Dandasana
In Sanskrit, Danda means "staff" or "stick" and Asana means "pose" or "seat." This Asana translates to Staff Pose.
This Asana is referred to as Dandasana because a staff resembles the spine and the path of the energy of Self Awakening. In India a staff is carried by those who have achieved the title of Swami Danda.
This Asana requires the practitioner to keep there awareness on the body in order to hold the pose correctly, allowing the practitioner to become mindful on the practice being preformed. This pose encourages correct posture, which supports the flow of Prana meaning "life force energy" throughout the body.
While preforming this pose the torso is up right and in proper alignment while the shoulders are back and down. This opens the chest and allows for deeper breathing which calms the nervous system. This pose prepares the mind and body for other seated poses, making this a good preparatory pose.
Practice
Sit on the mat with the legs outstretch in front of you and the feet together.
Shift your weight to the left and move the flesh of the right buttock to the right side, do the same with the left buttock. (This will allow the sit bones to contact the mat.)
Pivot the hips forward, roll the shoulders back and down and keep the toes pointing upward.
Place the left hand next to the left hip and the right hand next to the right hip.
The six cleansing actions are intended to be the start of a Yoga practice in order to clean, strengthen, remove toxins and improve the flow of Prana through out the practitioner.
Yoga poses help to elongate and strengthen the muscles of the body as well as to calm the mind for the deeper spiritual practices of Yoga.
Breathing exercises are a great practice to remove carbon dioxide, increase lung capacity as well as being a good preparatory practice for the deepest spiritual practice of Yoga, Meditation.
The four body locks that makes up this practice give the practitioner the ability to hold or lock Prana in certain locations of the body. These practices also allow the practitioner to release blockages that may be holding the practitioner back.
The gestures in this practice include the whole body and are intended to awaken Prana, Chakras as well as Kundalini energy within the practitioner.
Meditation is the highest spiritual practice of Yoga which is why this practice is the most difficult practice to preform, but with correct knowledge and dedication, can be the most profound practice of Yoga.