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Haṭha Ratnāvalī
The ''Haṭha Ratnāvalī'' is a Haṭha yoga text written in the 17th century by Srinivasa. It is one of the first texts to name 84 asanas, earlier texts having claimed as many without naming them. It describes 36 asanas. Text The ''Haṭha Ratnāvalī'' is a Haṭha yoga text written in the 17th century by Srinivasa. It states (1.17-18) that asanas, Pranayama, breath retentions, and Yogic seal, seals assist in Haṭha yoga. It mentions 8 purifications (shatkarmas), criticising the ''Hatha Yoga Pradipika'' for only describing 6 of these. It is one of the earliest texts (the other being the unpublished ''Yogacintāmaṇi'') actually to name 84 asanas, earlier manuscripts having simply claimed that 84 or 8,400,000 asanas existed. The 84 asanas listed (HR 3.7-20) include several variations of Padmasana and Mayurasana, Gomukhasana, Bhairavasana, Matsyendrasana, Kurmasana, Kraunchasana, Mandukasana, Yoganidrasana, and many names now not in wide usage; it provides descriptions of 3 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haṭha Yoga
Haṭha yoga is a branch of yoga which uses physical techniques to try to preserve and channel the vital force or energy. The Sanskrit word हठ ''haṭha'' literally means "force", alluding to a system of physical techniques. Some haṭha yoga style techniques can be traced back at least to the 1st-century CE, in texts such as the Hindu Sanskrit epics and Buddhism's Pali canon. The oldest dated text so far found to describe haṭha yoga, the 11th-century ''Amṛtasiddhi'', comes from a tantric Buddhist milieu. The oldest texts to use the terminology of ''hatha'' are also Vajrayana Buddhist. Hindu hatha yoga texts appear from the 11th century onwards. Some of the early haṭha yoga texts (11th-13th c.) describe methods to raise and conserve bindu (vital force, that is, semen, and in women ''rajas –'' menstrual fluid). This was seen as the physical essence of life that was constantly dripping down from the head and being lost. Two early Haṭha yoga techniques sought to e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Numerology
Numerology (also known as arithmancy) is the belief in an occult, divine or mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events. It is also the study of the numerical value, via an alphanumeric system, of the letters in words and names. When numerology is applied to a person's name, it is a form of onomancy. It is often associated with the paranormal, alongside astrology and similar to divinatory arts. Despite the long history of numerological ideas, the word "numerology" is not recorded in English before c. 1907. The term numerologist can be used for those who place faith in numerical patterns and draw inferences from them, even if those people do not practice traditional numerology. For example, in his 1997 book ''Numerology: Or What Pythagoras Wrought'' (), mathematician Underwood Dudley uses the term to discuss practitioners of the Elliott wave principle of stock market analysis. History The practice of gematria, assigning numerical values to wor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoganidrasana
Yoganidrasana, ( sa, योगनिद्रासन) or Yogic Sleep Pose is a reclining forward-bending asana in modern yoga as exercise. It is sometimes called Supta Garbhasana (Reclining Embryo Pose). The name Dvi Pada Sirsasana is given to the balancing form of the pose. In hatha yoga, the pose was used in Pasini Mudra, the noose mudra, a seal to prevent the escape of prana; it was not an asana. Etymology and origins as a mudra The name of this pose comes from योग ''yoga'' meaning "uniting", निद्र ''nidra'' meaning "sleep", and आसन ''āsana'' meaning "posture" or "seat". The asana's name derives from the yogic sleep mentioned in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata'': Yoganidrasana is described in the 17th century ''Haṭha Ratnāvalī'' 3.70. The pose is illustrated in an 18th century painting of the eight yoga chakras in Mysore. It is illustrated as "Pasini Mudra" (not an asana) in Theos Bernard's 1943 book ''Hatha Yoga: The Report of A Personal Experien ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kraunchasana
Krauñcāsana (Sanskrit: क्रौञ्चासन) or Heron pose, also written Krounchasana, is a sitting asana in modern yoga as exercise. Etymology and origins The name comes from the Sanskrit words ''Kraunch'' (क्रौञ्च) meaning "heron", and the name of a mountain; and ''Asana'' (आसन, āsana) meaning "posture" or "seat". ''Kraunch'' can also mean the demoiselle crane or the curlew; both like the heron are long-legged waterbirds. The 19th century '' Sritattvanidhi'' uses the name for a different pose, squatting, supported by a rope held with the teeth. The modern pose is described in 20th century manuals such as B. K. S. Iyengar's ''Light on Yoga''. Swami Yogesvarananda names the modern pose "Ekapadotthitahastapadaprasaranasana" in his 1970 ''First Steps to Higher yoga'', reserving the name Kraunchasana for a preparatory phase of another pose named for a waterbird, Bakasana (the Crane). Pattabhi Jois uses the name for the same pose as Iyengar, implyin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kurmasana
Kurmasana ( sa, कूर्मासन; IAST: ''kūrmāsana''), Tortoise Pose, or Turtle Pose is a sitting forward bending asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. Etymology and origins The name comes from the Sanskrit कूर्म ''Kūrma'', "turtle" or "tortoise" and आसन ''Āsana'', "posture" or "seat". Uttana Kurmasana is described in the ancient, c. 7th century '' Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā'', revised from American Academy of Religions conference, San Francisco, 19 November 2011. and illustrated in the 19th century '' Jogapradipika'' and ''Sritattvanidhi''. The modern Kurmasana is described in B. K. S. Iyengar's 1966 ''Light on Yoga''. Iyengar states that the asana is dedicated to Kurma, the tortoise incarnation of the god Vishnu. Description To enter kūrmāsana a practitioner sits with the legs outstretched, feet as wide apart as possible. The knees are bent slightly, keeping the heels in contact with the floor. The body is leaned forward from the hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matsyendrasana
Matsyendrasana ( sa, मत्स्येन्द्रासन; IAST: ''Matsyendrāsana''), Matsyendra's Pose or Lord of the Fishes Pose, is a seated twisting asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. The full form is the difficult Paripurna Matsyendrasana. A common and easier variant is Ardha Matsyendrasana. The asana has many variations, and in its half form is one of the twelve basic asanas in many systems of hatha yoga. Etymology and origins The name comes from the Sanskrit words परिपूर्ण ''Paripurna'', perfected; मत्स्येन्द् '' Matsyendra'', one of the founders of hatha yoga, whose name in turn means "lord of the fishes"; and आसन '' asana'', posture or seat; अर्ध ''ardha'' means half. The asana is medieval, described in the 15th century ''Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā'' 1.26-7, which states that it destroys many diseases, and the 17th century '' Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā'' 2.22-23. Yogi Ghamande chose the asana ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhairavasana
Bhairavasana ( sa, भैरवासन) or formidable pose, sometimes called Supta Bhairavasana (सुप्त भैरवासन), is a reclining asana in hatha yoga; the variation Kala Bhairavasana (काला भैरवासन) has the body balanced on the straight leg and one arm, as in Vasiṣṭhāsana. Bhairava is one of the eight aspects of the god Shiva. The pose has also been called Aṇkuśāsana (अण्कुशआसन), the elephant goad pose. Etymology and origins The name comes from the Sanskrit ''Bhairava'' (भैरव) meaning "terrible, formidable"; ''Kāla'' (काल) ''Bhairava'', a name of the Hindu god Shiva in his aspect as the universe's destroyer; and ''Asana'' (आसन, āsana) meaning "posture" or "seat". Supta (सुप्त) means supine or reclining. The pose is illustrated in the 19th century '' Sritattvanidhi'' under the name ''Aṇkuśāsana'' (अण्कुशआसन), from Sanskrit अण्कुश aṇkuś, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gomukhasana
Gomukhasana ( sa, गौमुखासन; IAST: ''Gomukhāsana'') or Cow Face Pose is a seated asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, sometimes used for meditation. Etymology and origins The name comes from the Sanskrit गौ ''go'' meaning "cow", मुख ''mukha'' meaning "face" or "mouth", and आसन ''āsana'' meaning "posture" or "seat". The crossed legs are said to look like a cow's mouth, while the bent elbows supposedly look like a cow's ears. The pose is ancient as it is described in the ''Darshana Upanishad'' (3.3–4), written around the 4th century. For instance, it is listed and described within the 84 asanas in the 17th-century ''Haṭha Ratnāvalī'' (3.7–20). However, the current form of Gomukhasana with the hands behind the back is mentioned only in such ancient tantric texts as the ''Ahirbudhnya Samhita''. It is sometimes used for meditation and pranayama. Description The pose is entered from kneeling by crossing the legs; the heel of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Signs Of The Zodiac
The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The paths of the Moon and visible planets are within the belt of the zodiac. In Western astrology, and formerly astronomy, the zodiac is divided into twelve signs, each occupying 30° of celestial longitude and roughly corresponding to the following star constellations: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. These astrological signs form a celestial coordinate system, or more specifically an ecliptic coordinate system, which takes the ecliptic as the origin of latitude and the Sun's position at vernal equinox as the origin of longitude. Name The English word ' derives from , the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek ( ), meaning "cycle or circle of little animals". () ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asana
An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose,Verse 46, chapter II, "Patanjali Yoga sutras" by Swami Prabhavananda, published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math p. 111 and later extended in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, to any type of position, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses. The ''Yoga Sutras of Patanjali'' define "asana" as " position thatis steady and comfortable". Patanjali mentions the ability to sit for extended periods as one of the eight limbs of his system. Patanjali ''Yoga sutras'', Book II:29, 46 Asanas are also called yoga poses or yoga postures in English. The 10th or 11th century '' Goraksha Sataka'' and the 15th century '' Hatha Yoga Pradipika'' identify 84 asanas; the 17th century ''Hatha Ratnavali'' provides a different list of 84 asanas, describing some of them. In the 20th century, Indian nationalism favoured physical culture in response to colonialism. In that enviro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Astrology
Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of Celestial objects in astrology, celestial objects. Different cultures have employed forms of astrology since at least the 2nd millennium BCE, these practices having originated in Calendrical calculation, calendrical systems used to predict seasonal shifts and to interpret celestial cycles as signs of divine communications. Most, if not all, cultures have attached importance to what they observed in the sky, and some—such as the Hindu astrology, Hindus, Chinese astrology, Chinese, and the Maya civilization, Maya—developed elaborate systems for predicting terrestrial events from celestial observations. Western astrology, one of the oldest astrological systems still in use, can trace its roots to 19th–17th century BCE Mesopotamia, from where it spr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yogacintāmaṇi
The ''Yogacintamani'' is an early 17th-century hatha yoga text, covering the eight auxiliaries of yoga. The asana section in all the manuscripts describes 34 asanas, while variations in some manuscripts add another 84, mentioning most of the non-standing asanas used in modern postural yoga. Text The ''Yogacintamani'' (, IAST:) is an early 17th-century hatha yoga text, its eight sections covering the eight auxiliaries of yoga., which cites The text quotes the ''Hatha Yoga Pradipika'' extensively. The text is known from multiple manuscripts. The asana section in all the manuscripts of the ''Yogacintamani'' describes 34 asanas including kukkutasana, mayurasana, and siddhasana, while variations in some manuscripts add another 84, mentioning most of the non-standing asanas used in modern postural yoga, including forward bends like paschimottanasana, backbends such as ustrasana, twists like matsyendrasana, and arm balances like kukkutasana. Kukkutasana is described in the same way ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
