Samasthiti

Common Modifications

“In terms of the transition within
a Vinyāsa Krama from standing
Āsana to lying Āsana and beyond.
Choose not to lie down for  Śavāsana
until you feel you don’t need to lie down.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“When moving from Standing Āsana to Lying
Āsana, consider the role of Samasthiti to be one
of recovery from the efforts of, and exploration
of the effects from, the preceding standing Āsana.
Whilst also considering the role of Śavāsana to be one
of transition to lying and the exploration of lying Āsana.
Rather than the other way around, in that, we are taking
Śavāsana as a place of recovery from our preceding efforts.
In other words, choose to stay in stillness within Samasthiti
until you feel as if you do not need to lie down to recover.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“The place of learning is in the space between the Āsana.
In that Āsana practice is a movie, not a series of pictures.
A marker towards Nirodha is not leaking between Āsana.
Thus containing energetic itches on coming back to stillness.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“We might want to consider the notion that the
most important standing Āsana is Samasthiti.
Its role is to ensure we engage with the next Āsana
from a place of attention and aware anticipation,
and after it, return to a place of fullness and reflection.
As if we are experiencing the fullness of the aftertaste
that naturally follows the ingestion of well-cooked food.
It’s learned Bhāvana is a quality of stillness within any
moment of inaction, ere to a transition to the next action.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Links to Related Posts:

• Glossary of Āsana and Mudrā Practice Techniques
  – Grouped into Standing, Kneeling, Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on Viniyoga
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on Vinyāsa Krama
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on Pratikriyāsana
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on the Breath
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on Śikṣaṇa
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on Rakṣaṇa
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on Cikitsā
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on Laṅghana
• Collected Practice Theory Posts on Bṛṃhaṇa
• Yoga Postures in Practice – A series on Āsana by Paul Part 1 Samasthiti
• Yoga Postures in Practice – A series on Āsana by Paul Part 2 Tāḍāsana
• Yoga Postures in Practice – A series on Āsana by Paul Part 3 Uttānāsana
• Yoga Postures in Practice – A series on Āsana by Paul Part 4 Utkaṭāsana
• Yoga Practice Planning and Theory Questions – Collected & Collated
• Prāṇāyāma & Bandha Practice Techniques Glossary
  – Grouped into Primary, Secondary & Ancillary Techniques