What is Hatha Yoga?
What most people refer to as simply "yoga" is actually Hatha Yoga. This particular system of yoga is the most popular one, and it is from which several other styles of yoga originated including Power Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, and Kundalini Yoga. The word "hatha" comes from the Sanskrit terms "ha" meaning "sun" and "tha" meaning "moon".
The practice of Hatha Yoga helps one to achieve balance between body and mind, as well as to free the more subtle spiritual elements of the mind through physical poses or Asanas, breathing techniques or Pranayama, and Meditation.
- Asanas are various body positions designed to improve health and remove diseases in the physical, causal, and subtle bodies. The regular practice of Asanas will grant the practitioner muscle flexibility and bone strength, improved posture and balance, as well as non-physical rewards such as the development of self-awareness, concentration, and inner peace.
- Pranayama is derived from the words "prana" (life-force or energy source) and "ayama" (to control). It is the science of breath control. This is an important part of Hatha Yoga because the ancient yogis believed that the secret to controlling one's mind can be unlocked by controlling one's breath. The practice of Pranayama can also help with stress reduction.
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