frustration of some old school yoga sadhaks at the mere sensualisation and instagramisation of yoga . And maybe somewhere their frustration is understandable. But it is by no means appropriate to denigrate the profound science of asanas because of some individuals. Rather, greater efforts must be made to bring out the deeper & the subtler aspects of the science of asanas and pranayama with greater amount and practice & research on the subject. 

*-----An article by Rohit Pillai---* 

(The above article comes from the limited experience and knowledge of the author.  Just in case of any mistakes the author is open for criticism and corrections).