WHAT POSE IS THAT?

THE ABC’S OF SANSKRIT NAMES

When we come to a yoga class, sometimes the instructor uses the traditional Sanskrit names for each of the poses.  “Asana” means pose, so you can take those letters off the end of each word to break down the letters that come before it.  Here is a guide to 25 of the more common poses:

• Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward facing dog
• Ardha Chandrasana - Half moon
• Baddha Konasana - Butterfly/Bound Angle
• Balasana - Child’s
• Chaturanga Dandasana - Four limb staff pose (move from plank to the floor)​

• Dandasana - Staff
• Eka Pada Kapotasana - Pigeon
• Garudasana - Eagle
• Halasana - Plow
• Janu Sirsasana  - Head to Knee/Half Butterfly
• Kurmasana - Turtle​

• Marichyasana - Great Sage                 
• Navasana - Boat
• Parivritta Parsvakonasana - Revolving Lunge​
• Salabhasana - Locust

• Sarvangasana - Shoulder stand    
• Savasana - Corpse (final relaxation)
• Tadasana - Mountain
• ​Trikonasana - Triangle

• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana - Upward facing dog    
• Utkatasana - Chair

• Uttansana -Standing  Forward Fold
• Utthita Parsvakonasana - Extended side angle    
  

• Virabhadrasana - Warrior
• Vrksasana - Tree