yoga – 5 ASANAS with inner meaning

Let's see some very interesting yoga exercises!

To get in touch with our inner world and the dialect of yoga, maybe all we need is to relax our rhythms. To discover the meaning of asanas – as mudras, meaning sacred symbols – as postures that symbolize and communicate a fundamental meaning, we must begin to unravel what is hidden behind the apparent postures, and generally our body and mental impressions.

In other words, an intuitive approach is necessary to see Hatha comprehensively, because yoga aims to offer us knowledge about our relationship with ourselves, with others, with the environment and life around us and by extension our culture and the universal harmony of all cultures and all mythologies and archetypes.

By indulging in symbolic values and inner meanings is essentially recognizing the Sacred in ourselves and the world.

Revelation is about our essential nature, and our true selves.

Just as we have an inner life, so do the asanas with their inner symbolism. We are symbols that move from one point of view and are constantly communicating with our environment on many levels.

Yoga is a training in seeing the world whole, as One, in an ethereal field where body, mind and speech are connected. Exploring the multiple levels of consciousness makes yoga an unforgettable journey because it touches us in all aspects. This is how we affirm harmony with all life and build a relationship with the self evolving to ever higher levels.

When we practice intuition, we have the ability to know what is true and what is not for ourselves. Through this process we build a relationship of trust with ourselves and our intuition.

Eventually we will be able to be the teacher and the student ourselves. We will be able to guide ourselves as his mentor.

Utkatasana

1. Garudasana the Eagle: realization

This asana brings awareness which is the goal of yoga.

All awareness is about bringing the focus of our attention to where it will help us understand something personally.

When we are not sure about something and can get confused and not see the true value of a matter that troubles us, we have the ability to use the clairvoyance of the Eagle. Using his ability to focus as far or as close as he wishes, this asana will give us the ability to be able to see our relationship with any subject from a distance.

implementation

1. From the Utkatasana, starting by shifting your weight onto the left leg.
2. Bend the right leg, lift the foot off the floor and bring the right thigh over your left.
3. Hook the right leg around the left calf.
4. Bring the arms out in front.
5. Cross the left arm over the right and bring your palms together.
6. Raise the elbows keeping the shoulders low on the back.
7. Hold for 5-10 breaths.
8. Repeat on the other side.

Beginners: If you have trouble with balance, lean your back against a wall. If you can't bring the raised leg down and around the calf, put an aid under the leg instead.

Advanced: Lean into a forward bend, bringing the elbows in front of the knees. Bring the thumbs to your third eye.

Benefits: It strengthens the legs, improves balance, stretches the shoulders.

2. Bhujangasana (the Cobra): selection

When we recognize some flows in practice, we begin to become cognizant of how they play with dynamics in other aspects. With knowledge comes choice. Do I want to stay in this situation? Do I want to continue with this thought, or can I let the thought go, and by doing so, the associated tension in my body also go? Consider the paradoxical nature of the serpent – how in its silent approach it can represent either wisdom or temptation. By doing the Cobra you are examining a present situation, first with the eyes of discernment then observing the temptations. What is the response to your body, mind and emotions?

implementation

1. From the lying on the front of the body position knees, chest, and chin, release the tops of the feet from the floor and stretch them back and down.
2. Lift your chest up by holding your palms together and pushing with your hands just below the shoulders.
3. Roll your shoulders back and lift your chest, keeping your ribs low to the floor.
4. Keep your neck relaxed, don't bend it back.

Beginners: Binding the legs and pressing them down, will help you bring your chest higher.

Advanced: Keeping the chest up, lift the palms off the floor. Or keep the palms on the floor and begin to straighten the arms for a stronger backbend.

Benefits: It strengthens the back muscles and makes the spine more flexible.

3. Halasana (the Plow): action

We cannot live without acting. Of necessity, we must also sacrifice other life to sustain our own life. How do we act then? When you perform the Plow ask yourself: What actions should I take? What work is before me right now? What attitude can I take in this situation?

implementation

1. Place a folded blanket under the shoulders. The head and neck it must be above the cover.
2. Lie on your back on the floor.
3. Using the abdominal muscles, lift the legs over the head until your toes touch the floor behind the head.
4. Interlace your fingers on the floor below your back and straighten them.
5. Roll the shoulders one by one until they line up.
6. The hips should be aligned under the shoulders.
7. To come out, unfold slowly, one vertebra at a time, keeping the legs straight and together.

Beginners: If your toes don't reach the floor behind your head, practice near a wall so your feet touch the wall when you bring them back.

Benefits: Stretches the shoulders and spine.

4. Vrksasana (the tree): loyalty

Dedication can be present in any of these asanas, depending on our placement and awareness. Devotion is simple and requires few words. We have to give up and do everything we do as special offer, with respect, to the source of life. When you stand in the Tree you realize the Namaste gesture – the divine in me greets the divine in you. Can you feel the divine element? Can you extend what you feel to others?

implementation

1. Stand in tadasana.
2. Feel your weight equally on all four corners of both feet.
3. Begin to shift the weight to the right leg, lifting the left leg off the floor.
4. Bend the left knee, bringing the sole of the left foot up onto the inner right thigh.
5. Press the leg into the thigh and the thigh back into the leg.
6. Try not to lean the right thigh out.
7. Focus on something that isn't moving to help you keep your balance.
8. Repeat the movement standing on the left leg.

Beginners: If you cannot bring the left leg – high inside the right thigh, bring it lower on the right leg – but be careful to avoid the left leg directly on the right knee. Use the wall for balance if necessary.

Advanced:: Bring the arms up towards the ceiling with the palms about. Open the arms out to the side. Try the eyes and see if you can stay balanced.

Benefits: It strengthens the legs and improves balance.

5. Paschimottasana (forward bend): join

How do we unite earth and sky, body and mind? We can observe the duality of higher and lower, left and right in our bodies, and see how asanas bring these dualities into union. When you do the forward bend, the movement is toward the superior-inferior junction. Ask yourself: How can my two selves come together? Who are these two selves?

implementation

1. Stretch the legs straight out in front while sitting and raise your arms out to the sides and above the head.
2. Inhale and stretch the spine upwards.
3. Slowly lean forward, hinging at the hips.
4. On each inhalation, extend the spine a little, and on each exhalation come a little deeper into the forward bend.
5. Keep the neck in natural extension of the spine.
6. Do not round the back.
7. Grab the ankles or any part of the legs you can reach with your hands.

Beginners: Sit on a bolstered mattress if necessary. Imagine the belly coming to rest on your thighs, rather than your nose coming to the knees — this will help keep the spine straight.

Advanced:: If you can easily grab the soles of your feet, try a block in front of the feet and this instead.

Benefits: Stretches and unblocks the spine