Asana as Meditation: The Spiritual Purpose of Physical Practice

BY NICOLE LAU

You move through sun salutations. You hold warrior pose. You balance in tree. You stretch in downward dog.

This is yoga, right?

Yes. But why are you doing it?

For most people, the answer is: flexibility, strength, stress relief, a good workout.

These are all valid benefits. But they are side effects, not the purpose.

The true purpose of asana—the physical practice of yoga—is not to touch your toes or get a yoga butt. The purpose is spiritual.

Asana is meditation in motion. It is preparation for stillness. It is the practice of presence, of awareness, of union.

Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras, defines asana in just three words:

"Sthira sukham asanam"
"Asana is a steady, comfortable posture."

That's it. Not flexible. Not strong. Not perfect. Steady and comfortable.

This is asana as meditation. This is the spiritual purpose of physical practice.

What Patanjali Actually Said About Asana

In the entire Yoga Sutras—196 sutras outlining the complete path of yoga—Patanjali dedicates only three sutras to asana.

Three.

Let that sink in. The physical practice that dominates modern yoga gets three sutras.

The Three Asana Sutras

Sutra 2.46: "Sthira sukham asanam"
"Asana is a steady, comfortable posture."

Sutra 2.47: "Prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam"
"By relaxing effort and meditating on the infinite."

Sutra 2.48: "Tatah dvandva anabhighatah"
"Then one is no longer disturbed by the dualities."

What This Means

Asana is:

• Steady (sthira): Stable, strong, grounded
• Comfortable (sukham): Easeful, joyful, spacious
• Achieved through: Relaxing effort (not forcing) and meditating on the infinite (connecting to something greater)
• The result: You are no longer disturbed by dualities (hot/cold, pleasure/pain, success/failure)

This is not about flexibility or strength. This is about equanimity, presence, transcendence.

The Original Purpose of Asana

In the ancient yogic tradition, asana had one primary purpose:

To prepare the body to sit comfortably in meditation.

That's it.

Why This Matters

If you're going to sit in meditation for hours (as yogis did), you need:

• A strong, stable spine
• Open hips
• Flexible legs
• A body free of tension and pain
• Energy flowing freely through the nadis (energy channels)

Asana practice develops all of this. It:

• Strengthens the body
• Releases tension
• Opens energy channels
• Balances the nervous system
• Prepares you to sit in stillness

The Shift

In modern yoga, asana has become the end rather than the means.

We practice asana for its own sake—for fitness, for flexibility, for the Instagram photo.

But in traditional yoga, asana is a tool—a tool for preparing the body and mind for meditation, for spiritual practice, for union with the divine.

Asana as Moving Meditation

When practiced with awareness, asana becomes moving meditation.

The Elements of Meditative Asana Practice

1. Presence
You are fully present in your body, in the pose, in the moment. Not thinking about the past or future. Not judging. Just being.

2. Breath Awareness
You breathe consciously. You link breath with movement. The breath becomes the anchor, bringing you back to the present.

3. Sensation Without Story
You feel sensations in the body—stretch, strength, heat, trembling—without adding a story. You observe without judgment.

4. Non-Attachment
You practice non-attachment to the outcome. You're not trying to "achieve" the pose. You're exploring, experiencing, being.

5. Equanimity
You cultivate equanimity—steadiness of mind in the face of pleasant and unpleasant sensations. You don't grasp at pleasure or push away pain. You remain steady.

The Practice

Try this in your next asana practice:

1. Set an intention: "I practice asana as meditation. I practice presence."
2. Move slowly: Don't rush. Each movement is deliberate, conscious.
3. Breathe: Link breath with movement. Inhale, exhale, move.
4. Feel: Notice sensations. Where do you feel stretch? Strength? Heat? Trembling?
5. Observe: Watch your mind. When it wanders, bring it back to breath, to sensation, to presence.
6. Let go: Let go of trying to "achieve" the pose. Just be in it.

The Spiritual Benefits of Asana

When practiced as meditation, asana offers profound spiritual benefits:

1. Embodiment

Asana brings you into your body. In a culture that lives in the head, this is radical.

You learn to:

• Feel your body
• Trust your body
• Honor your body as sacred
• Recognize the body as a temple

2. Presence

Asana trains you to be present. You can't be in warrior pose and thinking about your to-do list (well, you can, but you'll fall over).

You learn to:

• Be here now
• Let go of past and future
• Experience the present moment fully

3. Non-Attachment

Asana teaches non-attachment. Some days you're flexible. Some days you're not. Some days the pose comes easily. Some days it doesn't.

You learn to:

• Let go of outcomes
• Accept what is
• Not identify with success or failure

4. Equanimity

Asana cultivates equanimity—steadiness of mind in the face of pleasant and unpleasant experiences.

You learn to:

• Stay steady when it's hard
• Not grasp at pleasure
• Not push away pain
• Remain balanced

5. Energy Mastery

Asana works with prana (life force). Different poses:

• Open energy channels (nadis)
• Balance the chakras
• Increase or calm energy
• Prepare the body for pranayama and meditation

6. Self-Knowledge

Asana is a mirror. It shows you:

• Where you're tight (physically and emotionally)
• Where you're weak
• Where you're strong
• Your patterns, your resistances, your edges

You learn about yourself through the practice.

The Energetic Purpose of Asana

Beyond the physical and mental, asana works on the energetic body.

The Nadis (Energy Channels)

According to yogic anatomy, the body has 72,000 nadis—energy channels through which prana flows.

When nadis are blocked, energy can't flow. You experience:

• Physical disease
• Mental imbalance
• Emotional blockages
• Spiritual stagnation

Asana clears the nadis, allowing prana to flow freely.

The Three Main Nadis

1. Ida (Left Channel)
Lunar, feminine, cooling. Runs along the left side of the spine.

2. Pingala (Right Channel)
Solar, masculine, heating. Runs along the right side of the spine.

3. Sushumna (Central Channel)
The central channel running through the spine. When ida and pingala are balanced, prana flows through sushumna, awakening kundalini.

Asana Balances the Nadis

Different asanas:

• Balancing poses: Balance ida and pingala
• Twists: Wring out blockages, stimulate organs
• Backbends: Open the heart, energize (pingala)
• Forward folds: Calm the nervous system, introspect (ida)
• Inversions: Reverse the flow of prana, shift perspective

The Chakras and Asana

Asana also works with the chakras—the seven energy centers along the spine.

How Asana Affects the Chakras

Root Chakra (Muladhara):
Standing poses, grounding poses (mountain, warrior, tree)

Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana):
Hip openers (pigeon, lizard, goddess)

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura):
Core work (boat, plank, warrior III)

Heart Chakra (Anahata):
Backbends (cobra, camel, wheel)

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha):
Shoulder stand, plow, fish

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna):
Forward folds, child's pose, meditation

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara):
Headstand, meditation, savasana

Asana as Prayer

In the deepest sense, asana is prayer—the body as offering, the pose as devotion.

The Body as Temple

Your body is a temple. When you practice asana with reverence, you:

• Honor the body as sacred
• Treat the practice as worship
• Offer your practice to the divine

The Pose as Yantra

Each asana is a yantra—a sacred geometric form that creates a specific energetic pattern.

When you hold a pose, you:

• Create sacred geometry with your body
• Align with cosmic patterns
• Become a living mandala

Movement as Devotion

When you move with awareness, with breath, with presence, movement becomes devotion.

You are not just exercising. You are:

• Praying with your body
• Offering your practice to the divine
• Expressing the sacred through form

Practicing Asana as Meditation

Before You Practice

Set an intention:
"I practice asana as meditation. I practice presence. I offer this practice to the divine."

Create sacred space:
Light a candle, burn incense, play sacred music. Make your practice space a temple.

During Practice

Move slowly:
Don't rush. Each movement is a meditation.

Breathe consciously:
Link breath with movement. Let breath guide you.

Stay present:
When the mind wanders, bring it back to breath, to sensation, to the present moment.

Practice ahimsa (non-violence):
Don't force. Don't push. Honor your body's limits.

Cultivate equanimity:
Stay steady in the face of challenge. Don't grasp at ease. Don't push away difficulty.

After Practice

Savasana (corpse pose):
This is not optional. Savasana integrates the practice. Lie still for at least 5-10 minutes.

Gratitude:
Thank your body. Thank the practice. Thank the divine.

Carry it forward:
The presence you cultivate on the mat—bring it into your life.

The Gift of Asana as Meditation

When you practice asana as meditation, you:

• Transform exercise into spiritual practice
• Cultivate presence, awareness, equanimity
• Prepare the body for deeper practices (pranayama, meditation)
• Work with energy (nadis, chakras, prana)
• Honor the body as sacred
• Experience union—of body, mind, and spirit

This is the spiritual purpose of physical practice. This is asana as meditation. This is yoga.

Step on your mat. Set your intention. Breathe. Move. Be present.

Your practice is prayer. Your body is temple. Your movement is meditation.

This is asana. This is yoga. This is union.