By Zo Newell. Himalayan Institute Press: himalayaninstitute.org
Asana has roots far deeper than the ones that you create by pressing
through the four corners of your feet. But unless you’re a yoga
scholar or consider it your hobby to wade through ancient yogic texts,
you might not know the whole story behind your favorite poses. In Downard
Dogs & Warriors, Zo Newell offers a CliffsNotes version of the
Indian tales that first inspired the asanas practiced today. For
example, did you know that Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose) was named for a
god who embodied Shiva’s anger after the wrongful death of his first
wife, Sati? Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) may look like a pose named after
a simple three-sided shape you studied in geometry, but it also
represents the Hindu deities Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva (the gods of
creation, preservation, and destruction), the three Ayurvedic doshas,
and the three gunas (qualities of nature).
To help modern yogis better connect with these ancient tales, Newell
suggests embodying a pose’s story during practice, meditating on the
myth’s message, and then journaling about the experience. While the
specifics of getting into the featured asanas aren’t comprehensive,
the book is a great tool for students looking to deepen their
understanding of the history and mythology behind asana practice. ~
Erica Rodefer
(Click
here to see more book reviews.)
