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HATHA
YOGA
Traditional Hatha Yoga is a holistic yogic path, including moral
disciplines, physical exercises (e.g., asanas (postures) and Pranayama
(breath control), and meditation. The Hatha yoga predominantly practiced
in the West consists of mostly asanas (postures) and exercise.
Hatha Yoga is one of the two branches of Yoga that focus on the physical
culture, the other one being Raja Yoga. Both of these are commonly
referred to as Ashtanga Yoga, i.e., Yoga of eight parts ('ashta' meaning
eight and 'anga' meaning limbs). The eight limbs are described below in
detail. The main difference is that Raja Yoga uses asanas to mainly get
the body ready for prolonged meditation, and hence focuses more on the
meditative asana poses: Lotus Pose (Padmasana), Accomplished Pose (Siddhasana),
Easy Pose (Sahajasana) and Pelvic Pose (Vajrasana); Hatha Yoga utilizes
most of the asana poses. Similarly, Raja Yoga's use of Pranayama is also
devoid of extensive locks (Bandha).
Hatha represents opposing energies: hot and cold (fire and water,
following the same concept as the yin-yang), male and female, positive and
negative, similar but not completely analogous to yin and yang. Hatha yoga
attempts to balance mind and body via physical exercises, or "asanas",
controlled breathing, and the calming of the mind through relaxation and
meditation. Asanas teach poise, balance & strength and are practiced to
improve the body's physical health and clear the mind in preparation for
meditation in the pursuit of enlightenment.
The Yoga of Patanjali is Ashtanga or comprised of 8 limbs, Yama and Niyama,
which are ethical obligations, Asana, Pranayama, which is breath control,
Pratyahara, which is sense withdrawal, Dharana, which is concentration,
Dhyana, which is meditation, and Samadhi, which is the experience of unity
with God.. The eight limbs are more precisely viewed as eight levels of
progress, each level providing benefits in and of itself and also laying
the foundation for the higher levels.
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