Hatha literally means ‘adamant’ in Sanskrit. Therefore, practising Hatha yoga implies doing yoga obstinately without the five senses or the mind interfering. It is the study of balancing our inner solar and lunar energies, in order to awaken our higher consciousness.
What is Hatha yoga?
The words ‘Ha’ and ‘Tha’, which together make up the name ‘Hatha’, refer to the body’s solar and lunar energies, respectively. The harmony between these energies is represented by Hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is typically thought to be composed solely of asans. But to reach the transcendental condition of samadhi, one must engage in the ascetic practices of asan, pranayam, dharana, and dhyan.
Hatha yoga is an ancient word that covers a large number of various yoga forms. However, modern yoga styles have a simple and straightforward approach. And People might not be aware of each ancient term to pursue yoga for fitness.
As per the Sanskrit language, the meaning of the Hatha word is force, and the word Yoga explains union. So to represent the definition, Hatha yoga talks about a solid and forceful way to achieve bodily and mindful union.
And as per ancient gurus and texts, the word Hatha has two different words, ‘ha’ means sun, and ‘tha’ means moon that means a yoga structure to achieve a balance of the sun and moon energy in your body.
Flexibility, balance, and purification are the critical substance of Hatha yoga. This yoga form has six principles: Asanas, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. Generally, it is a long session with breathing, warm-up, twelve to fifteen different asanas in a traditional sequence, and final relaxation. Postures and force can be overwhelming for the student, but one can achieve accumulative benefits of the most treasured yoga forms after a certain level of expertise.
Achieving excellent command over inner forces and energies by extending physical abilities is the core purpose of this traditional Hatha yoga practice which comes with consistency and dedication towards breathing and balance.
History of Hatha yoga
There are 84 asans in Hatha yoga, according to the original and most reliable scripture, the Hatha Pradipika, written in the 15th century. But only 15 poses out of 84 asans are discussed in the book. The first book on hatha yoga, Hatharatnavali, included all 84 asans but only explained 36 of them. Hatha yoga’s 32 asans are mentioned and described in the Gheranda Samhita, a text that was compiled in the 17th century. There are 15 basic asans that are practiced under Hatha yoga. Swastikasan, Gomukhasan, Veerasan, Kurmasan, Kukkutasan, Uttan kurmasan, Dhanurasan, Matsyendrasan, Paschimottanasan, Mayurasan, Shavasan, Siddhasan, Padmasan, Simhasan, and Bhadrasan are the 15 asans, out of these 15, 11 are seated postures, indicating that hatha yoga asans place a greater emphasis on meditation and relaxation.
Benefits of Hatha yoga
Depending on the technique followed, daily Hatha yoga sessions can also provide light to moderate cardiovascular conditioning in addition to improving strength, flexibility, and balance. Incorporating breath control pranayam and meditation as a part of or in addition to a Hatha yoga practise may have additional advantages. Numerous health disorders, including but not limited to, heart disease, infertility, chronic back pain, pregnancy, cancer, arthritis, asthma, and insomnia and various other ailments have been proven to benefit from Hatha yoga.
Yoga appeals to many fitness enthusiasts for its physical discipline and potential to improve fitness, but with continued practice, they may come to understand that there is a lot more to gain. Anyone can use Hatha yoga practices to improve their health, fitness, and mental focus as well as to achieve or regain more balance and connectivity between the mind and body. Including other yoga practices in a Hatha yoga practices will help get more health benefits, better coping with stress, and a more fulfilling Hatha yoga experience with the guidance of a qualified instructor and reliable resources.
With numerous advantages for one’s health and fitness, Hatha yoga has become a popular method of exercise. In order to take your Hatha yoga practise to the next level beyond asan, one can include other styles of yoga in their regular practice. The wide spectrum of hatha yoga asans, when performed mindfully, help to relax the mind as well as the body. The worth of a posture is determined by how methodically one can hold it, not by how stunning or complicated it appears to be. To acquire more consciousness from each posture is the ultimate goal of practising various positions. This is how the yogais broaden their consciousness through the practice of Hatha yoga.
