Talk:Asana

Wiki Project Yoga

Editors with an interest in working collaboratively to improve the encyclopedic quality of Yoga-related articles are encouraged to visit a new project to achieve this at WP:WikiProject_Yoga. Please let us know you're interested, and in what way: we look forward to discussing thing with you there, Trev M ~  01:15, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Mithun Dutta says kama sutras is also a form of yoga when it comes to procreation and expressing love. Hence yoga is the only way one can attain the wisdom by practicing yoga. --Yoga Mat (talk) 20:13, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

External Review Comments

Hello, Asana article writers and editors. This article currently a priority article for the Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Medicine/Google Project. The goal of this project to is provide a useful list of suggested revisions to help promote the expansion and improvement of this article.

BSW-RMH (talk) 04:26, 28 July 2010 (UTC)

Introduction

The first paragraph of the introduction is a good overview of the article. I recommend moving the second and third paragraphs to the section entitled “Third of the eight limbs”, and renaming this section “Terminology”.

BSW-RMH (talk) 04:26, 28 July 2010 (UTC)

Y Suggestions implemented BSW-RMH (talk) 13:45, 14 August 2010 (UTC)

Third of the eight limbs

Renaming this section “Terminology” would allow discussion of the definition and origin of the word “asana”, and its position of third of the eight limbs. This title also is more inclusive of the definitions of the other limbs that are included in this section.

BSW-RMH (talk) 04:26, 28 July 2010 (UTC)

Y Suggestion implemented BSW-RMH (talk) 13:46, 14 August 2010 (UTC)

Common practices

A reference is needed for the list of common practices. The last three points do not seem to fit in the list. If authors feel there is a debate in the field about practicing yoga during menstruation, this should be discussed separately and be well-referenced. Otherwise this should be removed. Also, yoga practice on mats may be common in yoga classes, especially in the USA, but is this common practice in the rest of the world, particularly India? I personally do not know and it would be good for other editors to weigh in a reach a consensus on whether this is a ‘common practice’. Finally, the admonition to not ‘go for a sleep’ seems humorous, but out of place in a Wikipedia article.

Suggested references for the rest of the common practices:

• B.K.S. Iyengar. Light on Yoga: The Bible of Modern Yoga. Schocken; Revised edition (January 3, 1995) ISBN 0805210318
• T. K. V. Desikachar. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice. Inner Traditions; Revised edition (March 1, 1999) ISBN 089281764X

The discussion of pranayama is a bit technical for a lay reader. A more practical description of breathing practices would be beneficial here.

BSW-RMH (talk) 04:26, 28 July 2010 (UTC)

Y Suggestions implemented. Breathing practices section still needs a rewrite. BSW-RMH (talk) 13:56, 14 August 2010 (UTC)

Benefits of practice

This sections required citations throughout. When claiming health benefits, they must be verifiable with medical evidence. Anecdotal evidence and unverified claims of health benefits should not be included. I recommend removing unverifiable claims and modifying the claims of health benefits as follows:

Original benefits list (with comments):

• muscle flexibility (flexibility involves more than just muscles, ref added below)
• tendon strength (overall body strength, ref added below)
• stamina (did not find support for this)
• better functioning of respiratory system (Asthma and COPD, see below)
• empirical evidence suggests it helps control blood pressure and other issues related to the functioning of the circulatory system (hypertension, see below)
• improvement in health problems related to stress (refs added, see below)
• It can aid in the improvement of concentration with school, in the workforce, and everyday activities.(did not find evidence for this)
• Can help with dieting and losing weight (refs below)

New benefits list (with references):

• improved flexibility (Ross 2010, Hayes 2010)
• improved strength (Ross 2010, Hayes 2010)
• improved balance (Ross 2010, Hayes 2010)
• reduced stress and anxiety (Ross 2010, Hayes 2010)
• reduced symptoms of lower back pain (Ross 2010, Hayes 2010)
• beneficial for asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Hayes 2010, Ross 2010)
• increased energy/decreased fatigue (Ross 2010, Hayes 2010)
• shortens labor and improves birth outcomes (Hayes 2010)
• improved physical and quality of life measure sin the elderly (Hayes 2010)
• improved diabetes management (Alexander 2008)
• reduced sleep disturbances (Ross 2010, Gooneratne 2008)
• reduced hypertension (Silverberg 1990, Labarthe 2002)

References:

• Hayes M, Chase S. Prescribing yoga. Prim Care. 2010 Mar;37(1):31-47. PMID: 20188996
• Ross A, Thomas S. The health benefits of yoga and exercise: a review of comparison studies. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Jan;16(1):3-12. PMID: 20105062
• Alexander GK, Taylor AG, Innes KE, Kulbok P, Selfe TK. Contextualizing the effects of yoga therapy on diabetes management: a review of the social determinants of physical activity. Fam Community Health. 2008 Jul-Sep;31(3):228-39. PMID 18552604
• Gooneratne NS. Complementary and alternative medicine for sleep disturbances in older adults. Clin Geriatr Med. 2008 Feb;24(1):121-38, viii. PMID: 18035236
• Silverberg DS. Non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension. J Hypertens Suppl. 1990 Sep;8(4):S21-6. PMID: 2258779
• Labarthe D, Ayala C. Nondrug interventions in hypertension prevention and control. Cardiol Clin. 2002 May;20(2):249-63. PMID: 12119799

BSW-RMH (talk) 04:26, 28 July 2010 (UTC)

Y Suggestions implemented BSW-RMH (talk) 14:10, 14 August 2010 (UTC)

Variety of positions & Asana Database

These two sections could be combined an retitled “Numbers of positions”. Thus the discussion on the possible numbers of positions, in the historical and legal contexts, fit into this section. This section also needs copyediting.

BSW-RMH (talk) 04:26, 28 July 2010 (UTC)

Y Suggestions implemented. Citations added. Figures updated to 2010. BSW-RMH (talk) 14:45, 14 August 2010 (UTC)

Requested move

The following discussion is an archived discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: page moved.  Ronhjones  ^(Talk) 00:16, 13 August 2010 (UTC)

---

Asana (yoga) → Asana — Restore this article to Asana as the WP:PRIMARYTOPIC. JaGa^talk 11:20, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

Agree that Yoga Asana is clearly the primary topic, and that other uses should be qualified rather than this one. Trev M  ~  23:20, 4 August 2010 (UTC)

I agree it should be restored. It is the primary (and only current Asana article on Wikipedia, unless I am missing something). A disambiguation page is not needed and confusing to readers trying to find this article. BSW-RMH (talk) 01:32, 7 August 2010 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

the 900 asanas

I searched the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library and there are no matches for asanas, or postures, or yoga. Where can I find the 900 asanas? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.161.194.103 (talk) 02:30, 30 September 2010 (UTC)