Asante Asana - behind the name

The story behind the name is about the binding together of two simple phrases in two different languages, ‘Asante Sana’ and ‘Asana’ …

In the Swahili language, ‘Asante Sana’ is used to say ‘thank you very much’ to somebody. I learned this phrase on a trip to Kenya in 2018. Before going, I had been in touch with a school located in Kibera - one of the largest slums in the world based in Nairobi - and an orphanage based in the northern part of Nakuru, about how I could donate more than just funds but also time and skills to help the children living in these intolerable conditions. And so to invite more playfulness and creativity into their day, we agreed to host a yoga day for them. We linked yoga postures to different animals, tuned into the breath, created ‘gratitude webs’, strengthened friendships with some partner yoga, and so much more! One of the most inspiring takeaways was recognising the immense appreciation and gratitude these children had for the simpler things in life. It was then that the meaning behind this phrase ‘Asante Sana’ really took on a whole new level, to find something to be grateful for even when it feels like conditions aren’t ideal.

You see, I wasn’t much older than these children when I started yoga. I was 9 years old when I went to my first yoga class, and although at the time I probably related it more to a gymnastics or aerobics class, it planted a seed that would later sprout and grow when I needed it most. It was in my early 20’s when I was struggling with the stresses of final assignments at university and trying to figure out what to do next with my life, did I find my way back to yoga as a way to cope. It was something familiar that I had dabbled around with when I was younger and with that came a sense of safety with it. I knew that there was a great studio nearby where I was living in London that I could access and that it was both a physical and mental activity that required nothing but my commitment to showing up to proceed. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was thanks to that exposure I had as a young child that enabled me to later return when I needed it - and I couldn’t be more thankful! It was reigniting that practice that then led me to spend 7 wonderful years working for a top yoga studio and teacher training organisation in the UK, which exposed me to some of the world’s greatest yoga masters and further deepened my learning and practice.

‘Asana’ might be a word you are more familiar with - in Sanskrit it can be translated to ‘seat’ or ‘posture’. It is often referred to in yoga and becomes a staple for our understanding of finding Sthira and Sukha or ‘space’ and ‘steadiness’ in practice. Finding balance both on and off the mat is why yoga is more than just a physical ‘workout’ and more of a life system. Through the discipline of finding time to practice and commitment to showing up, contorting ourselves into all kinds of shapes, and keeping the mind focussed on the present moment and awareness of the breath, we are training ourselves to take these skills into our day-to-day.

And this is how Asante Asana was born -

A practice that is steeped in gratitude.

A seat you can come back to again and again, and only ever meet with thanks.

Thanks for showing up – because sometimes that’s the hardest part.

Thanks for finding the time, space, and courage to practice.

A reminder that ‘an attitude of gratitude’ can pave the way for more abundance and positivity in one’s life.