What Is Yoga Mythology? Yoga postures have been given different names of Indian origin, such as Vira-asana, Svana-asana, Manjara-asana, Galava-asana, and Surya-namaskar. Some of these are easily translated as the hero pose, dog pose, or cat pose, but some are proper nouns and make sense only if you are familiar with Hindu mythology. Some names may describe a pose, like if they mimic an animal as in the dog or cat pose, which may or may not refer to a deity’s sacred animal or mount (vahana). Some names for poses can also be random labels that create a sense of the exotic and carry a stamp of authenticity. Some believe the names directly identify the yogi who invented the pose, such as Ruchika-asana (the pose of Ruchika), or are instructing people to develop a particular attitude, such as Virabhadra-asana (the righteous warrior pose). By seeking out the stories underlying the names, one gets a sense of Indian mythology in which yoga was nurtured over thousands of years. This book aims to present those stories in a systematic way, so that readers can not only enjoy the stories, but also appreciate the underlying philosophy. *** This book uses various yoga postures as inspiration to leap into the world of Hindu mythology, with occasional detours into Jain and Buddhist mythology. These three mythologies that emerged from the Indian subcontinent are all based on the concept of rebirth, and all three of them value yoga as a technology that prepares the body to realize its highest physical, psychological, emotional, intellectual, mystical, and occult potential. Introduction
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