Meditative Asanas are the postures one assumes in order to sit or stand comfortably for extended durations, enabling one to concentrate and meditate without interference from muscle proprioceptors. The idea behind meditative Asanas is merely to position oneself in such a way so that one`s limbs cease to send stimuli to the mind, allowing the practitioner to concentrate on meditating.

Meditative postures
There are twelve meditative postures listed in various Hatha Yoga manuals, and variations on the same have been devised over the years, of which sixteen are known, resulting in a total of 28 meditative Asanas. Only 19 of these, however, can be considered real meditative Asanas, since the others are corrective or cultural. Some of these Asanas have a history that extends far before that of the inception of Hatha Yoga. Bhadrasana, Padmasana, Swastikasana, Simhasana, Gomukhasana and Muktasana have all been descrbed in the Yoga Yajnavalkya, a text compiled around 200 BCE. Indeed, meditative Asanas have been consistently mentioned in various Indian texts over the ages, including the Puranas, the Itihasas and the Vedas, and have formed the core around which a comprehensive physical culture of asana practice was developed.

Asanas classified as meditative are considered highly important in the canonical Yoga texts. For instance, The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (1400 AD) claims that Lord Shiva taught 84 Asanas, with four paramount amongst them: the Siddha, Padma, Simha and BhadrAsanas, and singles out Siddhasana as the `chief of all Asanas`. It attaches nearly as much importance to the latter three.

All the meditative Asanas are similar, and invariably involve keeping the neck and body erect to let the blood flow freely along the spine and to avoid pressure on the visceral organs. The legs are rooted to the ground to maintain a steady posture. Meditative Asanas are also performed with either of two gazes; the nasal gaze and the frontal gaze (focusing on the nose or directly in front.) and also involve the three Bandhas: the chin lock, abdominal compression and anal contraction. Some hand and finger symbolisms known as Mudras are also performed in some meditative Asanas.

Effects of Meditative Asanas
Meditative Asanas are devised essentially as aids in meditation and concentration. These Asanas are not generally expected to cure ailments, and do not have cultural or therapeutic qualities, although some do prove effective as exercises. The beginner should start practicing the meditative Asanas with basic crossed legs position for few minutes and then carefully learn advanced Asanas like the padmasana and siddhasana. The meditative Asanas offer absolute peace of mind and relaxation throughout the body if done regularly.

These Asanas are also characterized as the first accessory to the final goal of Yoga: Raja Yoga. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika also insists that the Asanas will not have any efficacy unless practiced regularly, and that reading treatises on them will not help the practitioner. Meditative Asanas are highly significant in the history of yoga, and are often the only Asanas described in the ancient texts, rendering them arguably canonical. Their devising and execution have remained unchanged over thousands of years, and postures like the Padmasana are viewed as quintessentially Indian meditative postures, inextricably associating them with Indian spiritualism. Ancient, yet still relevant, meditative Asanas are a pivotal part of Yoga practice and Indian culture.