What is Hatha Yoga? The commonly used translation ha means “sun” and tha means “moon.” Hatha Yoga most commonly is referred to as the yoga that joins pairs of opposites or the forceful yoga because it can require a lot of physical energy. Hatha Yoga is the most common form of yoga that you will find in the West. Yoga teacher training will focus on all parts of Hatha Yoga and the asanas or poses that bring you balance.
Hatha Yoga is one part of four main Indian traditions of Tantra Yoga. Hatha Yoga focuses on two main areas which are postures or asanas and breath control, also known as pranayama, to help bring energy. Many connect Hatha Yoga with steps from the teachings of Ashtanga Yoga. Yoga teaching will bring all these forms together for you if you want to take the journey.
The idea behind Hatha Yoga is to get rid of any obstacles to help gain more control of sense-withdrawal, meditation, concentration and one’s balance. Hatha Yoga incorporates a slow-paced routine with a lot of stretching and breathing exercises. It will also involve seated meditation. A yoga teacher will help you learn some basic poses and relaxation techniques so that you become more comfortable with yoga.
Meditation, Health & Energy
Many people have tried a Hatha Yoga class and absolutely love the relaxed feeling they walk away with. Other people have tried Hatha Yoga and decided that it is too meditative and slow for them. Yoga teacher training focuses on two essential ideas. Meditation is one of the areas where Hatha Yoga focuses strongly. To be able to perform a true meditation you need to be able to find at least one posture that is comfortable enough to allow you to be in it for a longer length of time. The more postures that you can learn and find comfortable the stronger your meditation skills will become. A teacher with yoga certification can help show you some of the easier poses to start out and then as time goes can bring more challenging poses to your attention.
Hatha Yoga is known for its asanas which help bring health and energy to your mind and body. The idea of mastering a pose is not in itself enough but the idea of getting these poses aligned correctly brings strength of concentration and sense withdrawal to the body.
Mastering your Breathing
In Hatha Yoga the exercise of Pranayama or breath control is an important factor to mastering your breathing pattern. If you can learn to control your breathing you can learn to control your mind. You bring a flow of vital life force into your body through learning how to control your breathing. The energy that you create through breathing will help you bring a balance to your brain.
Yoga teacher training will help you realize that if you do not pay attention to the first two steps of Hatha Yoga you may not find the desired outcome. There are places that specialize in yoga training whether you go on a yoga vacation or simply find a teaching school nearby. The end results will be the same as long as you have qualified instructors.
In traditional training, there are some categories of Hatha Yoga that are used to respond directly to the person practicing yoga. Some of these are:
• Shrishti Krama Hatha Yoga-focuses on growth in a youthful and healthy body while improving concentration, energy flow and flexibility
- Shrishti Krama Hatha Yoga-focuses on growth in a youthful and healthy body while improving concentration, energy flow and flexibility
- Siksana Krama Hatha Yoga-aims to perfect all asanas and control of main focuses during yoga
- Rakshana Krama Hatha Yoga-focuses on maintaining good health and relaxation
- Adhyatmika Krama Hatha Yoga-focuses on a spiritual objective finding and strengthening the inner connection
- Chikitsa Krama Hatha Yoga-focuses on a healing practice and finding your physical, spiritual and emotional balance to remove unwanted dysfunctions
- Shakti Krama Hatha Yoga-focuses on creating power
There are many combinations of these six forms.
If you want to become an instructor yourself you can find a yoga teacher training location and get started. If you would rather be the student and follow the instructor just find someone that is certified and can show you the path to finding the sun and the moon and a healthy balance.