Hatha Yoga

Know More About Hatha Yoga

Some of you may not know it, but the most common practice of yoga in the Western countries is called the hatha yoga. Unlike the original version of yoga, hatha yoga focuses more on the physical regimen that aims to give mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

The History

The history of hatha yoga dates back in the fifteenth century India when Yogi Swatmarama, a sage during those times, introduced it as a form of “a stairway to the heights” of Raja Yoga which is the preparatory stage of physical purification that makes the body fit for the practice of higher form of meditation. Hatha yoga is also known to be called as “hatha vidya” and the word “hatha” is a combination of the words, “ha” which means sun “tha” that means moon and they are said to refer to the prinicipal “nadis” or the energy channels of the body and must be fully operational to attain the state of “dhyana” or a certain aspect of meditation.

Some people may associate that the origins of hatha yoga dates back in the tenth or eleventh century with Goraknath, a yogin during those times but the oldest surviving text about hatha yoga is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by yogin, Yogi Swatmarama. The text is said to be derived from old Sanskrit writings and personal yogin experiences of the yogin himself. The text tackles about shatkarma, asana, pranayama, chakras, kundalini, bandhas, kriyas, shakti, nadis, and mudras among others.

The Concept

The whole concept of the traditional hatha yoga is a holistic yogic path that includes moral discipilines, physical exercises, breath control, and meditation. The hatha yoga that is mostly practiced and popular in the western countries mainly composed of the “asanas” or posture and other exercises.

Hatha yoga is only one of the two concepts of yoga that focuses on the physical culture and the other yoga is the Raja yoga but both of these are referred to as Ashtanga yoga. The main difference is that the Raja yoga focuses more on the “asanas” or postures to get the body ready for a prolonged meditation that concentrates mainly on the meditative “asana” poses. The hatha yoga on the other hand focuses on balancing the mind and body through physical exercises, controlled breathing, and calming the mind through meditation and sheer relaxation.

Different positions or postures are recommended by practitioners to help alleviate or avoid health problems ranging from constipation through cancer. It was said that it helps to reduce stress, pressure, and other mental worries that people today are mostly exposed to.