Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is a school of yoga that focuses on energizing a person’s body and integrating its energies. Hatha literally means the sun and the moon in Sanskrit and refers to the different energies that flow through the human body. Hatha yoga aims to balance the union between the mind and the body in order to keep it healthy and also to seek higher spiritual levels. This form of yoga is what most people in the West associate with when they think of yoga.

Hatha yoga is believed to have been introduced by Swami Swatmarama in the 15th century. It was seen as a way to prepare the body for meditation. It is the basis of many other forms of yoga including Power yoga, Bikram yoga and Kundalini yoga.

Hatha Yoga Basics

• Hatha yoga uses ‘asanas’ and ‘pranayama’ or breathing techniques to facilitate the union between the mind and the body and the balancing of the masculine as well as feminine energies in the body. The ‘asanas’ were originally designed to help the body prepare and hold meditative states. When the ‘asanas’ are performed regularly they strengthen different body systems and make them supple and flexible.

• The ‘pranayama’ or breathing exercises help the student focus and concentrate of the most basic of body processes, breathing. It makes you aware of how you should breathe while performing ‘asanas’ and gain from them effectively. The lungs supply oxygen to the body and hence, play a crucial role in energizing it.

• Hatha yoga believes that by balancing the energies in the different ‘nadi’ or energy channels in the body, a balance in the body and mind can be achieved and this is essential to prepare the body for mediation.

This form of yoga offers physical as well as mental benefits. It helps your body become supple and flexible and helps in weight loss. It also energizes the body and hence helps you remain more active and attentive than you may have ever been before. The mental benefits are many, Hatha yoga helps you gain control over your emotions, thoughts and actions. This in turn helps you deal with the external world in a positive manner and helps reduce the affect of stressors on your body.

The mind and body seek a disciplined routine to help them achieve their potential, and Hatha yoga provides you this discipline. It is important to check with your doctor and yoga instructor before you are ready to join a class. People suffering from certain ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and asthma can benefit from performing Hatha yoga. It is a great form of yoga for a beginner to learn and perform. It is important that yoga be performed under the supervision of a trained yoga instructor.

Hatha yoga also helps calm the mind and helps you feel more in control of your life. Even after a long and tiring day Hatha yoga can both energize and relax the body.