A Beginner's Guide to Hatha Yoga
An Introduction to Hatha Yoga
Hatha means tenacity – to reshape the body. To re-engineer the whole system in a fundamental way. Hatha yoga is a preparatory process to yoga. The word ''ha'' means sun, ''ta'' means moon.
''Hatha'' refers to yoga that brings a balance between the sun and moon within you, also known as the Pingala and Ida. It refers to bringing balance between the masculine and the feminine. Hatha yoga brings one person to the fullest potential – both physically, mentally, energetically and emotionally.
Photo Reference: Studio12HK
What is Hatha Yoga?
Hatha Yoga is aligning the geometry of one's system to the cosmic geometry. It is a phenomenal process not only limited to an exercise.
While Hatha Yoga can be practiced from a young age of 12, one who starts exploring Hatha Yoga in ways that takes one beyond certain limitations. However, it is fundamentally a physical preparation, preparing the body for a higher possibility.
The History of Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga origins began between the Indian and Nepalese borders, with practices entirely focused upon the breath and controlling it. The practice is one of the branches of hatha yoga, popularly known as pranayama.
Hatha Yoga was misunderstood as twisting the body, standing on your head. There is a deeper science and meaning towards this art. It can phenomenally reduce the compulsions of the body to a minimum.
Initially, Hatha Yoga practices were entirely focused upon the breath and controlling it. The practice is one of the branches of hatha yoga, popularly known as pranayama.
Why You Should Practicing Hatha Yoga Today?
It is important to understand the mechanics of the body, it creates a certain ambience, the body postures pave the energy into different directions. This is what Hatha Yoga is all about. Hatha Yoga is not an exercise. Asana refers to sitting in a specific posture.
Asana is a posture. The body can take all kinds of postures. Among these, certain postures are called yogasanas. Yoga refers to that which takes you on to a higher perception of life. So, that kind of posture which leads you to a higher possibility is called a yogasana.
The science of asanas is known as hatha yoga. Since, “Ha” and “tha” describe the sun and moon, Hatha is about bringing a balance between the two. If these two dimensions are balanced within you, naturally, the body becomes a conducive place to live in.
Every level of consciousness or mental and emotional situation that one goes through, the body naturally tends to form certain postures. This refers to the science of asanas. When one gets into different asanas consciously, it elevates one's awareness.
How to get started with Hatha Yoga?
- It is meant to be practiced at home daily (ideally in the morning), so that when you go out into the world for your day-to-day activities, you will be at your best in every way.
- In the yogic tradition, it is advised to practice yoga every day for at least a mandala. A mandala is a period of approximately 40 days in one physiological cycle is completed. By finishing a mandala, one can firmly establish the yoga practice on all levels - body, mind and energy - and reap the benefits.
- Make sure your stomach and bowel movements are empty, this is to ensure energy to move upward. Ensure you are in an empty stomach condition before attempting any asana.
- Where loose and comfortable fitting clothes while attempting any asana. This ensures comfortability.
- Increase the duration of the practices by frequency and the number of days per week.
- It is best to reserve a space when practicing hatha yoga at home. When one practices in the same space every day, that space develops energy that is conducive to your inner growth.
- When one practices yoga, you are aiming to shift one's attention inward. Music or any kind of sound is a distraction when practicing hatha yoga. Try to keep your cell phone switched off or in silent mode. Keep this time just for yourself!
Here are the benefits of Hatha Yoga:
- It is a holistic process of naturally achieving a certain mastery over the body and mind, so as to come to a state of health, joy, and bliss. They are ideal for the hectic pace of today’s world.
- It boosts vigor and vitality, balances hormonal levels, bringing a sense of lightness and freedom, keeping the body at low maintenance.
- Regular practice of this yoga can straighten out one's mental and physical imbalances.
- Hatha yoga has phenomenal benefits to the spine, it must be exercised. Otherwise, it may become rigid and useless. By exercising, one's ability to experience life increases dramatically. It allows one to experience life with a certain level of sensitivity.
- One of the main principles of Hatha Yoga is to change the definition of what is tough. Generally, when we think of strength or toughness, we think of resistance. On the contrary, in Yoga, toughness means acceptance, the ability to absorb everything without reacting to anything.
- Hatha Yoga builds a different dimension of toughness – not with resistance, but with total acceptance and flexibility. It brings one to a deep stillness.
- Hatha Yoga is interlinked with mental clarity. How do we improve our clarity? By handling every activity with a certain level of precision.Here, precision is all its dealt with – how the feet should be positioned, where the hands should be, how one should hold the head, movement and how one place objects and so on. If you bring precision into action, there is precision in the mind. This is a way of practicing precision in every aspect of life. The constant precision while doing an asana, incorporate to your life. You will observe the mind will result in clarity.
- Hatha Yoga deals with weak physical points. This kind of yoga is about making the body so strong yet so subtle one doesn't even know it is there. However, we aren't doing yoga to bend, build or present our muscles. The human body becomes a good machine because it results in very low maintenance.
Start Your Hatha Yoga Practice Today!
As we have explored the vast history of Hatha Yoga and the multiple benefits of practicing Hatha Yoga, Hatha Yoga is an excellent preparatory form of yoga, however it does take time to develop and perform the correct technique so it shouldn't be mistaken for it to be easy. It is quite challenging both mentally and physically but the results have innumerable benefits to the human system. Hatha yoga brings the balance not only to your body but to your mind as well. Start your Hatha yoga practice today to promote the feeling of self-happiness and enhance your self-awareness, mental and emotional health.
Remember to check out our top selling eco-friendly cork yoga mat to start learning Hatha Yoga. Whether you are practicing at home or in your local yoga gym, using your own durable and clean yoga mat is essential in being comfortable with your practice as well as keeping a personal hygiene.
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