# Class Four - Asanas **1) What benefit is there in going from the Rooster Pose into the Turtle-on-its-Back Pose, if they’re the same pose?  Also give the name of the latter pose in Sanskrit.** The two are not actually the same pose.  The Rooster is a Lotus Pose balanced on our hands; when we switch it over to our back, we get the same benefits of opening the area of the muladhara and svadhisthana chakras and stretching the area of the three primary channels, except that now we have acupressure applied along the back in the vital area of the central and two side channels. This is also the location of the dumai meridian in traditional Chinese medicine, which contains acupressure points related to every one of the internal organs.  Rocking forward and backward in this position increases the effect. The name of the Turtle-on-its-Back Pose in Sanskrit is Uttanakurmaka Asana. **2) What are the two forms which the Longbow Pose has taken?  What benefits does each have upon the inner channels?  Give the most basic form of the Sanskrit word for “longbow” here.** The modern form of the Longbow Pose is to lie on our stomach and pull the ankles (toes) towards the head.  The alternate form, which still fits the description in the verse from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, is to sit, holding the toe of one leg extended, and pulling the other foot up towards our ear, so that we look like an archer. The first form tonifies the channels of the back, and puts acupressure along channels running down the front of the body, especially the lower ribs and pelvic area.  The second form opens the groin area and allows an easier flow of prana through the lower chakras of the body: the muladhara and svadhisthana chakras.  The most basic form of the Sanskrit word for “longbow” here is dhanu, which becomes dhanur when combined with the word asana. **3) What are the four benefits which, according to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, come from the seated spinal twist known as Matsyendra’s Pose?  What is the cause of these benefits?** The four benefits of this pose are (1) it makes the shining light in the belly burn, meaning it makes ones digestive powers formidable; (2) it smashes even serious disease, by improving the flow of prana throughout the body; (3) practiced diligently, helps inspire kundalini, or inner fire at the juncture of the side and central channels; and (4) it makes the “moon,” or white element at the top of the head, shine steadily, ready to help it flow within the central channel. The cause of these benefits is that the two side channels are being stretched and tonified, so that inner winds are now running more freely through them, more likely to enter the central channel. **4) Write the famous Sanskrit word for the “serpent fire” that is found in verse 27, and describe its different meanings:** The word kund k…{fœ means to make something burn.  It is related to the Sanskrit root chand cNdœ which means to blaze, and comes into English in the words incandescent and shine.  The word kunda k…{f means a coil or spiral, but it can also mean a fire pit, or a sacred bathing pool.   A kundala k…{fl is a coiled copper wire inserted into the ear, and it later came to be the word for any ear ornament.  The adjective kundalin k…{filn! means something that is coiled, and kundalini k…{filnI literally means “the coiled Lady of inner fire.”  This word is an epithet for the crucial point in the body, just below the navel near the backbone, where the three main channels connect to each other; it is a crossroads, a place where it is easier to get the inner winds to enter into the center channel.  And as the energy starts to collect in this place, it builds up a kind of inner heat in the body, known as tummo in Tibetan. **5) Give the original Sanskrit name for the Back Stretch Pose; its alternate modern name; and describe this name briefly.  Then give the four benefits which Master Swatmarama lists for the pose.** The original Sanskrit name for this pose is Pashchimatana Asana.  The word pashchima piím means back, and also west, since the front of the body is always considered to be the east, or where the sun rises.  Tana tan! means a stretch; it comes from the root √tan tn! , meaning to stretch.   Sometimes this second part is spelled uttana %Äan, which also simply means a good stretch, and then the whole name of the pose is Pashchimottana Asana, an alternate seen nowadays. The four benefits for this pose listed by Mater Swatmarama are (1) it makes the sweeping wind within the back ride strong; (2) it sparks the fire in the belly, meaning the kundalini, and awakens it; (3) it makes the abdomen lean; and (4) it frees us from disease. **6) Give the Sanskrit name for the Peacock Pose.  Then describes its benefits, according to Master Swatmarama.** The Sanskrit name for the Peacock Pose is Mayurasana, with mayur meaning a peacock.  Its benefits are removing disease; strengthening the abdomen and digestive functions; overcoming imbalances of the three humors; special help with breaking down larger pieces or excessive amounts of food in the body; inspires the kundalini fire; and finally prevents old age and even death. **7) Two of the benefits ascribed by Master Swatmarama to the Peacock Pose, and later poses as well, are that it prevents old age, and even death.  Explain the actual process by which a yoga pose could help prevent aging and death itself.** Yoga poses help move prana, or inner wind, out of the side channels and into the central channel.  Within the side channels, prana causes us to have thoughts of ignorantly liking and disliking things.  We then perform actions, or karma, which are harmful to others, in order to get (we think) what we want, and avoid what we don’t want.  This negative karma actually causes us to age, shortens our life, and ultimately triggers the experience of death. The connection point between the central and side channels is found in the area near the navel; and so poses which address this area are especially helpful for moving prana into the central channel.  When prana does enter this channel, it first causes us to perceive the true nature of reality directly.  This perception is such tremendous good karma that it assures the transformation of the body into the Angel’s body of light. **8) Give the Sanskrit name for the Corpse Pose, and two benefits that Master Swatmarama says we should attempt to reach by doing it.** Master Swatmarama says that we should use the Corpse Pose to “remove fatigue” and to “bring repose to the mind.”  The Sanskrit name for the pose is Shavasana zvasn . **9) Where do we place our gaze during the practice of the Master’s Pose?  Give the Sanskrit name for this place; its two parts; and related English words for each part.  Then give the Sanskrit word for the Master’s Pose itself, and explain the word briefly.** We place our gaze during this pose at the spot between our eyebrows.  In the Tibetan tradition, we also go into the head with our gaze about an inch.  In the verse, this spot is called bhruvorantaram, which is a combination of two words, bhruva and antara.  Bhruva means eyebrow, and is the source for the English brow and bridge.   Antara means inside, or between, and is found in the English inter-. This spot is also sometimes called bhrumadhya æUmXy, with madhya meaning between the eyebrows.  Putting the gaze here is related to the ajna chakra and assists in deep concentration. The Sanskrit word for Master’s Pose is Siddhasana i;Ïasn.  The word siddha means attainment, and the word refers to someone who has reached high spiritual attainments. **10) According to Master Swatmarama, the Master’s Pose is also sometimes also called the Diamond Pose, or the Freedom Pose.  Give the Sanskrit names for these last two poses, and speak about their meaning.** The Diamond Pose in Sanskrit is Vajrasana, where vajra means diamond.  The diamond is a symbol for emptiness, or the ultimate nature of things, which this pose aids us in seeing directly.  If we do see this ultimate reality directly, then we can quickly remove our negative emotions, which is nirvana; and later enlightenment: the power to know all things, and help all people.  This then makes this pose the Freedom Pose, or Muktasana, with mukta meaning freedom. As a side note, the Diamond Pose in the Tibetan tradition refers to the Lotus Pose, although this name is also used for the pose among the Tibetans.  The exact spot of the Buddha’s enlightenment is also known as Vajrasana, or The Seat of the Diamond. **11) What, according to “the true masters,” are the highest forms of self-control, pledges, and yoga poses?** Master Swatmarama says that the highest form of self-control is eating in moderation; the highest of the pledges is never harming others; and the highest of the poses is the Master’s pose.