asana

American  

[ah-suh-nuh] / ˈɑ sə nə /

noun

1. any of the postures in a yoga exercise.

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asana British  

/ ˈɑːsənə /

noun

1. any of various postures in yoga See also hatha yoga

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Etymology

Origin of asana

First recorded in 1810–15; from Sanskrit āsanam “(act of) sitting, sitting position,” from the Sanskrit root ās- “to sit, be seated”

Explanation

An asana is a specific yoga position. Your favorite asana in yoga class might be "corpse pose" at the end, when you just lie there and breathe. Anyone who's taken a yoga class is familiar with the term asana, which simply means "pose" or "position." There are 84 classic asanas in yoga, and even more variations on them. When a yoga class does an asana together, the students position their bodies in a particular way, often holding the asana as they breathe. In Sanskrit, āsana means "seat" or "manner of sitting."

Example Sentences

They persist in following Zaloznyi’s guidance, moving their bodies from one asana, or yoga position, to another with closed eyes.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 16, 2023

The third and fourth limbs, familiar to Western practitioners, are the postures, asana, and breath control, pranayama.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

Their awkward-as-hell asana can only be called “SNL” bait.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2020

Whenever I felt helpless while reading or doing my writing, I got on to a yoga mat and did whatever asana that came to mind.

From The Guardian • Jul. 5, 2020

The root of oesc appears in the Sanskrit as, "to throw" or "lance," whence asa, "a bow," and asana, "an arrow."

From Myths and myth-makers: Old Tales and Superstitions Interpreted by Comparative Mythology by Fiske, John