Navasana
{{Short description|Sitting balancing yoga asana}}
File:Paripurna-Navasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
Navasana (Sanskrit: नावासन; IAST: nāvāsana), Naukasana, Boat Pose, or Paripurna Navasana ({{langx|sa|परिपूर्णनावासन}}; IAST: paripūrṇanāvāsana "Full Boat Pose") is a seated asana in modern yoga as exercise.{{cite web | url = http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/489 | title = Yoga Journal - Full Boat Pose | access-date = 2011-04-09}}
Etymology and origins
The name comes from the Sanskrit words परिपूर्ण paripurna meaning "full", नाव nava meaning "boat" and आसन asana meaning "posture" or "seat".{{cite book |author=Active Interest Media |title=Yoga Journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fekDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA51 |year=1996 |publisher=Active Interest Media |page=51 }}{{cite book |last=Sinha |first=S. C. |title=Dictionary of Philosophy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-zzRvh1fRzEC&pg=PA18 |year=1996 |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-81-7041-293-9 |page=18}}
The pose was illustrated in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi under the name Naukāsana, also meaning boat pose.{{cite book |last=Sjoman |first=Norman E. |author-link=Norman Sjoman |title=The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace |title-link=The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace |publisher=Abhinav Publications |year=1999 |orig-year=1996 |isbn=81-7017-389-2 |page=69}}
Description
To enter the pose from sitting, the knees are bent, and the body's weight is shifted back until the soles of the feet lift off the ground. In the pose, the body is balanced on the sitting bones, not leaning right back on to the tailbone. The spine is lengthened to broaden and lift the chest.{{cite web |last=Pizer |first=Ann |url=https://www.verywell.com/boat-pose-navasana-3567061 |title=How to Do Boat Pose (Navasana) in Yoga |website=Very Well Fit |date=19 July 2019}}
Preparatory poses for Navasana include the standing poses Utkatasana and Uttanasana, and the seated pose Dandasana.{{cite web |date=19 October 2021 |title=Boat Pose |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/full-boat-pose-2/ |access-date=3 September 2022 |website=Yoga Journal }}
Variations
Variations include the easier Ardha Navasana ({{langx|sa|अर्धनावासन}} "Half Boat Pose") with feet and body only half-raised.{{cite web | url=http://www.yogaartandscience.com/poses/corep/ardhanav/ardhanav.html | title=Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose) | access-date = 2011-04-09}} The more difficult Ubhaya Padangusthasana has both hands grasping the toes or feet.{{cite web |last1=Halweil |first1=Erika |title=Challenge Pose: Ubhaya Padangusthasana |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/strengthen-your-abdominals-as-you-move-step-by-step-into-ubhaya-padangusthasana |publisher=Yoga Journal |date=26 February 2018}}
File:Ardha-Navāsana.JPG|Ardha Navasana
File:Project Yoga Richmond 1 Ubhaya Padangusthasana.jpg|Ubhaya Padangusthasana,
holding toes or ankles
References
{{reflist|30em}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |last=Iyengar |first=B. K. S.|author-link=B. K. S. Iyengar |title=Illustrated Light On Yoga |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pbx5AAAACAAJ |date=2005 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-81-7223-606-9}}
- {{cite book |last=Saraswati |first=Swami Satyananda |author-link=Swami Satyananda Saraswati |title=Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YpR1QgAACAAJ |date=2003 |publisher=Nesma Books India |isbn=978-81-86336-14-4}}
{{Asana}}
{{Yoga as exercise}}
{{Hatha yoga}}