Āsanas aren’t just the advanced poses you see on Instagram. They are postures that are meant to condition the body so that it becomes a cleansed vessel for the spirit. Through movement our bodies become connected with our minds and eventually our divine selves. A large component of yogāsanas is the prāṇāyāma or rhythmic breathing which is essential in alleviating stress.  In scientific terms, when we suffer from chronic stress our autonomic nervous system, which consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic functions, goes awry.