There is a common misunderstanding among many people, that believe yoga and meditation are the same.
While there are similarities shared between yoga and meditation, they are not the same. Yoga asana is the physical practice while meditation is the mental practice, both of them are steps towards the same goal according to the Yoga Sutras.
The sage Patanjali, when he wrote the Yoga Sutras, defined the eightfold path of yoga, with the ultimate purpose of yoga being the cessation of all mental fluctuations.
In that eightfold path, the physical practice of yoga (known as asana), is the third limb, and meditation (dhyana), is the seventh limb.
In this article, we will look at the connection between yoga and meditation, the similarities that they share, and the intrinsic way in which they are interconnected to each other.
Is yoga considered meditation?
Asana, which is popularly referred to as yoga, is not just a physical practice.
It involves the body, breath, and mind.
The practice of asana, by virtue of keeping the mind focused on posture and movement in coordination with breath, helps to still the mind.
Meditation, in the eightfold path of yoga, is the penultimate step towards the goal of the union of our individual consciousness with the higher consciousness.
During meditation, the practitioner aims to channelize all the energies in the body towards the object of meditation, which can be the breath, the surrounding sounds, or a word.
In the higher stages of meditation, awareness is built and maintained even without having an external or internal object of attention.
Since there are clear distinctions between yoga asana and meditation, yoga is not considered meditation.
Even in the bigger definition of yoga, which is the entire eightfold path, meditation is just one of the limbs.
Meditation is not equivalent to yoga.
It is a step towards achieving the desired goal in the Yog Sutras.
But, is there is any connection between yoga and meditation?
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Can yoga be meditation?
Yoga asana (as defined by the Yoga Sutras) and meditation are different from each other; hence, yoga cannot be meditation.
Yoga asana focuses on the physical body while meditation is more about stilling the mind.
However, the practice of asana in yoga can be made more meditative.
Through coming into a state of complete awareness while doing asanas, a meditative state can be achieved.
This translates to an awareness of movement, of breath, of the body, and of the present moment.
What are meditative asanas?
Meditative asanas are the ones that facilitate meditation.
They are usually practiced sitting on the ground, while some can also be standing.
When practicing meditation, a practitioner would normally sit in one of the meditative asanas.
There are standing or reclining asanas too that a practitioner can use for meditation.
In these asanas, the objective is to keep the spine straight and erect.
The asana should not be so strenuous that it becomes difficult to hold and sustain the posture for a prolonged period of time.
It should also not be so restful so as to induce sleep.
A meditative asana is therefore one that is simple, gives stability, allows the body to be in a state of rest, and yet, keeps the body and mind alert and awake.
Some meditative asanas that are most commonly practiced are:
- Padmasana (Full Lotus Pose)
- Ardha Padmasana (Half Lotus Pose)
- Siddhasana or Muktasana (Accomplished Pose or Liberation Pose)
- and Sukhasana (Comfort Pose)
