Yoga Postures and their Connection to the Spiritual World

The art of the ancient practice of Yoga and spirituality has always shared an important connection. Most yoga practices may impact the physical health and strength of a person. However, Yoga is also deeply rooted in the spiritual world with every single posture having a spiritual significance. Yoga is a holistic experience of the body and enables people to develop their health and mental wellbeing. In yoga, many asanas have relevance to the spiritual world. These asanas are derived from plants, animals, and each has special characteristics associated with them. Let’s look at some famous yoga asanas and their relevance to the spiritual world.

The Lotus Pose- Padmasana

In ancient traditions embedded in Asia, the symbol of the lotus represents purity and a ‘spontaneous’ generation. It also signified the creation of self, the creation of humans through birth, and one’s spiritual development. The journey of a lotus starts from the muddy roots it is embedded in and ends in a bright, beautiful, fully bloomed flower. Symbolically, the lotus represents the perfection within a human being as they emerge from their roots to blossom into an individual. If the padmasana or the lotus pose is perfected, it is said that one can achieve complete detachment. The detachment is represented by the spread-out petals of the lotus. Also, if you have ever tried splashing water on a lotus petal, you will observe how the water simply rolls off and never sticks. This symbolizes the detachment one can achieve. Thus, the person will not remain attached even if he is drenched in the troubles and sorrows of the world. 

The Warrior Pose- Virabhadrasana

 Yoga deals with the factor of self-ignorance in oneself and not being aware of one’s surroundings. This can cause immense suffering to human beings and yoga is the key to come out of it. The warrior posture in yoga is a pose that will help fill one’s spirits with the idea of bravery, valor, and strength. It will help you fight your own battles and emerge triumphantly from the storms and obstacles of life. The Virabhadrasana helps oneself in fitting the inner demons that chew at your insides, reducing you to a ball of mess. It will help one fight their ego and ignorance. The warrior pose is known to be one of the most powerful poses due to it engaging every part of one’s body. Thus, it not only helps you develop physical strength but also helps fight the inner battles raging inside you.

The Tree Pose- Vrksasana

 The Vrksasana or tree pose is one of the most important poses in yoga. The objective of the tree pose has always been to achieve balance as it involves standing on one leg by putting your hands outreached over your head. However, there is a trick to achieve such instance balance. And that is where the spiritual connection with the divine and outward energies come into play. When the foot is raised from the ground, the body tends to sway just like a tree does when a persistent wind is blowing. But when one perfects this poses it symbolizes that there is freedom of movement as well as balance. It signifies how one is rooted in the spiritual acceptance of one’s body and yet occupies a transient position in hindsight of the world. 

The Child’s Pose- Balasana

 The child’s pose or balasana seems to be simple yet has a more complex meaning than is visible to the eye. The pose requires you to kneel on the ground and tuck both your legs underneath your boy. The torso must be resting on the thighs as it is bent forward and your arms should be stretched forward and be on your side. The posture helps one connect with the inner child present in them and it relates to a possible surrender. The main reason behind this exercise is to stay in a non-active state and work well to relieve stress and anxiety. The child's pose helps one retreat to a protective shell, a shell of peace, and allow their spirit to nurture and rest. It helps you remove all the pressures, tensions, and anxiety that surround you. It strengthens your mind as it relaxes it slowly.