YOGA ASANAS :
“SITTING POSES” FAMILY
In the “Sitting Poses” family,
each of the six Asanas is featured using the same design
Siddhāsana
# 39, plate 84, page 116 ( «Light on Yoga» BKS. Iyengar. Aquarian/Thorsons. Harper Collins India. Schocken books, New York ).
# 29, plate 48, page 165 ( «Yoga, a gem for women», Geeta S Iyengar. Allied publishers, India ).
– Plate 3, page 55 ( “light on Pranayama”, Harper Collins India ).
Siddha: perfect, accomplished.
Padmāsana
# 45, plate 104, page 129 ( «Light on Yoga» BKS. Iyengar. Aquarian/Thorsons. Harper Collins India. Schocken books, New York ).
# 31, plate 52, page 168 ( «Yoga, a gem for women», Geeta S Iyengar. Allied publishers, India ).
Daṇḍāsana
# 35, plate 77, page 112 ( «Light on Yoga» BKS. Iyengar. Aquarian/Thorsons. Harper Collins India. Schocken books, New York ).
# 15, plate 23, page 141 ( «Yoga, a gem for women», Geeta S Iyengar. Allied publishers, India ).
Daṇḍa : a staff, stick.
Daṇḍa refers to the spine. As in : Chaturaṅga Daṇḍāsana
To be noted the akward set of instructions to get into the pose : Check up at : Paripūrṇa Nāvāsana
# 34, plate 78, page 111 ( «Light on Yoga» BKS. Iyengar. Aquarian/Thorsons. Harper Collins India. Schocken books, New York ).
Sukhāsana/Swastikāsana
Sukha : easy Swastika : cross
Legs are fashioned after the shape of a cross.
– Not pictured in « Light on Yoga ».
– Page 53 ( Yoga the Iyengar way, Silva, Mira & Shyam Mehta. Ed. Solar ).
– Page 191 ( Yoga, the path to holistic health / Dorling-Kindersley ).
– Plate 5, page 56 ( “light on Pranayama”, Harper Collins India” )
Although this symbol evocates Christ to us, the Swastika is present in the most ancient civilisations : China, rock inscriptions in northern Europe, north and south american indian tribes, the “Lauburu” from the basque country or the «hévoud» in Brittany.
Out of the various significations attributed to this symbol emerges the idea of movement around an immuable centre, a representation of the galaxy and cosmos, an evocation of the origin.
The Swastika is ever present in India. Sign of good omen, good luck, it preserves the threshold of the house, an office, a room ( see the picture taken in the premices of «Jet airways», a company that flies in India ). Applied onto the car front, the fierce indian traffic will leave both vehicle and driver untouched. I saw a great big red Swastica on the wheel bin of a cleaner in Bangalore airport. Countless shops, businesses and enterprises of all sorts show with pride the word «Swastika» : Swastik motors, Swastik corporation, Swastik sales buiding materials… ( see pictures ). Indian people take refuge under the protection of their symbols and deities, and you can buy for a few roupies tiles that you can stick on the threshold of the house or other sensitive areas, such as on the picture below, where Ganesh keeps watch by the fire equipment.
Luck and prosperity symbol,
the Swastika is associated with Ganesh.
Ganesh shows the Swastika in the palm of his right hand.
the Swastika appears as well in the surrounding elements
on this traditional representation.
In critical places: here Ganesh keeps watch near the fire hydrant.
Although the cross rings the bell to the Christ, this symbol can be found
in the most ancient civilisations: In China, cave paintings in the Nordic countries, in the native Indian tribes of northern and southern America.
Basque people call it Lauburu and britanny know it as hevoud.
This figure links us to a revolution around an immutable center, a representation of the galaxy and cosmos, an evocation of the origin.
The Basque Lauburu.
On this Chinese manuscript dating two centuries bc, a Swastika shows
clearly on the left side.
En 1900, la Svástica era muy popular. Su poder como amuleto de la suerte lo hizo aparecer en aviones militares estadounidenses y británicos hasta 1939! Fue solo después de 1930 que fue abandonado,
desde que los nazis subieron al poder en Alemania.
The world well known drink CocaCola will bring you not only sparkles
but as well luck and prosperity of the Swastika. In 1920 the Swastika was politically correct.
Young Indians from the Chilocco agricultural college Basket ball team ( 1909 ).
In 1909, the ” Chilocco Indian School ” was Cherokee native Americans Agricultural College there basket ball team is surety Swastika will help them win the game.
The Swastika emblem of the Russian cavalry ( 1917 ).
Countless shops and businesses name themselves proudly: ” Swastik motors “, “Swastik corporation“, “Swastik sales building materials“…
Swastika at the doorstep:
Auspicious signs protect the threshold of a house, and office or a living room.
“Swastik at “Jet-Airways” offices,
Indian airline“.
Just as we have saint Christopher to protect us on the road, Indians put themselves under the protection of symbols and deities. This car and its driver will not fear the heavy Indian traffic thanks to the Swastika painted on the front hood.
Much have been said about the way the Swastika rotates: to the right or to the left. But on this temple door dedicated to Ganesha 75 miles away from Bengalore, both Swastika turn on opposite side.
Gita Iyengar teaches Svastikāsana
Baddha Koṇāsana
# 44, plate 102, page 128 ( «Light on Yoga» BKS. Iyengar. Aquarian/Thorsons. Harper Collins India. Schocken books, New York ).
# 24, plate 50, page 65 (« The illustrated light on Yoga » BKS Iyengar. Harper Collins India ).
# 23, plate 35, page 154 ( «Yoga, a gem for women», Geeta S Iyengar. Allied publishers, India ).
Vīrāsana
# 40, plates 85/92, page 120 ( «Light on Yoga» BKS. Iyengar. Aquarian/Thorsons. Harper Collins India. Schocken books, New York).
# 22, plates 39/44, page 62 (« The illustrated light on Yoga » BKS Iyengar. Aquarian/Thorsons & Harper Collins India ).
# 30, plates 49/50, Page 166 ( «Yoga, a gem for women», Geeta S Iyengar. Allied publishers, India ).
– Plates 9/10, page 57 ( “Light on Pranayama”, BKS Iyengar, Harper Collins India. )