Not a super flexy slender Yoga chick talks "the Power of the Eight Limbs: Asana"

Most people think Yoga is just the physical stuff. You know, those bendy poses where someone looks like a human pretzel or is balancing on one toe with the focus of a hawk. And yes, we automatically call that Yoga. But here's the twist: those funky poses are not actually Yoga. They are Asanas.Unless we’re talking about the new age hybrids like aerial yoga, wine yoga, or puppy yoga. Not saying they’re good or bad, I’m just saying they’re not Yoga in the classical sense. They might be fun, relaxing, even beneficial, but let’s call them what they are: experiences inspired by Yoga, not Yoga itself.

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes Asana as physical movement to be practiced with "sthira sukham asanam", meaning with steadiness and ease. Originally, Asana didn’t even mean a series of poses. It referred to one simple thing: a comfortable seat. That’s it. The goal was to be still and steady, in preparation for Pranayama (breath work) and Meditation, both of which we’ll dive into in future episodes.

So why do we practice Asana today?

Because we use the pose to get into the body. Yes, you read that right. We don’t get into the pose to show off. We use the pose to drop into the body, to feel the feels, to lean into our edges, and eventually to settle, not just into the shape, but into stillness itself. Stillness in the body. Stillness in the breath. Stillness in the mind.

Before we can even begin to calm the mind, most of us need to give the body something to do. Movement becomes a kind of ritual. We work the body, tire it out, release tension, and in doing so we quiet the fidgety chaos that lives inside us.

Have you ever noticed how often you scratch your head, bite your nails, tap your foot, shake your leg, crack your knuckles... all these little "involuntary" movements? That’s not random. That’s unprocessed discomfort surfacing. And your nervous system is trying to distract you from feeling it. We don’t even realize how often we do it.

Through Asana, we begin to notice. Through Asana, we create space. Through Asana, we soften the resistance.

When the body finds peace, the mind follows. And once we access that internal quiet, we can finally begin the deeper journey: the stilling of the mind, the remembering of who we truly are.

Like I’ve said many times before, Yoga is simple. Everything is already within you. The body knows. The mind, with a bit of patience, will follow. And when it does... oh, the magic.

So, what are you waiting for? Roll out that mat. Move. Breathe. Be still. YourSelf is waiting. 😘