YOGA
What most people refer to as simply "yoga" is actually Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is a system of yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a yogic sage in the 15th century in India. The word "hatha" comes from the Sanskrit terms "ha" meaning "sun" and "tha" meaning "moon". Thus, Hatha Yoga is known as the branch of Yoga that unites pairs of opposites referring to the positive (sun) and negative (moon) currents in the system. It concentrates on the third (Asana) and fourth (Pranayama) steps in the Eight Limbs of Yoga.
Hatha Yoga tries to achieve balance between body and mind, as well as attempts to free the more subtle spiritual elements of the mind through physical poses or Asanas, Breathing Techniques
or Pranayama, and Meditation.
ASANAS
Asanas are various body positions designed to improve health and remove diseases in the physical, causal, and subtle bodies. The word "asana" is Sanskrit for "seat", which refers not only to the physical position of the body but also to the position of the body in relation to divinity. They were originally
meant for Meditation, as the postures can make you feel relaxed for a long period of time. The regular practice of Asanas will grant the practitioner muscle flexibility and bone strength, as well as non-physical rewards such as the development of will power, concentration, and self-withdrawal.
PRANAYAMA
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 yogis of old times believed that the secret to controlling one's mind can be unlocked by controlling one's breath. The practice of Pranayama can also help unleash the dormant energies inside our body.
At the centre of your being you know who you are and you know what you want. I turned my cant's into can's and my dreams into plans and here I am, teaching yoga to those who wish to benefit from it. Yoga for me has helped me cope with stress, relieve tension, and deal with anxiety and depression. More importantly, it has helped me put my mind in a focused state to prepare for Meditation and, eventually, the search for enlightenment.
Laura van Niekerk (Qurban Kaur)
(Registered Yoga Instructor with the Yoga Teacher Fellowship of South Africa)
“Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul.”
Amit Ray
About Hatha Yoga
