AthaYoga with Muskan

What all this symbol represents?

the sun सूर्यThe warm half of hatha,the 'ha'. It sits aboveeverything else in the markbindu बिन्दुThe dot of thechandrabindu. In manyIndian traditions thebindu is the seed fromwhich every form unfolds.the headheld quietlyupright, restinggently on the spine.the spine मेरुदण्डThis stalk is the merudanda,the spine. The leaf's longtip carries it up towardthe crown.rootsIt is also a root,reaching down into the groundwe sit on, so the figure growsout of where it rests.the peepal leaf अश्वत्थThe tree the Buddha satbeneath. In the Gita,Krishna says that amongtrees he is the ashvattha.bodyThe leaf is also yourtorso: broad at the hips,narrowing toward the crown.a flame दीपकThe flame of a diya -the Bhagavad-Gita likensa settled mind to a lampin a windless place,which does not flicker.the nadis नाड़ीThe veins are the nadis, thechannels the breath & bloodmove through.prana प्राणBreath, moving from thecentre out to the veryedges of the body.the moon चन्द्रमाThe crescent is chandrama,the cool half of hatha, thetha, held beneath the sun.crossed legs सुखासनFolded in sukhasana, theposture of relaxation,for meditation andpranayama.the earth पृथ्वीAnd the ground itself,the earth we sit on,which holds everythingabove it.a person in meditation ध्यानPut together, the marks are aperson sitting in meditation: ahead, a spine, a body, crossedlegs.the candrabindu अँThe moon symbol with a dot,written above a letter so the soundrings on through the nose.It sits at the top of ॐ, too:the crescent and the dotabove the sound of everything.

From the head

the sun सूर्य

The warm half of hatha, the 'ha'. It sits above everything else in the mark

bindu बिन्दु

The dot of the chandrabindu. In many Indian traditions the bindu is the seed from which every form unfolds.

the head

held quietly upright, resting gently on the spine.

From the stalk

the spine मेरुदण्ड

This stalk is the merudanda, the spine. The leaf's long tip carries it up toward the crown.

roots

It is also a root, reaching down into the ground we sit on, so the figure grows out of where it rests.

From the leaf

the peepal leaf अश्वत्थ

The tree the Buddha sat beneath. In the Gita, Krishna says that among trees he is the ashvattha.

body

The leaf is also your torso: broad at the hips, narrowing toward the crown.

a flame दीपक

The flame of a diya - the Bhagavad-Gita likens a settled mind to a lamp in a windless place, which does not flicker.

From the veins

the nadis नाड़ी

The veins are the nadis, the channels the breath & blood move through.

prana प्राण

Breath, moving from the centre out to the very edges of the body.

From the curve

the moon चन्द्रमा

The crescent is chandrama, the cool half of hatha, the tha, held beneath the sun.

crossed legs सुखासन

Folded in sukhasana, the posture of relaxation, for meditation and pranayama.

the earth पृथ्वी

And the ground itself, the earth we sit on, which holds everything above it.

All of it together

a person in meditation ध्यान

Put together, the marks are a person sitting in meditation: a head, a spine, a body, crossed legs.

the candrabindu अँ

The moon symbol with a dot, written above a letter so the sound rings on through the nose. It sits at the top of ॐ, too: the crescent and the dot above the sound of everything.