Yoga Poses Flashcards
Adho Mukha Svanasana
(Downward Facing Dog)
(AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna)
adho = downward
mukha = face
svana = dog
Uttanasana (Vijnana Manual)
or
Padangusthasana (Yoga Journal)
(Big Toe Pose)
Eka Pada Uttanasana (Vijnana manual)
Eka Pada (one foot)
Uttanasana (forward bend)
or
Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (Yoga Journal)
Urdhva = upward
Prasarita = stretched or extended
Eka = one
Padasana = foot pose
(standing split)
Ardha Matsyendrasana
(Half Lord of the Fishes)
(ARE-dah MOT-see-en-DRAHS-anna)
ardha = half
Matsyendra = king of the fish (matsya = fish
indra = ruler), a legendary teacher of yoga
Janu Sirsasana
(Head-to-Knee Forward Bend)
(JAH-new shear-SHAHS-anna)
janu = knee
sirsa = head
Virasana
(Hero Pose)
(veer-AHS-anna)
vira = man, hero, chief
Hanumanasana
(Monkey Pose)
(hah-new-mahn-AHS-anna)
“It was the greatest leap ever taken. The speed of Hanuman’s jump pulled blossoms and flowers into the air after him and they fell like little stars on the waving treetops. The animals on the beach had never seen such a thing; they cheered Hanuman, then the air burned from his passage, and red clouds flamed over the sky . . .” (Ramayana, retold by William Buck)
Pasasana
(Noose Pose)
(posh-AHS-anna)
pasa = a snare, trap, noose, tie, bond, cord, fetter
Agnistambhasana
(Fire Log Pose)
Dandasana
(Staff Pose)
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
(Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose)
parivrtta = revolved
janu = knee
sirsa = head
Sukhasana
(Easy Pose)
Bharadvajasana
(Bharadvaja’s Twist)
(bah-ROD-va-JAHS-anna),Bharadvaja = one of seven legendary seers, credited with composing the hymns collected in the Vedas
Baddha Konasana
(Bound Angle Pose)
(BAH-dah cone-AHS-anna)
baddha = bound
kona = angle
Gomukhasana
(Cow Face Pose)
(go-moo-KAHS-anna)
go = cow (Sanskrit go is a distant relative of the English word “cow”)
mukha = face
Paripurna Navasana
Full Boat Pose
(par-ee-POOR-nah nah-VAHS-anna)
paripurna = full, entire, complete
nava = boat
Krounchasana
(Heron Pose)
Vyasa, Patanjali’s oldest extant commentator, mentions this pose, though he doesn’t describe how to do it: “The curlew and other seats [asana] may be understood by actually seeing a curlew and the other animals seated” (Yoga Sutra 2.46).
Simhasana
Lion Pose
(sim-HAHS-anna)
simha = lion
Padmasana
Lotus Pose
(pod-MAHS-anna)
padma = lotus
Marichyasana I
Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi, I
Marichi is the great-grandfather of Manu (“man, thinking, intelligent”), the Vedic Adam, and the “father” of humanity.
(mar-ee-chee-AHS-anna)
Marichi = literally a ray of light.
Marichyasana III
Marichi’s Pose
(mar-ee-chee-AHS-anna)
Marichi = literally means a ray of light (of the sun or moon). Marichi is the son of Brahma and chief of the Maruts (“shining ones”), the war-like storm gods. He’s one of the seven (sometimes 10 or 12) seers (rishis) or lords of creation (prajapatis), who intuitively “see” and declare the divine law of the universe (dharma). Marichi is the great-grandfather of Manu (“man, thinking, intelligent”), the Vedic Adam and the “father” of humanity.
Upavistha Konasana
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend
(oo-pah-VEESH-tah cone-AHS-anna)
upavistha = seated, sitting
kona = angle
Utkatasana
Chair Pose
(OOT-kah-TAHS-anna)
utkata = powerful, fierce
- *Makarasana or**
- *Ardha Pincha Mayurasana**
Dolphin Pose
Garudasana
Eagle Pose
(gah-rue-DAHS-anna)
Garuda = the mythic “king of the birds,” the vehicle of Vishnu. The word is usually rendered into English as “eagle,” though according to one dictionary the name literally means “devourer,” because Garuda was originally identified with the “all-consuming fire of the sun’s rays.”
Utthita Hasta Padangustasana
Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Extended Side Angle Pose
It might be better, then, to think of Utthita Parsvakonasana as the “Extended Sides Angle Pose.”
(oo-TEE-tah parsh-vah-cone-AHS-anna)
utthita = extended
parsva = side, flank
kona = angle
Utthita Trikonasana
Extended Triangle Pose
(oo-TEE-tah trik-cone-AHS-anna)
utthita = extended
trikona = three angle or triangle
Malasana
Garland Pose
Parighasana
Gate Pose
(par-ee-GOSS-anna)
parigha = an iron bar or beam used for locking or shutting a gate
Ardha Chandrasana
Half Moon Pose
The moon has a rich symbolic significance in yoga mythology. In hatha yoga, for example, the sun and the moon represent the two polar energies of the human body. In fact, the word hatha itself is often divided into its two constituent syllables, “ha” and “tha”, which are then esoterically interpreted as signifying the solar and lunar energies respectively.
(are-dah chan-DRAHS-anna)
ardha = half
candra = glittering, shining, having the brilliancy or hue of light (said of the gods); usually translated as “moon”
(No agreed upon sanskrit name)
High Lunge
(No agreed upon sanskrit name)
High Lunge Variation
Parsvottanasana
Intense Side Stretch Pose
(parsh-voh-tahn-AHS-anna)
parsva = side, flank
ut = intense
tan = to stretch or extend (compare the Latin verb tendere, “to stretch or extend”)
Lord of the Dance Pose
Natarajasana
We’ll start with a modified version of the pose. The full pose will be described in the Variation section below.
(not-ah-raj-AHS-anna)
nata = actor, dancer, mime
raja = king
Low Lunge
Anjaneyasana
Mountain Pose
Tadasana
(tah-DAHS-anna)
tada = mountain
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
Revolved Side Angle Pose
(par-ee-vrt-tah parsh-vah-cone-AHS-anna) parivrtta = to turn around, revolve
parsva = side, flank
kona = angle
Revolved Triangle Pose
Parivrtta Trikonasana
(par-ee-vrit-tah trik-cone-AHS-anna)
parivrtta = to turn around, revolve
trikona = three angle or triangle
Ardha Uttanasana
Standing Half Forward Bend
(are-dah oot-tan-AHS-anna)
ardha = half
uttana = intense stretch
Tree Pose
Vrksasana
(vrik-SHAHS-anna)
vrksa = tree
Warrior I Pose
Virabhadrasana I
Virabhadra’s Pose is also known as the Warrior Pose (there are three variation of Warrior, of which this is customarily numbered I). It may seem strange to name a yoga pose after a warrior; after all, aren’t yogis known for their non-violent ways? But remember that one of the most revered of all the yoga texts, the Bhagavad-Gita, is the dialog between two famous and feared warriors, Krishna and Arjuna, set on a battlefield between two great armies spoiling for a fight.
What’s really being commemorated in this pose’s name, and held up as an ideal for all practitioners, is the “spiritual warrior,” who bravely does battle with the universal enemy, self-ignorance (avidya), the ultimate source of all our suffering.
Upward Salute
Urdhva Hastasana
(oord-vah hahs-TAHS-anna)
urdhva = raised (or upward)
hasta = hand
Warrior II Pose
Virabhadrasana II
(veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna)
Virabhadra = the name of a fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva, described as having a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet, wielding a thousand clubs, and wearing a tiger’s skin
Warrior III Pose
Virabhadrasana III
(veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna)
Virabhadra = the name of a fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva, described as having a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet; wielding a thousand clubs; and wearing a tiger’s skin.
Wide-Legged Forward Bend
Prasarita Padottanasana
(pra-sa-REE-tah pah-doh-tahn-AHS-anna)
prasarita = stretched out, expanded, spread, with outstretched limbs
pada = foot
ut = intense
tan = to stretch or extend (compare the Latin verb tendere, “to stretch or extend”)
Crane Pose
Bakasana
(bahk-AHS-anna)
baka = crane
Dolphin Plank Pose
no sanskrit equivilant
Feathered Peacock Pose
Pincha Mayurasana
(pin-cha my-your-AHS-anna) piñca = feather
mayura = peacock
Eight-Angle Pose
Astavakrasana
(ahsh-tah-vah-krahs-anna)
asta = eight
vakra = bent, curved
Four-Limbed Staff Pose
Chaturanga Dandasana
(chaht-tour-ANG-ah don-DAHS-anna)
chaturanga = four limbs (chatur = four
anga = limb)
danda = staff (refers to the spine, the central “staff” or support of the body)
Firefly Pose
Tittibhasana
Plank Pose
Uttihita Chaturanga Dandasana
Uttihita is the Sanskrit word for extended. Chaturanga means four-limbed. Dandasana means staff pose. What does a staff have to do with this posture? Some teachers use a staff as a reference tool for checking body alignment!
This pose is also known as Kumbhakasana. Apparently Kumbhak is the Sanskrit word for the natural retention of breath (roughly translated as “empty pot”). Some yoga practitioners believe that by exhaling all the breath and holding Plank Pose, the body and mind become stronger through building tolerance of the discomfort of not breathing.
Peacock Pose
Mayurasana
(my-yer-ahs-anna)
mayura = peacock
Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya I
Eka Pada Koundiyanasana I
Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya II
Eka Pada Koundiyanasana II
Shoulder-Pressing Pose
Bhujapidasana
Scale Pose
Tolasana
(toe-LAHS-anna)
tola = literally “poising one’s self”; usually rendered as “balance” or “scale”
Side Crane Pose
Parsva Bakasana
(arms straight = crane)
Side Plank Pose
Vasisthasana
The full version of Vasisthasana, as taught by BKS Iyengar, with the top leg raised perpendicular to the floor, is beyond the capacity of most beginners. The pose described here is a modified version suitable for all levels of students.
(vah-sish-TAHS-anna)
Vasistha = literally means “most excellent, best, richest.” Vasistha is the name of several well-known sages in the yoga tradition. There’s a Vasistha numbered among the seven (sometimes 10 or 12) seers (rishis) or lords of creation (prajapatis), and a Vasistha who’s author of a number of Vedic hymns. He’s also said to be the owner of the fabulous “cow of plenty,” Nandini (“delight”), which grants his every wish and accounts for his infinite wealth.
Upward Plank Pose
Purvottanasana
Wild Thing
Camatkarasana
“the ecstatic unfolding of the enraptured heart”
Cat Pose
Marjaryasana
Marjari = cat
Happy Baby Pose
Ananda Balasana
Side-Reclining Leg Lift
Anantasana
Bow Pose
Dhanurasana
This pose is so called because it looks like an archer’s bow, the torso and legs representing the body of the bow, and the arms the string.
(don-your-AHS-anna)
dhanu = bow
Bridge Pose
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
(SET-too BAHN-dah)
setu = dam, dike, or bridge
bandha = lock
Camel Pose
Ustrasana
(oosh-TRAHS-anna)
ustra = camel
Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana
(boo-jang-GAHS-anna)
bhujanga = serpent, snake
Cow Pose
Bitilasana
Fish Pose
Matsyasana
Traditionally Fish Pose is performed with the legs in Padmasana. Since Padmasana is beyond the capacity of most beginning students, here we’ll work either with the knees bent, feet on the floor, or with the legs straight pressed against the floor.
(mot-see-AHS-anna)
matsya = fish
Half Frog Pose
Ardha Bhekasana
King Pigeon Pose
Kapotasana
Locust Pose
Salabhasana
Grouped among the so-called “baby backbends,” which includes Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) and Sea Monster Pose (described in the Variations section below), it is an unassuming pose that, like other seemingly simple poses, is actually a lot more interesting and challenging than it appears at first glance.
(sha-la-BAHS-anna)
salabha = grasshopper, locust
One-Legged King Pigeon Pose
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
The full pose, which is suitable for intermediate students, will be described in the Full Pose section below. First we’ll practice the leg position only, which should be accessible to most experienced beginners.
(aa-KAH pah-DAH rah-JAH-cop-poh-TAHS-anna)
eka = one
pada = foot or leg
raja = king
kapota = pigeon or dove
One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II
(A-kah pah-dah rah-jah-kah-poh-tahs-anna)
eka = one
pada = foot
raja = king
kapota = pigeon (or dove)
Sphinx Pose
Salamba Bhujangasana
salamba = supported, bhujang = serpent, asana = pose
Upward Bow or Wheel Pose
Urdhva Dhanurasana
(OORD-vah don-your-AHS-anna)
urdhva = upward
dhanu = bow
Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose
Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana
Upward-Facing Dog
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
(OORD-vah MOO-kah shvon-AHS-anna)
urdhva mukha = face upward (urdhva = upward
mukha = face)
svana = dog
Child’s Pose
Balasana
(bah-LAHS-anna)
bala = child
Extended Puppy Pose
Uttana Shishosana
Seated Forward Bend
Paschimottanasana
(POSH-ee-moh-tan-AHS-anna)
paschimottana = intense stretch of the west (pashima = west
uttana = intense stretch)
Handstand
Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Like its inverted cousins such as Forearm Balance and Headstand, a major obstacle to Handstand is a natural fear of falling. So the basic pose will be described with the heels supported against a wall. Make sure that there are no hanging pictures or other decorations on the wall directly above you.
(ah-doh moo-kah vriks-SHAHS-anna) adho mukha = face
downward (adho = downward; mukha = face)
vrksa = tree
Plow Pose
Halasana
(hah-LAHS-anna)
hala = plow
Supported Headstand
Salamba Sirsasana
(sah-LOM-bah shear-SHAHS-anna)
salamba = with support (sa = with
alamba = support)
sirsa = head
Supported Shoulderstand
Salamba Sarvangasana
(sah-LOM-bah sar-van-GAHS-anna)
salamba = with support (sa = with
alamba = support)
sarva = all
anga = limb. There are variations of Shoulderstand that are “unsupported” = niralamba, pronounced near-ah-LOM-bah)
Corpse Pose
Savasana
(shah-VAHS-anna)
sava = corpse
This pose is also called Mrtasana (pronounced mrit-TAHS-anna, mrta = death)
Reclining Big Toe Pose
Supta Padangusthasana
(soup-TAH pod-ang-goosh-TAHS-anna)
supta = lying down, reclining
pada = foot
angusta = big toe
Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
Viparita Karani
(vip-par-ee-tah car-AHN-ee)
viparita = turned around, reversed, inverted
karani = doing, making, action
Reclining Bound Angle Pose
Supta Baddha Konasana
(SOUP-tah BAH-dah cone-NAHS-anna) supta = lying down, reclining baddha = bound kona = angle
Reclining Hero Pose
Supta Virasana
(soup-tah veer-AHS-anna)
supta = lying down, reclining
vira = man, hero, chief (compare Latin vir, “man,” the root of English words virile and virtue)
Eka Pada Salabhasana
one leg locust
Eka Pada Bakasana I
one leg crane
Purna Salabhasana
full locust
Tiriang Mukhottanasana
Reverse Face Intense Stretch
Supta Hasta Padangusthasana A
Reclining Arm to Big Toe Pose
Viparita Salabhasana
Reverse Locust Pose
Arda Vrschikasana I
Half Scorpion
Vrschikasana II
Scorpion
Marichyasana B
supta paschimotasana
Reclined Westward Pose
urdhva mukha paschimotasana
Upward Facing Westward
salamba eka pada rajakapotasana
Supported Pigeon
urdhva virabhadrasana II
Upward Dancing Warrior
Parsva Ushtrasana
Side Camel
Ganda Bherundasana (prep)
Side of Face, Bird
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
Revolved head knee
Parsva Sirsasana
Side Head Posture
Uttana Padasana
Intense Stretch Leg Pose
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana
half bound lotus intense stretch
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana
half bound lotus western intense stretch
Ardha Padma Prapadasana or
Padangusthasana or
Samatvamasana
Half Lotus Tip Toe or
Big Toe Pose
- *Ashtanga Namaskara** or
- *Astangasana**
8 Limb Pose
Kukkutasana
Cock Pose
Eka Pada Sirsasana
One Leg Headstand
Parivrtta Eka Pada Sirsasana
Revolved One Leg Headstand
Urdvha Padmasana in Sirsasana
raised lotus, headstand
Parsva Urdhva Padmasana in Sirsasana
sideward raised lotus, head
Pindasana in Sirsasana
embryo headstand
Sirsa Padasana (prep)
Head to Foot Pose
Padangustha Dhanurasana III
big toe bow
Sasangasana
Hare Pose
Ganda Bherundasana variation
Utthita Vayu Muktasana
Parivrtta Uttkatasana
Revolved Side Angle Pose
Baddha Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
bound revolved side angle
Kurmasana
Tortoise Pose
Supta Hasta Padangusthasana C
Reclined Big Toe Hand Pose
Marichyasana C
Eka Pada Bakasana II
One Foot Crane Pose
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana Prep
Mermaid
Eka Hasta Mayurasana
One Arm Peacock Pose
Urdhva Dandasana
Karna Pidasana
Ear Pressure Pose
