Yog Shunyata

On this auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, my morning was filled with the powerful stories of Shiva and Shakti. One that stayed with me was the origin of Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose).
​Born from Shiva’s matted locks in a moment of profound grief and provocation, the fierce warrior Virabhadra was created to avenge Sati after she sacrificed her physical body in the Yog Agni. He represents the strength and intensity born from the deepest devotion.

​To me, practicing this asana is a tribute to that strength—the ability to stand firm even amidst chaos. My practice is still a work in progress, but the journey is where the growth happens.
​Swipe to see B.K.S. Iyengar’s legendary ex*****on of the same pose.
​Mahashivratri ki shubhkamnaye!
Om Namah Shivaya! 🔱

Rope sirsasana is part of yog kurunta- a method where asanas are performed with the help of wall mounted ropes.
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A few years back during a yoga workshop the teacher showed us these images of ancient yogis practicing sirsasana or tapakara pose (as mentioned in the book Roots of Yoga by James Mallinson and Mark Singleton). Since then I have been trying to locate the original books in which these were printed and have not been successful so far. I know that the second image was originally in the book Asana and Mudra written in( around) 19th century.
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The teacher at the workshop told us how yogis have been practicing these so called 'variations' for centuries which now have taken a different look. Many thanks goes to legendary practitioner and teacher B.K.S Iyengar for bringing this ancient knowledge to the common practice by introducing wall ropes.
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What are the benefits, you ask? Try it out to experience them.
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Keep practicing 🤸🏼‍♀️

"Action is movement with intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What the world needs is more conscious action": BKS Iyengar
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A few weeks of practice for some and a few days of practice for some- awareness of the body is coming in. It's not about creating the ability it's about realising the ability of the body. Just standing up tall and right happens with awareness. How much trouble WE create for ourselves by our bad-posture. Can we not avoid that?

The after pictures here are not perfect but they are a step towards improvement.

Keep practicing 🤸🏼‍♀️

In the Mahabharata, Bhishma Pitamaha lay mortally wounded on a bed of arrows (Shara Shayya). With the boon of Ichhamrityu (self-willed death), he chose to transcend his physical suffering, waiting for the auspicious Uttarayana to impart the Vishnu Sahasranama and find salvation.

This legendary resilience is captured in Bhishmasana. A powerful heart-opener and stress-reliever, this asana symbolizes finding a state of rest and contemplation even amidst life’s "arrows."

Interestingly, you won’t find this pose in any ancient/traditional textbook. It was developed by B.K.S. Iyengar, translating ancient wisdom into a therapeutic physical practice.

Because of its precision and depth, this asana can only be truly learned through a teacher. I am deeply grateful to mine for guiding me through this rare practice and teaching me the art of stillness. 🙏

GuruShishya HeartOpening AncientWisdom YogaJourney

Parivritta Trikonasana Asana or Revolved One Legged Headstand.
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Twisting action in an inverted body has immense benefits for the abdominal region. Due to the asymmetrical nature of the asana balance becomes an important aspect managed through breath and concentration or one pointed focus (in lay-man's term )
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For beginners, what helps in balancing here is understanding weight distribution managed through 'drishti' 'vision' . Where you look also affects where and how the weight is distributed and with practice you can break that connection and manage this with just awareness.
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"Thought is a superstition. Reason is an irrational idea. The primitivechildish notion that we are able to think has been mankind's coolest error" Ayan Rand

Off late there has been a discovery in my practice initiated by my teachers and polished by my practice - that the less I think of 'me doing the asana/ the practice', the better aligned my body is in any asana- better aligned my asana is lesser my struggle is to hold the asana- lesser struggle more I am at ease in the asana- more I am at ease quieter my mind. I don't think I can explain this through words only if you practice- can you experience this beautiful phenomenon. We as practitioners talk about 'sthira sukham asanam' but it's absolutely another thing to experience it.

Most people attend yoga classes to move, stretch, or sweat — but at Yog Shunyata, we go beyond that.
Our focus is on building a strong foundation — learning the why behind every asana, understanding the body’s alignment, and discovering how the mind and body influence each other. You’ll begin to see how awareness in the body can quiet the mind, and how balance on the mat can mirror balance in life.

These sessions help you:
✨ Build a solid foundation in yoga
✨ Understand and correct your alignment
✨ Gain confidence to practice safely — even without a teacher
✨ Prevent injuries and manage long-term aches and pains

This is yoga for those who seek depth, not just sweat.
Join us to rediscover the discipline and quiet beauty of an authentic practice.

New batches starting soon.

📍 Thane | Small group classes | Personalised guidance

Two major movements are extension of the hamstring of the lifted leg and internal rotation on the thigh of the bent leg.

1) picture one is where the lifted leg is able to straighten out when I held at the ankle
2) picture two is where the lifted leg struggled to straighten - this is when I was holding at the foot.

Have you figured out why this could be? The body is an interesting subject. Isn't it?

BKS Iyengar talks about how these poses help in maintaining the health of the abdominal organs which we "abuse by conforming to social etiquette".