Modern, westernized yoga differs greatly from its ancient roots. While today’s practice still holds immense power, there’s something uniquely magical about reconnecting with yoga’s origins. In this post, we’ll explore five ancient yoga poses taken directly from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, one of the earliest surviving texts that describes a more physically focused yoga practice.
What Makes The Hatha Yoga Pradipika Different
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika isn’t the oldest yoga text we have, but it is one of the earliest surviving sources that actually describes specific yoga poses in a way that resembles our modern physical practice. In yogic tradition, these poses are called asanas. In earlier texts like the Yoga Sutras of Patangali, ‘asana’ is mentioned, but not as a list of physical postures. Asana is described more as the steady, comfortable seat that one takes for meditation.
Asana in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika is different. It introduces a variety of physical shapes that the body can take to support the flow of energy, or prana. This more closely resembles how many view yoga today, as a physical practice. Of course, yoga is much more than just the physical poses, but yoga poses do have the power to affect our energy and strengthen our connection between body, mind, and soul.
Honoring Ancient Yoga Poses While Embracing Modern Practice
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika was written in the 15th century, so it’s been around for quite some time. Now, I’m not someone who believes something is automatically better just because it’s old or ancient. There are definitely some practices in this text that I wouldn’t personally recommend and some asanas that, honestly, might not be accessible or appropriate for many of us.
That said, I do think there’s immense value in drawing from ancient knowledge to deepen our connection to the long lineage of yoga. It’s kind of like wearing a necklace that belonged to your great grandmother. It’s not necessarily ‘better’ than a new necklace you bought last week, but it holds a kind of meaning and history that connects you to the piece in a different way.
Learning about these ancient origins isn’t about saying old is better. It’s about deepening our understanding of where this practice comes from and letting that inform how we practice today. That doesn’t make modern poses like say bananasana, where you lie on your back and stretch your body into a banana-like shape, any less powerful. If you’re intentional about it, any pose can be powerful. In bananasana, you’re grounded through your back body while gently opening your side body which can feel wonderful for your muscles and your energy!
Ancient doesn’t mean better. Modern doesn’t mean less powerful. What matters is your intention and doing what’s right for you.
Now that we’ve covered some background, let’s look at five ancient yoga poses from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. There are actually more than 5 poses (asanas) in the text, but I chose ones that you might already be familiar with and that don’t put you in extreme positions. As always, this is general information so if you have any injuries or medical conditions, check with your doctor before practicing these poses.
Before You Begin: Intention, Warm-Up, and Tips
A few things to keep in mind before you begin so that you can move in a way that’s best for your body and approach these poses with clear intention.
As you move through these poses, hold the intention of honoring the roots of yoga and the generations of teachers who kept this tradition alive for us today. Remember the land and culture this practice comes from, India, and offer your gratitude as you practice.
I recommend warming up beforehand; five minutes of sun salutations can be a great way to prepare if that feels right for you.
The poses I’ve chosen move your spine in different directions, including extension, flexion, and rotation. To keep your body balanced, it’s helpful to neutralize the spine between each pose with something like a downward dog or a wide-legged child’s pose.
Please remember to keep the breath flowing in all of these poses.
There’s also a practice at the end of this post that includes all of these ancient yoga poses!
Disclaimer: If you have any injuries or medical conditions, check with your doctor before practicing.
5 Ancient Yoga Poses
From The Hatha Yoga Pradipika
1. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
Dhanurasana is a beautiful pose for opening the heart chakra and for activating the solar plexus chakra.
In Swami Muktibodhananda’s translation of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, it’s noted that you can either hold this pose in stillness or gently rock back and forth.
This pose can be quite intense, so I recommend holding it for about 10 seconds and repeating it three times.
2. Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Spinal Twist Pose)
There are many variations of spinal twists that we find in our modern yoga practice but ardha matsyendrasana is one that we know is ancient! This is another pose that is great for the solar plexus as it can help to stimulate digestion.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika offers different arm variations that require a lot of shoulder flexibility. Here I am demonstrating a more modified variation that won’t put excess strain through your shoulder joints. The hand that is behind you (that you cannot see in the photo) may rest on your waist.
Remember that you are twisting towards the knee that is higher up.
Hold for 30 seconds and then switch sides.
3. Gomukhasana (Cow’s Face Pose)
Next up on our list of ancient yoga poses we have gomukhasana. Gomukhasana opens through both your hips and shoulders. It is described as representing the complete balance of prana in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swami Muktibodhananda as the hands are interlocked behind your back.
If your right leg is on top, then your right arm is on top. If you have tight shoulders or this hand position is just not comfortable for you, you may simply place your hands atop your knee.
Hold for 30 seconds and then switch sides.
4. Paschimottanasana (Back Stretching Pose)
This pose stretches both your hamstrings and your back.
There are also some things mentioned here in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika that I completely agree with as a physical therapist. One being that this is not a great pose to do first thing in the morning and that it is very important to warm-up first! The second being that you should keep the back straight and not curve forward.
According to the text, it says that you must keep your knees straight. This is one of those examples where we can incorporate modern knowledge and modify. If you have very tight hamstrings, it might not be possible to straighten the knees but you can still practice this pose. You can simply let the knees bend and then hinge forward, but my recommendation is to actually sit up tall, and simply work on straightening the knees from there.
Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.
5. Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Our last ancient yoga pose for today is savasana. Though savasana may seem like the most simple pose listed here, I assure you it is not. The goal in savasana is to completely relax the body which is no easy task.
As you relax in savasana, focus on your breath to help the mind start to quiet.
You can learn more about savasana here: Why Is Savasana So Important?
Relax here for at least 5 minutes, preferably 10 minutes if possible!
Those are your five ancient yoga poses from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. I hope this post helps you feel more connected to this beautiful, timeless practice.
I invite you to practice these poses with me in the practice below.
Namaste
Sources:
Muktibodhananda, Swami. “Chapter 1: Asana.” Hatha Yoga Pradipika , Yoga Publications Trust, 2016.