Static and Dynamic in §sanas

 

yoga has become popular through out the world and people tare taking interest in practicing various kinds of yogic techniques.

            §sanas have become favorite yogic techniques with almost all yoga practitioners.  However, there is no other technique so grossly misunderstood as that of §sana.

            §sanas are looked upon as yogic exercises without precisely understanding the meaning and the scope of the term exercise.  The word exercise is very loosely used by the common man.  This is the cause of confusion and has given rise to the controversy about the static and dynamic nature of the §sanas.  Some call §sanas static and others practise them in a dynamic way without the precise understanding of the words static and dynamic.

            The purpose of this presentation is to define the terms exercise, static and dynamic and apply them to the practice of §sana.

            The term ‘exercise’ scientifically defined means repeated movements of particular parts of the body.  There is no exercise without movement.  The basic principle in any exercise is movement.

The term §sana etymologically means sitting position which is devoid of movement of having very little movement.

The word static signifies absence of movement while the term dynamic invariably suggests movement.

Do §sanas involve movement?  Should we consider §sanas as exercise?  On the basis of the definitions of §sana and Exercise we have to consider them different.

The difference between §sanas and physical exercises may be stated as follows:

 

§sanas

1.  §sanas involve very little or no movement and are maintained for some time.

2.  §sanas consume minimum energy, the caloric requirement varying from 0.8 to 3 calories per minute.

3.  §sanas bring optimum tone in the muscles and affect the mind to become tranquil.

4.  §sanas can be advantageously practiced by old people and by heart patients.

5.  Practice of §sanas leads to freshness by removing physical lethargy.

6.  §sanas do not increase the muscle mass but improve the muscle tone and functioning of the vital organs by increasing the blood circulation in the abdominal organs.

7.  §sanas keep the spine flexible and joints supple.

8.  In §sanas the emphasis in on slow stretching which is static in nature.

9.  In adopting and maintaining the §sana there is a co-ordination between the nervous system and the muscular system through the tonic reflex system.

 

Physical Exercises

1.  Exercises involve repetitive movements.

2.  Exercises consume more energy the caloric requirement varying from 3 to 20 calories per minute.

3.  Exercises affect the body mainly and can lead to hypertone depending upon the intensity of exercise.

4.  Physical exercises are prohibited fro the heart patients and have limitations fro the elderly persons.

5.  Exercises lead to fatigue and may not be suitable for all persons.

6.  Physical exercises being of the nature of the contraction of the muscle increase the muscle mass.

7.  Exercises can bring the rigidity of the joints and in the spine.

8.  Exercises being of the nature of repetitive movements the stretch are seldom held.

9.  Exercises being jerky there is a tendency to force the body to certain extent.   There is a lack of reciprocation between the body and the brain.

 

The philosophy and physiology of §sana is different from that of physical exercises. 

The purpose of physical exercise is to cater to the needs of the body bringing physical fitness.  The channel through which this is attained is working with the muscles.  Physical exercises induce physiological changes such as increased respiration, increase in the heart rate and producing waste products by increasing of CO₂ content.  Intense exercise leads to fatigue.

The ultimate purpose of §sanas is to reduce the disturbances of the mind and bring sedative  effect in the individual.  According to pata_jali  they reduce the impurities of the body and mind.  He uses the word a<uddhi-k>aya.  This is attained by eliminating the neuromuscular imbalances called dvandas (tato dandv§nabhigh§ta#).

§sana is distinctly a sign of transcending the human consciousness.  The motionless position of the body imitates some other condition than human.  Man by definition is mobile, agitated, unrhythmic.  §sana puts and end to the mobility of the body by reducing the infinitely possible positions to a single posture.  Refusal to move in the §sana leads to series of refusals (controls) of every kind.  pata_jali gives two characteristics of §sana—stability and comfort (sthira-sukham-§sanam).  This definition of §sana gives us the idea of psychological nature of §sana.  The word stability conveys the condition of the body while comfort suggests the condition of the mind.  For the performance of §sanas no effort should be involved according to pata_jali (prayatna-<aithilya).  This is just the opposite of the theory of exercise.  In exercise you force while in §sanas you try to relax as much as possible.

Static means stable and dynamic means unstable.

The term dynamic comes from Physics and means producing energy.  We have the word dynamo which produces electric energy.

Sometimes exercises are classified as static and dynamic.  Physiologically they are described as Isometric and Isotonic respectively.

In Isometric exercises the length of the muscle does not change.  Weight lifting or pushing the hands against a wall are such examples.  In Isotonic exercises the muscles shorten  but the tension in he muscles remains the same.

Isometric exercises being of static nature devoid of movement, many-a-time, are confused with §sanas. The difference lies in expenditure of energy.  Isometric exercises impose a severe strain on the cardiovascular system and can increase the blood pressure to a very high level and therefore they are considered undesirable, particularly for the patients of cardiovascular diseases.  In §sanas much less energy is spent and therefore they do not bring strain on the cardiovascular system.  Isotonic exercises involve repetitive muscular movements like, jogging, running, swimming etc.  These exercises also consume more energy.

Static §sanas are those wherein a constant pattern of posture is maintained stably by the interaction of groups of muscles working more of less statically to stabilize the joints to preserve a state of equilibrium against gravity and other forces.  Meditative §sanas can be easily maintained in a semi-relaxed state because of the broad base afforded by the adjustment of the lower extremities.

Dynamic §sanas may be considered those in which the pattern of the posture is constantly modified and adjusted to meet the changing demands of movements.  The movements involved in these are slow and sustained which differ from the repetitive jerky movements of the dynamic exercises for Isometric type.  The basic pattern of neuromuscular condition of the body is changing slowly than the movement itself.

There are two types of muscle fibres, one ‘red’ and the other ‘white’.  Red fibres contain muscle hemoglobin which is rich source of energy.  White fibres lack such supplies for prolonged expenditure of energy and therefore the get fatigued easily.  They contract quickly, reach their highest tension in contraction more rapidly and also return to normal resting state rapidly.  In maintenance of posture mostly muscles involved consist of red fibres.  In the physical exercise the white fibres of the muscles are exercised.

The objective of yoga is ‘cittav&ttinirodha’, and the same is attempted through all the steps of yoga.  §sanas are no exception.  The relationship of the stability of §sana with the control of mental functions has been beautifully explained by brahm§nanda in yogaras§yana as follows:

“One who can be stable in the §sana is fit to undergo yogic practices.  With unstable body one cannot have a stable mind.  When §sana becomes stable, surely the mind too gains stability.  The movement of pr§;a indeed slows down.  The fickleness of the senses also are certainly set at rest.  Then only one gets established in yoga and therefore one should practise §sana.’

Thus §sana leads to stability of the body and mind which is yoga.

The principle of stability and comfort could be applied to all kinds of §sanas.  It suggests differential relaxation which involves relaxations of these muscles which do not actively participate in a particular §sana.  Similarly an attempt is made as far as possible to relax those muscles which are directly involved in particular §sanas.

Historically seen the number of §sanas was very small in ancient days.  More emphasis was laid on meditative §sanas which was the main purpose of §sanas.  But when it was observed that prolonged practice of §sana for meditation was not easy, probably the efforts were made to condition the body suitably by bending and stretching various muscles and organs in different directions.  The idea of removing all the possible hindrances in the prolong sitting was always the main consideration behind practicing various forms of §sanas.

As tejobindu-upani>ad says--

‘§sana is that in which one is able to contemplate on the Absolute Being (brahma) continuously over a longer time.  Otherwise it is no §sana which leads to discomfort.’

Thus its will be clear that the nature of §sana is STATIC in consideration of its technique and purpose.