Yoga
Different Styles of Yoga
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Hatha Yoga
Art And Science Of Hatha Yoga - Hatha Yoga Poses and Positions
The philosophy of Hatha yoga
believes in practicing the control on Prana and
perfecting the body by maintaining the practices
of yogic asanas. This is considered to be the most
apparent form of yoga and is practiced by many
people all around the globe. In fact this seems to
be the most acceptable form of yoga in the Western
countries. Hatha yoga seems also to be the
embodiment of all that yoga is understood to be.
This however is a very superficial interpretation
of yoga as a complete methodology of attaining the
ultimate wisdom. Hatha yoga mainly deals with the
tools that are prescribed in the whole art and
science of yoga to cater to the purification and
control of the body. Hatha yoga actually has very
little to do with developing the mind so that the
thought process gets directed towards the path of
complete release. The science of Hatha yoga is
based on the fact that the mind cannot be fully
receptive to the divine wisdom until and unless
the body is ready as a fertile ground to receive
the seeds of wisdom. This follows the age old
axiom that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body.
For strengthening the body a two fold methodology
is practiced. One path is to arouse the Prana or
the vital air that enters the system. This is a
process of controlled breathing called Pranayama.
The vital air is the chord of life that runs
through all the living beings and unites them. It
is the sole characteristic that separates a living
entity from a non-living one. The other pathway is
of strengthening all the systems of the body by
practicing yogic asanas. Yogic asanas are not just any
exercise forms. They are scientifically designed
postures that give the body capacity for great
endurance and sustainability. These postures are
scientifically designed according to the basic
infrastructure of the body. The yogic asanas are
also believed to be having great therapeutic value
but many doctors do not agree to prescribe them as
a cure for diseases. This may either be due to
their ignorance of yogic practices or a general
disinterest in the process of yoga. Although the
ancient texts do not make any therapeutic claims
regarding the yogic asanas it is a well known fact
that the yogic asanas stretch and exercise
pressure on the body in such a way that enhances
the natural fortitude and survival capacity of the
body. For instance the yogic asanas exercise such
pressure over the vertebral column that it
strengthens the spinal cord thereby strengthening
the nervous system. Similarly the digestive system
gets benefited tremendously by practicing yogic
asanas. The same is true for all the other systems
too. Hatha yoga is practiced and
generally prescribed to purify the mind and body
by the gurus of Raj yoga to their students who
qualify as Madhyama and Adhama Adhikaris. These
are classes of aspiring students of yoga who are
not yet prepared in mind and body to receive the
messages of the supreme consciousness. They have
to increase their physical capacities and mental
faculties so that they can be ready to attain the
ultimate divine consciousness. This is found to
ultimately prove true in numerous situations. The
people who practice Hatha yoga for some time start
realizing the invoking of Kundalini or Chakras.
This is the ultimate movement of energy positions
from the navel of the body to the forehead and
finally creates the merger of the consciousness of
the self into the divine consciousness. Many
people claim this experience after some years of
practice of Hatha yoga. There is firm scientific
foundation for these experiences.
Hatha word is made up of two
syllables. 'Ha' syllable means the sun and 'Tha'
syllable stands for the moon. They stand for
Pingala nadi or right nostril and Ida nadi or left
nostril also, which again is indicative of
positive and negative energy. This is analytical
representation of incorporation of elements of sun's
energy or the positive energy and the moon's
energy or the negative energy into Hatha yoga
practices. This further means that the methodology
of Hatha yoga relies upon combining the elements
of negative and positive energies found in the
human body and bringing the whole energy bracket
on a balanced platform of optimum existence. Indeed, Hatha yoga prepares the
body for the ultimate realization of God
consciousness, but this certainly is not the sole
reason for the popularity of this form of yoga
over the others. The reason for the immense
popularity is mainly because people get all sorts
of health related relief through the practice of
Hatha yoga almost instantly. This kind of benefit
is to be seen immediately rather than the benefits
of union with the divine powers, which is not so
easily achieved.
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