101 Yoga Asana Symbols: The Spiritual Meaning Of Asana Revealed
Explore 101 yoga asana symbols and uncover the hidden language of yoga.
Help your students connect deeply by understanding the spiritual meaning behind each asana.
After reading this post, you will be more aware of the yoga symbolism (spiritual meaning of asana) that you can weave into a yoga class theme and turn an average class into a memorable one. And if you’re a yoga student, you’ll gain an appreciation of spiritual meaning of poses.
It’s probably a good idea if I give you an example on how to use one of the 101 asana symbols within a yoga class theme.
So, let’s reveal the spiritual meaning of Savasana and turn it into a yoga class theme.
The Spiritual Meaning Of Savasana
A spiritual meaning for Savasana could be..
Comfortable With Being You
Below is yoga lesson plan I created using that as the class theme.
Look through the hidden meaning of yoga poses (within this post) and use the theme below as a template (yoga teaching aid) for creating your own.
Yoga Class Theme: Comfortable With Being You
Focus Pose: Savasana
Theme Overview: This class invites students to explore the “art of being comfortable with yourself”. Through the focus on Savasana, students will connect with the deeper aspects of self-acceptance, releasing the need to strive and embracing the present moment as it is.
Introduction: Begin the class with a short discussion or reading on the importance of self-acceptance and the power of being comfortable in your own skin. Share how Savasana symbolises surrender and trust, creating a safe space to let go of judgment and embrace authenticity.
Lesson Plan:
- Gentle Warm-Up: Start with grounding poses like Child’s Pose (Balasana) and Cat Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana) to ease into the body.
- Flow Sequence: Incorporate slow, mindful movements, such as Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) and Tree Pose (Vrksasana), encouraging students to feel grounded and centered.
- Restorative Poses: Transition into poses like Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) to prepare the body for stillness.
- Guided Savasana: Close the class with an extended Savasana, guiding students to focus on their breath (by using one of the Blissful Breathing Cards), let go of expectations, and rest in the comfort of being themselves.
Closing Words: End with an affirmation such as, “I am enough, just as I am,” and encourage students to carry this sense of acceptance off the mat and into their daily lives.
This theme gently reinforces the idea that self-acceptance is a gift we give ourselves, and through the simplicity of Savasana, we can reconnect with the truth of who we are.
If you want to turn this “Comfortable With Being You” theme into a yoga lesson plan with yoga stick figures, you can save time by using my Online Yoga Lesson Planner.
Here are the top ten reasons to weave asana symbolism into a yoga class, to help reveal the spiritual meaning (hidden language) of a pose.
10 Reasons To Weave Asana Symbolism Into A Yoga Class Theme
Below are 10 reasons to weave asana symbolism (spiritual meaning of asana) into a yoga class theme:
Reason 1: Depth & Insight
Symbolism brings new depth and insight into the minds of your students.
Reason 2: Layers Of Meaning
With symbolism you can discover layers of meaning and make connections that change lives.
Reason 3: Explore Mythological Meaning
With symbolism you can explore the mythological meaning of postures.
Reason 4: Reveal Hidden Language
With symbolism you can reveal a hidden yoga language to your students.
Reason 5: Reveal Rich Purpose
With symbolism you can reveal a richer purpose than making your body feel good.
Reason 6: Subtle Body
With symbolism you can stretch beyond the physical and delve into the subtle body. The subtle body in yoga refers to the non-physical, energetic layer of our being, encompassing aspects like prana (life force), chakras (take a peek at my Chakra Chair Yoga Card Deck), and nadis (energy channels), which influence our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Reason 7: Deeper Mind Practice
With symbolism you can take your student’s yoga practice deeper, not in the body, but in the mind.
Reason 8: Deeper Asanas Awareness
With symbolism you can teach a new, deeper awareness of asanas.
Reason 9: Messages & Secrets
With symbolism your student’s can become aware of the messages and secrets that are locked in their bodies.
Reason 10: Asana & Philosophy
With symbolism you can weave together asana practice and philosophy without scaring off your students.
The Spiritual Meaning Of Popular Asanas
Below are popular asanas with their hidden language (spiritual meaning) revealed.
The Spiritual Meaning Of Savasana
Savasana Symbolism
- Acceptance: Embracing all aspects of ourselves and our journey.
- Balance: Restoring equilibrium between body, mind, and spirit.
- Bliss: Experiencing pure joy and contentment.
- Clarity: Gaining insight and understanding.
- Comfortable with Being You: Embracing your true self without judgment.
- Connection to Universe: Feeling a connection to universal energy.
- Detachment: Releasing attachment to worldly concerns.
- Ego Dissolution: Letting go of the ego and its limitations.
- Gratitude: Acknowledging and appreciating the practice and its effects.
- Grounding: Reconnecting with the earth and stabilising energy.
- Healing: Facilitating physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.
- Holistic Rest: A complete rest that rejuvenates the body, mind, and spirit.
- Inner Silence: Embracing the profound silence within.
- Integration: Absorbing the benefits of the practice.
- Letting Go: Surrendering all tension and stress.
- Moving to the Subtle Body: Connecting with the deeper layers of our being.
- Objectivity: Observing our thoughts and emotions without attachment.
- Peacefulness: Cultivating inner peace and tranquility.
- Presence: Being fully present in the moment.
- Rebirth: Emerging from Savasana with renewed energy and clarity.
- Reconnection: Reconnecting with the breath and the life force.
- Reflection: Time for introspection and self-awareness.
- Renewal: Refreshing the mind and body.
- Re-creation of Self: A fresh start, akin to being reborn.
- Restoration: Replenishing energy and vitality.
- Simplicity: Embracing the essence of being without complexity.
- Stillness: Finding calm in both body and mind.
- Surrender: Yielding to the present moment without resistance.
- Transcending Duality: Moving beyond good/bad and right/wrong.
- Unity: Experiencing oneness with all life.
The Spiritual Meaning Of Downward Facing Dog
Downward Facing Dog Symbolism
- Alertness: Keeps you engaged and present, like a vigilant dog.
- Assistance: Downward Dog supports you like a helpful companion.
- Balance: Promotes harmony and poise, akin to a dog’s stance.
- Boundless Energy: Channels vitality and endurance, echoing a dog’s enthusiasm.
- Constant Companion: A loyal presence, steady in every yoga practice.
- Deep Connection with the Earth: Grounded, like a dog’s bond with the earth.
- Friendship: Fosters self-companionship, mirroring human-dog friendships.
- Fun: Brings playful energy, echoing a dog’s joyful nature.
- Guidance: Leads you through practice, steady like a guide dog.
- Grounding: Connects you firmly to the earth, as a dog is naturally grounded.
- Healing: Restores and soothes, similar to a dog’s calming presence.
- Instinct: Invites intuitive movement, mirroring a dog’s natural instincts.
- Intelligence: Simplicity reflects a dog’s natural wisdom.
- Joy: Cultivates happiness, like the joy a dog radiates.
- Letting Go: Releases tension, as a dog shakes off burdens.
- Loyalty: Represents dedication to your yoga journey.
- Obedience: Reflects discipline and commitment to your practice.
- Patience: Builds endurance, much like a patient dog’s calmness.
- Peaked Sensory Perception: Enhances body awareness, like a dog’s sharp senses.
- Protector: Offers stability and protection, much like a guardian dog.
- Protection: Creates a safe space, akin to a protective dog.
- Resourcefulness: Encourages adaptability, just as a dog thrives in any setting.
- Service: Reflects service to your well-being, like a service dog’s dedication.
- Stability: Enhances steadiness, both physically and mentally.
- Support: Provides comfort and support, echoing a dog’s companionship.
- Trust: Builds confidence, like the trust between a dog and its human.
- Unconditional Love: Fosters self-compassion, much like a dog’s unconditional love.
- Unity: Unites body, mind, and earth, reflecting a dog’s harmonious existence.
- Vitality: Invigorates your practice with the energy of a playful dog.
Your Dog Could Be The Supreme God
The Mahabharata epic tells the tale of King Yudhisthira, years after the Battle of Kurukshetra, making a pilgrimage to his final resting place. He travels with his family and loyal dog. A family member dies on the journey but his dog remains close by his side.
When, finally, Yudhisthira reaches the gates of paradise he is welcomed with open arms due to the good he has done during his life.
But there is a twist in the tale when the guardian at the gate informs him his dog is not permitted to enter. Yudhisthira is dismayed that his loyal and noble dog is forbidden entry into heaven, so he decides not to enter into paradise and stay with his furry companion on earth. With that choice, he may have to go to hell, but he reasons that is a better place than a paradise that doesn’t recognise the nobility of his dog.
However, instead of roasting in hell, the guardian at the gate then says something like:
“Only joshing with you King Yudhisthira; this was the last test of your nobility and you’ve passed with flying colours, your dog is most welcome to enter paradise with you.”
In a few versions of this most ancient of doggy tales, the dog is then revealed to be Vishnu, who has been watching Yudhisthira all his life. So, who knows, your doggy pal just may be the Supreme God, Vishnu.
This could be a humorous yoga class theme called: Your Dog Could Be The Supreme God.
The Spiritual Meaning of Easy Pose
Easy Pose Asana Symbols
Easy Pose Symbolism
- Auspiciousness (future success)
- Favoured by fortune
- Good omen
- Non-physical aspect of life
- Opportunities
- Sacredness
- Stillness
- Transcending material world
- Wellbeing
The Spiritual Meaning Of Standing Forward Bend
Standing Forward Bend Symbolism
- Commitment
- Foregoing the lower for a higher cause
- Heart over mind
- Letting go of dogmas
- Letting go of limiting belief systems
- Letting go of limitations
- Letting go of fears
- Releasing
- Surrendering to the now
- Surrender ego
- Total dedication to a higher aim
The Spiritual Meaning Of Lotus Pose
Lotus Pose Symbolism
- Lotus flower is in the mud but not muddy itself
- Lotus flowers open to light and close to darkness
- Symbol of transcending limitations
- Not giving up
- Not blaming circumstances
- Not getting disturbed by inner conflicts
- Not being influenced by the demands of the ego
- Transcending the kleshas (mental states that cloud the mind)
The Spiritual Meaning Of Mountain Pose
Mountain Pose Symbolism
- Bringer of awareness and meaning to your actions
- Bringer of Balance
- Hope and fearlessness
- The human desire to expand to reach to heavens
- Openness and readiness to accept the blessing from above
- Patience (standing still before a sequence requires patience)
The Spiritual Meaning Of Shoulderstand
Shoulderstand Symbolism
- Ailments cure-all
- Am I capable of shouldering responsibility?
- Chakra stimulator
- Common cold eradicator
- Concentration enhancer
- Confidence generator
- Headache disappearing act
- Luxury spa for lymph nodes
- Luxury spa for the thyroid gland
- Mother of asanas
- Nerves soother
- New life
- Peaceful sleep
- Reverse the action of something
- Self-inquiry (Swadhyaya)
- Social duties
- Transform shortness of temper to longness of peace
- Extending yourself in new ways
- Initiating a new way of being
- New experiences
- New influences
- A new way of being
- Open-mindedness
- Reversal of perspective
- Transformation in your life
- Transformation in your values
- Transformation in your beliefs
- Upside down
The Spiritual Meaning Of Triangle Pose
Triangle Pose Symbolism
- Connecting with earth and reaching heaven
- Connecting material with spiritual
- Looking from a different perspective
- Opening up (chest opens, and so does your perspective)
- Relationship between three people (e.g. you, husband, sibling)
- Relationship between three things (e.g. you, tree, oxygen released from the tree)
The Spiritual Meaning Of Tree Pose
Tree Pose Symbolism
- Association with Buddha (became enlightened under a tree)
- Balance
- Centred
- Environmental consciousness
- Fruition
- Giver of fruits
- Giver of life (gives us Oxygen)
- Giver of shade (protection)
- Flexibility without discrimination
- Protector of the environment (sucks up CO2)
- Readiness to yield
- Seeds
- Stability
- The ultimate potential that lies within us all
The Spiritual Meaning Of Plough Pose
Plough Pose Symbolism
- As we sow, so we reap
- Brings awareness of the fruits to be gained from hard work
- Brings awareness of hard work for social purposes
- Change is often hard and requires long-term effort
- Courage to dig (work) for what you want
- Daunting tasks are untilled, tough soil, which must be worked
- Dedication towards action (karma yoga)
- Do you have a fertile imagination where ideas can sprout?
- Enrich the land (body) for creativity and reaping the crop
- Hard work
- Harness leverage (e.g. plough) to get where you want to go
- Long term vision
- Looking beyond the craving for instant enlightenment
- Looking beyond the craving for Instant transformation
- Looking beyond the “quick fix”
- Mentally flexible
- Meditation can be the plough that unearths your inner peace
- No one can do the work for you
- Plough your own field (don’t steal)
- Readiness to undergo tapas (effort to achieve self-realisation)
- Responsibility
- Synthesis of action and knowledge
- What opportunities could sprout from this work?
- Unearth your potential
The Spiritual Meaning Of Seated Twist Pose
Seated Twist Symbolism
- Expand the field of our perception
- Going beyond limitations
- Cope and handle adversity
- Flexibility
- Stretching your horizons
- Twist yourself to extend your capacities
Hey, if you’re into your chakras, here is the hidden language of the seven chakras.
Hidden Language Of The Chakras
Chakra Symbols
Here is the hidden language of the chakras. Each of the hidden meanings can be turned into a memorable yoga class theme.
Muladhara (Root) Symbolism
- Four petals
- Home
- One
- Red
- Roots
- Safety
Svadisthana (Sacral) Symbolism
- Addiction
- Crescent moon
- Enthusiasm
- Family
- Intimacy
- Lotus
- Pleasure
- Procreation
- Relationships
- Reproduction
- Softness
- Two
Manipura (Solar Plexus) Symbolism
- Complexity
- Digestive system
- Energy
- Expansiveness
- Growth
- Metabolic system
- Personal power
- Yellow
- Three
Anahata (Heart) Symbolism
- Bridging power below and creativity above
- Compassion
- Complexity
- Complex emotions
- Digestive system
- Disease fighter
- Endocrine system
- Energy
- Equilibrium
- Expansiveness
- Green
- Growth
- Hexagram
- Immune system
- Metabolic system
- Pink
- T cell maturation
- Tenderness
- Three
- Thymus
- Triangles
- Unconditional love
- Union of the male and female
Vishuddhi (Throat) Symbolism
- Blue
- Creativity
- Communication
- Growth through expression
- Five
- Speaking your truth
- Thyroid
Ajna (Third Eye) Symbolism
- All-knowing
- All-seeing
- Clarity
- Connection with universe
- Deep Blue
- Envisioning
- Knowledge
- Indigo
- Intuition
- Pineal gland
- Six
- Third Eye
- Trusting inner guidance
- Violet
Sahasraha (Crown) Symbolism
- 1000 petalled lotus
- Awakening
- Four petals
- Bodhicitta
- Enlightenment
- Inner wisdom
- Liberation
- Pure consciousness
- Samadhi
- Seven
- Universal consciousness
- Violet
- White
If you like chakras and chair yoga, you’ll love my Chakra Chair Yoga Card Deck.
5-Step Formula For Weaving The Spiritual Meaning Of An Asana Into A Yoga Class
Below is my five step formula for weaving symbolism (spiritual meaning of an asana) into a yoga class theme.
Step 1: Share A Word
Share a word or phrase you associate with the asana (see the Yoga Asana Symbols list above). For example, for Plough Pose you could choose:
“As we sow, so we reap.”
Step 2: Sit In Silence
Ask your students to sit in silence and see what pops up for that word or phrase. Ask your students to share with the class words or phrases they associate with the asana.
Step 3: Practice The Asana
Ask your students to practice the asana for 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 4: Ask A Question
When the time is up, ask your students to reflect further on the asana as a symbol by asking a question.
Here are some questions to get you started:
Corpse Pose Questions
“What needs letting go in my life?”
“Are you truly comfortable with being you?”
Easy Cross-Legged Pose Question
“What are you fortunate about in your life right now?”
Forward Bend Pose Questions
“What do you look forward to?”
“What do you need to let go of?”
Inversion Pose Questions
“What area of my life do I need to open my mind to?”
“What needs turning upside down in my life?”
Lotus Pose Questions
“Are you open to let light into your life right now?”
“What are you stuck in the mud with in your life?”
Mountain Pose Questions
“What big thing in my life needs awareness?”
“How can you stand firm instead of run away from the problem?”
“Am you ready to accept joy into your life?”
“What are you turning a mountain into a mole hill (e.g. under-estimating a problem)?”
“What are you turning a mole hill into a mountain (e.g. exaggerating a problem)?”
“Are you prepared to climb this mountain (challenge)?”
“Do you need to spend more time in nature?”
“Are you taking one step at a time or are your eyes/attention fixated on the summit?”
“Are you willing to embrace adventure and surrender to the unknown future?”
Plough Pose Questions
“What are you ploughing for?”
“What bumper crop would you like to plough into fruition?”
“What do you want to come to fruition in the future?”
“What idea needs to be planted and grown?”
Shoulderstand Pose Questions
“What needs your consideration?”
“What area of your body do you need to throw a new light on?”
“What limiting old patterns of behaviour need a new perspective?”
Tree Pose Questions
“Where are your roots?”
“What nourishes you?”
“What gives you life?”
“What seeds do you need to plant right now to help cultivate a happy family life?”
Triangle Pose Questions
“What would I benefit from opening up to?”
“How can I improve my relationship with the two most important people in my life?”
Twisting Pose Questions
“Where do I need to expand my perception?”
“Is there a way to go beyond the limits I perceive?”
“How can I stretch my horizons this week?”
Step 5: Reflect & Insights
Ask your students to practice the asana again, but this time reflect on one of the questions and catch any insights that pop up.
George’s Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed uncovering the spiritual meaning of asana and the chakras. Simply by knowing the symbolism hidden within an asana, you open up endless, creative, and memorable yoga class theme possibilities.
If you’re a yoga teacher or serious student, and want to save time creating yoga lesson plans, take a peek at my Online Yoga Lesson Planner.
