Why Does Repetition of Asanas Matter?

Repetition brings out the magic, they say, and it is the best way to learn any skill—it transforms short-term memory into long-term memory. Memory is not a function of the mind, but of the body itself. It is embedded in the seven constituents called sapta dhātus in Ayurveda: plasma, blood, muscles, fat, bone, marrow with nervous tissue, and semen/ovum. These constituents are the product of the food we eat. It is by the power of food that we grow, sustain ourselves, and remember.

Each constituent provides vital functions. Plasma transports nutrients, blood transports oxygen, muscles provide strength and movement, fat provides insulation and lubrication, bone provides structure, marrow and nerves support and nourish the bones and nervous system, and semen/ovum provides vitality and nourishment to all constituents. With consistent repetition, well-nourished sapta dhātus become a repository of memory. They embed it.

Regular, timed repetition brings the best results and embeds memory deep into the sapta dhātus. The adhesive between memory and the seven constituents is prāṇa—life air, vitality. Prāṇa is an all-pervasive energy that brings the sense of I-ness into the existence of a being. When prāṇa is moved into a repetitive act, it craves it greatly when the act is skipped. Therefore, memory is essentially a bodily reflex. The more you train, the less you think of your next action. It comes spontaneously from the body's seven constituents.

Memory is consciousness. Mind is not consciousness. Mind is future thought, imagination, always striving for something new. Consciousness is past thought, memory. If I say "white horse", you will immediately recollect it from memory, because consciousness is about experience. Anything seen or experienced before can be recollected. If I say "my mother", you will be mostly clueless about her appearance unless you know my beloved mother. Something entrenched in memory is recollected with relative ease, unlike things only imagined in the mind.

anubhūta-viṣaya-asaṃpramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ

Memory is the retention of the experience of an object.

Yoga Sūtra 1.11

Therefore, repetitive practice of an act, such as a yoga pose, brings control over the mind and consciousness. That is exactly the aim of āsana practice. The sapta dhātus are the repository of the mind and consciousness. With consistent breathing and a fixed count of breaths in āsana, cleansing of the body-mind entity begins, and the constriction of consciousness unfolds. It is here that the sense of duality vanishes.

tataḥ dvandva-anabhighātaḥ

From that, one is not troubled by duality.

Yoga Sūtra 2.48

Repetition allows you to dig deeper into the subconscious. Through repetition, one discovers layers of different personalities built by karma—ancient residues still lingering. By repeating the āsana in synchrony with yogic ujjāyī breathing (throaty breathing that creates distinct "saa" and "haa" sounds at the base of the throat), one penetrates deeply into the sapta dhātus and cleanses them through sound vibration and a flood of prāṇa. That brings glow and stillness to the personality. The ujjāyī breathing carves another identity that is devoid of falls identification with the body. In it, the practitioner realises the eternal nature of the Self.

abhyāsa-vairāgyābhyāṃ tat-nirodhaḥ

By both practice and dispassion that (the flow of consciousness) is contained.

Yoga Sūtra 1.12

tatra sthitau yatnaḥ abhyāsaḥ

Practice is the effort to remain there, in stillness.

Yoga Sūtra 1.13

saḥ tu dīrgha-kāla-nairantarya-satkāra-ādarā-āsevitaḥ dṛḍha-bhūmiḥ

This stage (stillness) is solid when there is no interruption and is done with a reverence and enthusiasm over a longer time period.

Yoga Sūtra 1.14

This stage (stillness) is solid when there is no interruption and is done with reverence and enthusiasm over a longer time period.

The above three verses map the process. Repetition of āsanas brings familiarity, and that familiarity serves as a springboard for learning new āsanas.

In traditional yoga practice, repetition is considered sacred because it redirects the flow of consciousness from the outside to the inside, leading to a state of stillness. Consciousness ever absorbed in the impermanent world and worldly affairs is incapable of knowing the Self of All (Ātman).

Repetition of āsanas can be done by repeating the pose two or three times and repeating the sequences given by the guru regularly.

Repetition moulds the brain and shapes thoughts and skills. It is the highway to mastery of āsanas.

Repetition of āsanas is a remedy that cures diseases, illnesses, and ignorance in the form of bad thoughts. It is through repetition alone, coupled with synchronised breathing, that divinity arises in us.

Oṃ Tat Sat