Well over halfway through the class, and savasana has been done. The second half of postures are all done on the mat, and between the postures the stillness comes from a minisavasana followed by rounded spine sit-ups. The postures of the Floor Series are divided into three groups: back poses, kneeling poses, and the closing series.
These postures are mostly older - majority mentioned in historic yogic texts. Some are referenced in the Gheranda Samhita from the 1700s, and a few are from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which was written in the 1500s. The way the postures are done, their alignment, and even the names evolve over the centuries but there are recognisable elements.
Asanat
Savasana
2x Pavanamuktasana / Wind Removing
2x Bhujangasana / Cobra
2x Shalabhasana / Locus
2x Purna Shalabhasana / Full Locus
2x Dhanurasana / Floor Bow
2x Vajrasana / Fixed Firm
2x Ardha Kurmasana / Half Tortoise
2x Ushtrasana / Camel
2x Shashangasana / Rabbit
2 x Janushirasana / Head to knee
2x Paschimottanasana / Stretching
2x Ardha Matsyendrasana / Spine Twist
Savasana
Ardha Matsyendrasana
The last asana has been mentioned as early as 1500s and carries an interesting name.
Ardha = ”Half” or ”Partial”
Matsya = ”Fish”
Indra = “King or King of the Gods”
Asana = ”Pose” or ”Posture”
The story of Matsyendranath dates back to around the 9th century. One version on the legend tells that he was born under unlucky stars so his parents threw him into the sea. A fish swallowed the baby, and he grew up inside it for many years. At the bottom of the sea, Shiva was teaching his wife the secrets of yoga, and the fish happened to swim by. Thus, Matsyendra learned yoga by practicing inside the belly of the fish. He eventually became enlightened and turned into a Siddha. That’s why he was given the name "Lord of the Fishes."
It ihas also been said that the entire spinal twist in the last posture symbolizes perfect control of the body, much like how fish move gracefully with the flow of water.
Next part of this series has more about savasana, those rolling sit-ups and the breathing exercises we do in this class.
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