The Sanskrit word asana (AH-sah_nah) means a seat or a pose, which is why you sometimes hear the physical practice of yoga referred to as Yoga Asana. You also see and hear the word asana at the end of yoga pose names written in Sanskrit-for example, Dandasana (dan-DAH-sah-nah), which is also known as Staff Pose (danda means staff). Each asana invites you to take a specific "seat" in order to answer a question or solve a problem with your body: How does my breathing change from pose to pose? What can I learn about myself through movement and breath? What do I feel within my body in each asana? When you perform any asana, you take a particular seat of inquiry. Through the process, you learn about yourself. Your body becomes aware, articulate, and intelligent. Yoga Asana cultivates an intelligence of the body.

From Yoga 365, Daily Wisdom for Life, On and Off the Mat by Susanna Harwood Rubin