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Energy and Symmetry in Language and Yoga
- Leonardo
- The MIT Press
- Volume 41, Number 4, August 2008
- pp. 332-338
- Article
- Additional Information
The structures of syllables and of yoga poses are compared. Syllables are tripartite, with sound segments rising in sonority (acoustic energy) to a peak, then falling. Likewise, asanas are tripartite, with symmetrical movements flanking the sustaining, vital energy peak. In both entities, then, symmetric structure flanks energy peaks. This organization is not a physical necessity, but a cognitive preference.