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Asana is a Sanskrit word that literally means a seat but in the practise of yoga refers to a pose or posture. In Patanjali's yoga sutras Asana means, mainly, sitting for meditation.
Asana is the third rung in the ladder of the practice of Yoga. If the Yamas and Niyamas are the foundation of Yoga, Asana may be regarded as its threshold.
According to yoga practicioners, when this bodily control is achieved, they are free from what they call the 'pairs of opposites', such as heat and cold, hunger and thirst, joy and grief, and so on.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika By Swami Svatmarama (External link) suggests the following "sitting for meditation asanas". Other translations of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika have more to say about the sitting asanas, albeit cryptically.
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Svastikasana: "Sitting straight on level ground, squeeze both feet between calves and thighs [of the opposite legs]. This is svastikasana."
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Virasana: "Place one foot upon the other thigh and the other foot below the opposite thigh. This is virasana."
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Siddhasana: "Press one heel into the place below the sex organs [the perineum] and put the other heel just above this region [close to the abdomen]. Press the chin upon the chest, sit up straight, with controlled organs, and fasten the eyes between the eyebrows. This is siddhasana, whereby all obstacles on the path to perfection are removed"
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Vajrasana: "Place the right heel above the sex organ and the left heel over the right. This too is siddhasana."
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Padmasana: "Place the right heel upon the base of the left thigh and the left upon the right thigh. Cross the arms behind the back and grasp the toes, the right ones with the right hand and the left with the left. Press the chin on the breast and look at the tip of your nose. This is called padmasana and cures all diseases."
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Yogaasana can be relaxing, gentle, athletic and invigorating.