Hatha Yoga

One of the most popular forms of yoga practiced in the United States, with over thirty million practitioners, hatha yoga involves movements that are accompanied by controlled breathing in an attempt to achieve greater flexibility, stronger balance, and increased tranquility. The name hatha comes from the sandskrit words for the sun and the moon.

Historic Background of Hatha Yoga

First spread by Swami Swatamarama in India during the Fifteenth Century, hatha yoga is used to find the energy center within the body and activate them. Tradition says that hatha yoga came straight from the gods, but Swami Swatamarama authored a comprehensive book that made this type of yoga renowned. Yogi Swatamarama created this form of yoga to prepare the body physically for greater spiritual enlightenment during meditation.

Hatha Yoga Movements

Hatha yoga is performed in an attempt to balance the mental stream, known as ida, with the physical stream, called pingala, so that the powerful inner spirit will rise. All of the poses done during a hatha yoga session are so slow and exact that many students find them tedious. The goal is to perfectly maintain each pose before moving on to the next. The pace of hatha yoga makes it one of the most peaceful forms.

Eight Limbs of Hatha Yoga

Other than the physical positioning of the body, hatha yoga includes eight areas of discipline. These include the way a person treats others, or Yama; treatment of self, Niyama; the yoga positions, Asanas; rhythmic breaths, or Pranayama; withdrawing internally, Pratyahara; the ability to concentrate, Dharana; enlightened meditation, or Dhyana; and ultimate joy and understanding, Samadhi.

Benefits Offered by Hatha Yoga

The controlled breathing technique learned in hatha yoga results in a greater intake of oxygen and release of toxic elements from the body. Students find that hatha yoga increases agility and helps release negative thoughts.

Who Should Consider Hatha Yoga?

This form of yoga is a great place for beginners to start because it allows time for perfecting each asana. Hatha Yoga is also excellent for the elderly or people with health conditions that would make the more athletic types of yoga impossible. With a good teacher, Hatha yoga can also work well for advanced students because the slowness of movement often brings greater enlightenment and self-knowledge than that found in other yoga variations. By incorporating variations of the standard poses, even accomplished students achieve great physical benefits.

Find Hatha Yoga Classes by Country WorldWide

Italian Republic 61
Canada 418
United States 6078
Kingdom of Sweden 39
Argentine Republic 59
Republic of Austria 39
Kingdom of Belgium 70
Federative Republic of Brazil 35
People’s Republic of China 26
Republic of Costa Rica 8
Republic of Cyprus 28
Kingdom of Denmark 25
Republic of France 98
Federal Republic of Germany 280
Hellenic Republic 37
Republic of Indonesia 58
Ireland 85
State of Israel 30
Japan 23
Malaysia 22
Mexico 93
Kingdom of the Netherlands 116
New Zealand 55
Republic of the Philippines 19
Portuguese Republic 67
South Africa 101
Kingdom of Spain 166
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 18
Switzerland 68
Kingdom of Thailand 53
Republic of Turkey 38
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 986

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