asana & vinyasa
Asana means posture ore pose. In yoga, asanas are the foundation — like steps in dance.
Asanas can be supine, prone, seated, on all fours, standing, balancing and more. They have a Sanskrit name referring to animals, objects or deities, which translates directly into our language: for example, Vrikshasana is Tree Pose. There is always a formal correspondence or symbolic resonance between a posture and its name.
There are hundreds of traditional asanas and each of them offers many more variations to better suit the person, or the specific goal of the practice.
An asana can be held for shorter or longer periods of time, depending on the type of yoga being practiced, or, again, your goal.
Like dance steps, asanas can be sequenced. This is vinyasa, a Sanskrit term meaning "to place in a specific - or appropriate - order".
Postures are timed with the breath and connected by transitions — fluid movements from one asana to another that create a “flow”. The well-known "sun salutation" (Surya Namaskar) is an example of vinyasa.
Vinyasa also offers infinite combinations: the choice and sequence of asanas, the transitions, the modulation and rhythm of breath, the length of the pauses, the intensity, the repetitions and more.
In yoga with therapeutic goals, the choice of asana and vinyasa is based on what we want to achieve with our student. We may seek greater stability and strength by holding poses longer, or by slowing down transitions; we may favor mobility or balance; we may choose gentler or more vigorous movement; or we may focus primarily on the breath.
movement
The body is designed to move, and to do so in many different ways. To recover functionality, for prevention and durability, every type of movement should be practiced, alternated, varied.
Movement nourishes tissues, stimulates circulation, acts on the nervous system, and contributes to hormonal balance. With Yoga we practice every type of movement, and work on every part of the body - including the feet and hands.
Gentle, continuous, conscious movement acts more directly on the ground substance — a fluid gel found mainly beneath the skin, composed of water, hyaluronic acid, cells, and molecules. It has a unique property: it is thixotropic, meaning it responds to movement by becoming thinner and more fluid. This improves local circulation, supports cellular nutrient exchange, and creates a pleasant sense of ease and general well-being.
More vigorous and repeated movement stimulates the cells that produce collagen, contributing to the health of tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the entire myofascial structure. The mechanical stimulation of tissues, including load-bearing weight, is essential for maintaining bone density, muscular strength, and functional capacity over time.
Conscious movement develops proprioception (the awareness of movement in space), which directly improves coordination and balance.
The common belief that yoga only promotes isometric lengthening — stretching without muscular contraction — does not reflect reality.
In yoga, muscles are stimulated in every possible way, including concentrically (where muscles contract and shorten) and eccentrically (where they lengthen under tension).
Mini Glossary