What Asana mean?

 Asana in Sanskrit means “static position of the body" or also "comfortable position for the body".
At this point I ask you: do you see any connection between what is usually proposed and the original meaning of Asana? If the answer is no, it means that what is required to do is not a Yoga practice..... and then the results that are expected wont be the same! So why teachers call something else Asana? Because they rely on the fact that the participants don't know much about it and therefore they “sell” something different from what it should be.

Asana, as static position, what does it mean? It means to wisely move the body until it reaches a certain position, that is able to stimulate some physical mechanisms as well vital energy energy and character; in order to obtain positive results, it must be given time to all the various mechanisms, to let them have the chance to be influenced and absorb the positive influence that is given in that moment. So it is essential that the body must be stopped, still, to give the right time to the body to work deeply and to benefit to the positive related effects.
Asana, as comfortable position, represent a position in which the body does not create any hassle during the process of the pose: otherwise it would become a source of fight between benefits and pain, a condition that is not harmonic at all! Harmony, as we previously said, is one of the fundamental goals of the system. Asana, the position in which the body is brought to remain still, is neither easy nor difficult, it must be just gradual; step by step the body will improve and acquire features that are not appropriate to deal by forcing methods.

What Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga mean?

Ha and Tha are two Sanskrit words that mean the Sun and the Moon and represent the two polarities, positive and negative. 

This name aims to underline the importance that should be given to the balance, that is that state of union that brings to the harmony of the opposites, as we said previously , that means the elimination of conflict of any kind.
Raja, also from Sanskrit, means Royal. This name emphasizes the importance of these systems and therefore it was given the name of the highest existing office at that time, the king.
Both systems are indivisible to each other (just as like the other systems that later had been called Karma, Jnana, Mantra, Kundalini, etc.).

Unfortunately, the passing of time has done nothing more than producing subdivisions and make the system less effective because it has been fragmented: the proposals more and more had to move away from its original set. So Yoga was linked to cults and religions, philosophies, lifestyles, traditions, ..... until today, when it is reduced to a semi-acrobatic gymnastics or a kind of stretching or a prenatal method.
The resume of the effective techniques from ancient systems is not evil: it can be useful, but they are not what Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga are, i.e. methods for improvement and evolution of body and inner growth, inseparably together.
Therefore it is essential to remember that the methods for Yoga have their beginning with the use of the body through exercises called Asana, which must be applied simultaneously with all the inner mechanisms that make up the complex machine that is the human being .

Do you know What Asana is? Some guidances in the next Post.

How to get to the Yoga state?

In their researches, the Rishis realized (and we can now realize the same, if we take a chance) that thought is highly elusive (an equal basis are the other sides as psychological, emotional, temperamental, etc.). Try to close your eyes and stand still for 10 minutes and see how many things, mostly unsolicited, crop in your mind. 

Since it is so difficult to manage these mechanisms (because evanescent), the Rishis initially thought of using the body as a vehicle to promote the use of mental processes. We are inside our body but it is the mind that dominates all mechanisms: i.e. using the body as the most concrete and helpful instrument available to get up to the internal mechanisms, some of them very subtle. Body and mind influence each other (nowadays the human being is defined as entirely psychosomatic). The Rishis began to "manage" the body in very specific and refined ways for accustoming – at the same time - the mind to to be managed in a more “easy” position. So it came to the fact that the increased management condition brought to the possibility to put all the inside-outside components in a balanced cooperation, from the gross to the subtle ones and producing that the entire system could acquire insurmountable states of equilibrium and harmony. The body, studied and trained in these ways, become healthy and free from unnatural conditions, conflicts and negative emotional states become overcome, the inner wellbeing is ongoing, vital energy circulate better, the conscious state reaches the highest levels, the mind becomes quiet, the spirit enters into states of higher consciousness.
These management methods (RAM, Rishi Ancient Methods for Yoga) over time have been divided into Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga, so also spreading to other countries , each culture took a small part in local traditions and introduced it giving some other names such as Vipassana , Thai Chi Chuan , Buddhism , Zen, etc. .
Now wee would like to see: What the Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga are? See you at the next Post!

So... what is Yoga?

The original practices for acquiring the Yoga state were developed thousands of years ago by the Rishis, the ancient wise men studying the human nature, who lived in the Indus Valley and who devoted their entire existence to the practical research of how to reach their maximum balance and consciousness. 

They found out various mechanisms and obtained important results; as they became able to expand their consciousness, they understood the mechanisms related to the Existence itself. All of may sound weird and impossible at a first glance, but the state of union, which was developed by the Rishis at the highest level, can bring to Awareness beyond the imaginable, till up to the highest levels.
Therefore, the Yoga state, namely union , conjunction and subjugation, may be the most important and decisive factor for our existence: it is the most complete path to gain physical and inner improvement, the best to feel good, as well as allowing us to put ourselves in tune with the whys of life.
 

Please follow me in the next post for some hints on: How to get the Yoga state?

What is an harmonious and balanced state?

Could it be, then, that the states of non-wellbeing - that means the feeling when there is something disturbing (which does not necessarily mean to feel really bad), or having too often the feeling that there is something going wrong (while what is going well seems pretty rare), depend on the world around us?
If we look closely we will see that it depends on our physical and inner situations. Depends on the fact that we lack of balance and harmony, so, in parallel, the body and our inner being are in a disturbed state.

Let me give you an example (perhaps excessive): imagine to have a 100% state of harmony; is there any space for discordant situations? It's impossible to go beyond 100%! I mean that if we are filled with harmony, anything outside us would not be able to damage us.
Many of you might say: I feel in harmony but it happens so many times that I lose this situation! It takes you some time to elaborate on the following concept: try to avoid prepackaged mental mechanisms. So.... if discordant states appear, it means that we do not have 100% of harmony; in proportion as these take place we have a proportional amount of discordant inner conditions.

Someone else might say now: you make it easy, nobody can have 100% of harmony! This is a fairly popular belief, an idea taken for granted, but I'm not sure it's the truth! If I have now 20% of harmony, then I can reach 30%, then 40% and so on. So I mean that - without discussing on the 100%, which I only used as an example - there are possibilities to improve ourselves, it is demonstrable and if you use them you can move forward.... without a doubt!

If you are not able to ride a horse, it doesn't mean that you'll never be a good horseman; if you are not able to play the piano, you can always learn how to do it.... I can do thousand examples, just do not doubt about what is possible.
Life is a progression of experiences in which you acquire more and more skills. Though it seems strange that we do not spend time learning how to be more in harmony in our life.... 

Trying to resume what has been said so far (although it is difficult here have the chance of answering to any question or be completely clear for everyone....) in the next post we will talk about: so, what is Yoga?

Why Yoga also means "subjugation"?

In modern languages we would say that the word "subjugation" means "a state in which something becomes used to be managed". Therefore the ancient methods for reaching the Yoga state are finely processed in the view that all our components (physical, mental, character, psychological, emotional, conscious and unconscious , energetic and all subtle means) could be put, in any proposed exercises, in action at the same time, so that all of them are used in synchrony. What happens afterwards? That, by this wise manner, all the components blend together, since they are put in action at the same time; all our components are trained to work together at the same level, creating the conditions to form harmonic states. How could be possible to have dis-harmonic states if we get used to "manage" all our components in parallel to each other?

It would be like saying that a centipede has been used to move his feet each on its own, everything seems difficult for him, he gets angry and nervous, unable to go anywhere, finalizing quite nothing... When patiently he begins to manage his feet moving synchronously, one after the other, all begins to work at the best. It happens the same in a business company... if the owner says to do something, the director does something else and finally each employee does what he wants, this company will risk the bankrupt; but if among all the components there is harmony of purposes, there is a good team and that will bring the company to be successful.
This happens for any condition in ourselves and in our lives. Therefore it is necessary to take care of ourselves globally speaking, learning to manage all harmoniously!
 

As a result of "union, conjunction and subjugation" we could move to speak a few words on: What is a harmonious and balanced state? In the next post we will introduce you our opinion about!

Why Yoga is a state of "conjunction” ?

Thanks to the Yoga practice, gradually we will feel more united with what surrounds us; this condition creates harmony within ourselves, representing a non-conflict situation.
A few examples: it may happen to have disagreements with various people, often we think that it's their fault, but maybe also the other party thinks that the fault is ours. 

Achieving this interior state called "conjunction", we won't only think from our point of view and, also, don't let us go to reactions that come automatically.

Although it might seem strange, the state of conjunction allows us to better understand each other and therefore do not blame ourselves or other people (even in this case the reaction of conflict does not bring any kind of benefit, only makes us feeling badly). Someone will say: but then, I'll do whatever the others want? No, certainly not, we will follow our own choices as we want, acting more harmoniously.... without repressing, without striving, without undergoing ....

And so, by gradual steps, we will naturally get the harmony (in conjunction) with everything is around us, even with the Creation and what is Beyond.
The state of Yoga is, in fact, a augmentative becoming of interior and exterior harmonic states.
But how could be done practically ? In the next post you'll find: Why Yoga also means "subjugation" ?

What is this state of "union" for?

The state of "union" is explainable as a state of non-separation ... obvious and logical, isn't it? It's a state that the ancient methods of Yoga permit to achieve.
We will make an example - choosing among the so many factors on which the state of union is effective: the relation between the state of the conscious mind and that of the unconscious mind. Our unconscious is often called a mischievous little boy who behaves as he wants, escaping to our management. So often it happens that unconscious and conscious point in different directions, creating a state of disharmony in the person, which is also called conflict.
 

Some examples: I'm going to an exam, I know the subject quite well, but anyway my unconscious makes me have fear that sometimes could undermine what I know; or I find a streak on the bodywork of my car and I immediately know - consciously – that there is anything I can do, but my subconscious gives me uncontrollable anger and frustration which, by the way, I consciously know that are useless and make me feel bad (maybe you are asking yourself: is my unconscious working against me? Because it is not acting productively!); or I see from far away my girlfriend coming along with another guy: suddenly I feel a wave of jealousy within me, although I know consciously that she is really in love with me (and by the way I consciously know that if she had chosen another guy I could not do anything about it... but in any case my subconscious makes me sick!), or I get angry when a person makes a comment negative on my dress, when I consciously recognize that the other person may just have a different taste. And so there are a thousand examples that occur in our everyday life....

Too often we are accustomed to think that anger is dependent on external factors, but we do not think that largely depends on a conflict (state of no-union, which represents a no-harmonic condition) between conscious and unconscious.
Thanks to the ancient Yoga techniques, it is possible to get the unconscious to be collaborative and not reactive.
And how is possible to explain the concept: Why Yoga is a state of"conjunction" ? We suggest you some ideas on the next post!

What is the Yoga state?

Everywhere we hear and read that people "practice Yoga", but if Yoga is a state, a condition, how can you practice it? Yoga is the result of practices that prepare the way to get such a state. It would be like saying, for example, that people say that they "practice knowledge"; in reality people “practice the study” that afterwards will give them the state of knowledge .
Now someone might say that we're just quibbling over words!
In my view it is not so, because nowadays the great variety of results and the achievable effects related to Yoga are not taken into account because the methods are not used in the correct way to get them.
As I previously said, Yoga is a method much more refined than the ones usually proposed: if you follow them you could never get all the benefits connected with Yoga.

 It would be like saying, returning to the example given before, that my scope of studying is leafing through the pages of books or rip them up to make boats or airplanes or use them to light the fire, ... . 

 
After that I realize that it would be impossible to achieve the purpose that books have, which is mainly enjoying the benefits of knowledge.

 

If we know the goals that a system offers, we could definitely get used to recognize if we make things relevant and motivated to such purposes. We can certify if we are going in that direction for full effects or if we will get only a small slice of them. Thus, we must choose and pick what we want: a choice that leads to just a little and look for another one that brings better results .

So, now it is important to understand: What is this state of union for? Find out more on the next Post.

Meaning of the word "Yoga"

Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means "to unite, to join, to subjugate". The original methods proposed for obtaining such a Yoga state are gradual and progressive.

How is it possible that nowadays, most of the courses around the world propose acrobatic exercises, stretching exercises, a soft or tiring gymnastic and much more, without a specific reason? Take a look on Youtube, where it looks like the only scope behind this is making a show to the family and friends... and this represent only a small part of those who are teaching “borrowing” the word Yoga.

Actually it is extremely rare that an instructor could really explain how these weird exercises lead to the states of "union, join and subjugation": many of them, with a superficial culture and experience, sell themselves as pseudo- experts, sometimes even through an attractive appearance of “guru”.

In this blog we would like to clear up at least a few points, so that what you will choose in this field will be done with consciousness and understanding. Therefore we ask you to be patient in order to get a better idea of what we are talking about and then you can judge us.

In the next post we will talk about : What is the Yoga state? Don't miss it!

How many times...

Knowing how to drive ourselves at all levels means knowing how to manage ourselves in all points of view; it is what lead us to overcome the so called obstacles of life, and to live the events without damages or any unpleasant consequence.
So it is easier, although it still requires commitment to go towards the results that you desire, to achieve our goals without breakages.

In our life how many accidents, I would say countless, can be avoid or overcome without suffering deeply. How many times we do not feeling good, feeling like having certain types of disorders; how many times we do not feel happy or have unpleasant reactions or do not interacting positively; how many times we feel having a bad character, living disturbing sensations; how many times we are not aware of ourselves, feeling often drains, with just a little enthusiasm; how many times we are in a bad mood and struggling with the outside world, ... and a lot more.
The methods of Yoga are the driving school to simply acquire the ability to handle the complexity of ourselves, to be aware of the mechanisms of life and to be able to live in balance and in harmony !