|
Yoga is an ancient practice of self-development that harmonises and strengthens a person at all levels - from the physical body to one’s consciousness and subtle energies. There are several paths in Yoga. Some of them, so called Orthodox paths of Yoga, have close connection with religion, sacred writings and rites. Others, developed within Tantric system, are mostly related with the practical methods such as transformation and development of the physical and subtle body of the practitioner, one’s consciousness, intuition and sense enhancement, one’s ability to live and effectively interact with the outside world in accordance with the laws of the Universe. Hatha Yoga belongs to the latter direction. It is what most people in the West associate with the word 'Yoga' and is practiced for mental and physical health throughout the West. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning to bind, join, attach and yoke. Yoga is the true union of our will with the will of the Universal Spirit. The Orthodox paths of yoga were introduced in the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture. Later on yoga practises were collated, coordinated and systematised by Patanjali in his classical work, the Yoga Sutras. The system of Patanjali is also called Ashtanga Yoga, literally means 'eight-limbed yoga' (ashta - eight, anga - limb). According to Patanjali, the path of internal purification for revealing the Universal Self consists of the eight spiritual practices: Yama (moral codes), Niyama (self-purification and study), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (sense control), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), Samadhi (absorption into the Universal). In the Yoga Sutras Patanjali describes yoga as the restraint of mental modifications, or as suppression of the fluctuations of consciousness. Patanjali explains the ways to control the mind. That is why his system is also known as Raja Yoga. The word raja means the king. One who has conquered his mind, senses, passions, thought and reason becomes a king among men, as he reaches the royal union with the Universal Spirit. If Orthodox schools of yoga were seeking for liberation and immortality of a human's soul, the Tantric tradition was significantly concerned with the immortality and well-being of the human body. The practices of Hatha Yoga were systematised by the Indian sage Swatmarama in his Hatha Yoga Pradipika. The word hatha is a compound of the words ha and tha meaning sun and moon, referring to prana and apana (inhale and exhale), and also to the day and night, male and female. Hatha yoga is meant to join together our sun (masculine, active) energy with our moon (feminine, receptive) energy, thus producing balance and greater power in an individual. Influenced by Tantrism, where the body was no longer a source of pain and suffering, but the most reliable and effective instrument for conquering death, Hatha Yoga intends to master the body in order to transmute it into a divine body, but with less emphasis on the Tantric rituals and more on psycho-physiological techniques. Another meaning of the word hatha is forceful. It is a strong practice, which demands rigorous discipline and includes Asana, Shatkarma (purification of the body), Pranayama, Kumbhaka (cessation of breath), Mudra (symbolic or ritual gesture performed with the hands and fingers). Bandha (inner knots or locks to hold the pranic energy or psychic energy within certain areas in the body), Samadhi. In other respects Hatha Yoga follows the same principles as the Raja Yoga of Patanjali including moral restraints of Yama and spiritual observances of Niyama. It is generally believed that Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga are entirely distinct, different and opposed to each other, as the first deals with spiritual discipline and the latter deals solely with physical discipline. It is not so, as in his treatise Swatmarama himself introduces Hatha Yoga as a stairway to the heights of Raja Yoga, hence a preparatory stage of physical purification that renders the body fit for the practice of higher meditation.
Many modern
schools of Hatha Yoga derive from the school of Sri Tirumalai
Krishnamacharya, who taught from 1924 until his death in 1989. Among his
students prominent in popularising Yoga in the West were Sri K. Pattabhi
Jois ( Another major stream of influence was Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh (1887-1963) and his many disciples, including Swami Vishnu-Devananda (1927-1993) - founder of International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1923–2009) - of the Bihar School of Yoga, and Swami Satchidananda (1914–2002) - of Integral Yoga, among others. The popularisation in the West of the medical aspect of Yoga is largely attributed to Dr. Swami Sivananda Saraswati's Bihar School of Yoga. Most yoga classes of this school consist of a combination of physical exercises, breathing exercises, and meditation. These characteristics make yoga a particularly beneficial kind of exercise for people with certain health conditions, including heart disease/hypertension, asthma, and back problems. For people with heart problems, studies have shown yoga to help people young and old. Specifically, yoga seems to promote heart health in several ways, including regulating high blood pressure and improving resistance to psychological stress. Yoga is believed to calm the nervous system and balance the body, mind, and spirit. Yoga has been used to improve coordination, flexibility, concentration, sleep, and digestion. It has also been used as supplementary therapy for such diverse conditions as cancer, diabetes, AIDS and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Please click here to download the information on the benefits and precautions of practising the basic Hatha Yoga asanas. The information is adopted from the B.K.S. Iyengar's work Yoga: the Path to Holistic Health. To see the list of the recommended books on the Yoga Practice please click here. Hints and Cautions for the Practice of Asanas The qualities demanded from a yoga aspirant are discipline, tenacity, and perseverance to practise regularly without interruptions. Before starting to practise asanas, the bladder should be emptied and the bowels evacuated. Asanas should preferably done on an empty stomach. If this is difficult, a cup of tea or coffee, cocoa or milk may be taken before doing them. They may be practised without discomfort one hour after a very light meal. Allow at lest four hours to elapse after a heavy meal before starting the practice. Food may be taken half an hour after completing the asanas. The best time for practice is early on the morning or late in the evening. No undue strain should be felt in the facial muscles, ears or eyes or in breathing during the practice. During the practice of asanas, it is the body alone which should be active while the brain should remain passive, watchful and alert. In all asanas the breathing should be done through the nostrils only and not through the mouth. Do not restrain the breath while in the process of the asana or while staying in it. After completing the practice of asanas lie down in Shavasana, as this will remove fatigue. Faulty practice causes discomfort and uneasiness within a few days. This is sufficient to show that one is going wrong. The right method of doing asanas brings lightness and an exhilarating feeling in the body as well as in the mind and a feeling of oneness of body, mind and soul. |
||