The Practice of Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is mainly practised for health and vitality. Hatha Yoga was introduced in the 15th century by Yogi Swatmarama. Hatha yoga focuses on the purification of the physical being which leads to the purification of the mind or vital energy. The exploration of these physical-spiritual connections and body-centred practices led to the creation of Hatha Yoga. Today In the West, hatha yoga has become wildly popular as a purely physical exercise regimen divorced of its original purpose.

Whatever the historical details, Krishnamacharya has become the undisputed father of modern-day hatha yoga. Krishnamacharya's first lessons in yoga were from his father and his grandmother and passed on through generations of practice.

Hatha Yoga follows in that vein and thus successfully transcends being particularly grounded in any one religion. This exploration of these physical and spiritual connections and body-centered practices led to the creation of Hatha Yoga. 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training India has been included in the lifestyle of these traditions. Hatha Yoga classes tend, among other things, to emphasize physical mastery.

Hatha also means a force or determined effort, and yoga, of course, translates as a yoke or joining together. The very name hatha yoga, a combination of "ha," meaning sun, and "tha," meaning moon, denotes the union of opposites. Through the practice of yoga, an individual can gain information about the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being.

Hatha Yoga represents opposing energies: hot and cold, fire and water following the theme of lying and yang, male and female, positive and negative. Hatha yoga attempts to balance the mind and body. The balancing of the mind and body is brought about via physical exercises (also known as asanas), controlled breathing (pranayama) and relaxation or meditation.

Pranayama refers to breath control in yoga. In this yoga is defined as a means of binding or controlling the breath and the mind using the syllable Om. In this case, yoga has extremes, practices of fasting, breath control, and postures to transcend the body, and not cultivate it. Asana body postures that are contemplative in nature and are designed to align the body and bring about the optimum situation for relaxation.

Traditional yoga is a holistic yogic path and is becoming wildly popular.

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  • Hatha Yoga comes in many varieties and traditions, such as Kashmir Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, etc.

    In traditional schools, often some of the following categories of Hatha Yoga prac-tice are used to optimally respond to the needs and objectives of the Hatha Yoga practitioner.

    Shrishti Krama Hatha Yoga:

    This practice stimules growth on all levels in youth: physical, mental, spiritual. It requires a youthful and healthy body. The main objectives are to improve concen-tration, flexibility and energy flow through the nadis.

    Siksana Krama Hatha Yoga:

    This Hatha Yoga practice aims at perfection in all asanas and the further develop-ment from pranayama excercises into the controll of the bandhas & other main instruments of yoga.

    Rakshana Krama Hatha Yoga:

    The objective here is to maintain health, which is an ideal practice for the house-holder yogi. Relaxation is very important in this practice.

    Adhyatmika Krama Hatha Yoga:

    Another practice particularly suited for householder yogis, but with a more spir-itual objective: hatha yoga practices that lead to uncovering and strengthening the connection to the inside.

    Chikitsa Krama Hatha Yoga:

    Cikitsa means therapy and this Hatha Yoga practice thus is a healing practice. It is about regaining balance on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels in order to remove dysfunctions.

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