Yoga 101 What Is Asana

About This Class

In this short educational tidbit, Bryan Kest breaks down the Sanskrit term "Asana," which appears at the end of nearly every yoga pose name. He explains that while "Asana" is commonly translated as "to sit still or sit quietly," most poses involve standing, balancing, or lying down — not literally sitting. The key insight is that Asana refers to the quality of the mind, not the position of the body: can your mind become still within the pose? Bryan frames this mental stillness as essential for tuning into the body's language of sensation, enabling practitioners to make more mindful decisions and approach their practice as a healing rather than just a workout. This is a conceptual, philosophy-focused lecture with no physical practice component.