Hatha Yoga

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Important Note: Hatha is what the Western Culture conceptualizes as Yoga or what Yogic Science is all about, which is erroneous. The stereo-type is that Hatha is that specific physical practice that people associate with hippies twisting into pretzels. As you will read on you will learn how far that perception is from truth. In fact it has more esoteric aspects to it then just toning and conditioning the physical body, which it does very intelligently, and if done often enough in a balanced way of course, will show results not just in physique but in health, mood, and vitality.

Chances are that you will not learn a big portion of what is written here in an average yoga class. This is the more esoteric and technical parts of the practice that could, which is my intention, enhance your practice and give a more comprehensive background so that if you encounter disapointment or discouragement you can take solace in the "bigger picture".

Definition
Hatha - a sankrit word broken down as follows: 'Ha'(translated as 'Sun') + 'Tha (translated as 'Moon') The correct pronunciation is "Ha'Ta", an expirated 'Ta' sound with your tongue tip touching the top of your pallete.

Similar, it seems, to most intelligently designed systems which have many facets depending on what the beholder's perpective is; the name "Hatha" is a multi-faceted description of such a system. On one level it addresses the 'pair of opposites' that exist in the body which make up the body on many levels, left and right, up and down, in and out, male and female. On another level, it addresses more subtle aspects of existance, like Active and Passive subtle energies - of which the ancients have mapped - flowing through the body. And other aspects which are beyond the scope of this authors knowledge.

Hatha Yoga is part of the vast Yogic Science that gives one the option to pursue a deeper immersion into full human potential in time/space (in other words 'the here and now'). It does this through mastering the physical body, which according to the ancients is the gross (defined here as 'dense' or 'thick') manifestation of Energy or Prana that we can physically perceive with our 5 Senses. The physical body also known as the Anamayakosha (need to write more about Koshas somewhere else) translates to sheath (or covering) comprised of food and which is animated by Prana.

The sun and moon refferences are two opposite cosmotic forces that live and flow through the body (in the Nadis according to this science. The yoga practictioner is trying to depolarize, enhance, regulate, balance etc.. these opposites and which will lead to ultimately retaining Prana.

As a physical science, Hatha Yoga, deals with:
 * Asanas - Postures
 * Pranayama - Breath Exercises
 * Bandhas - Special poses that bind Prana in the body, these techniques stoke, reverse the natural direction & bind this energy into the body.
 * Mudras - Gestures that promote and redirect circulation of Prana in the body ("circuits" that are toggled open and close like electrical switches,create pathways for that energy to circulate in).
 * Nadis - Energy pathways, similiar to Traditional Chinese Medicine's ''Meridians.

This science incorporates the observer into the experiment, which western science is just now wrapping its brain around with Quantum Physics. The experiment being techniques that function to tone and shift the myriad of systems within the body, with the goal to master them, to prepare the practitioner for meditation.

All this knowledge comes from ancient Vedic scriptures. Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are refferences that concentrates the many "scattered" refferences from the Vedic scriptures about Hatha Yoga into a practical, codified system.

There are many forms of physical yoga (hatha) practiced these days, due to different teachers teaching students who go on to put their own little twist on it. It is important to remember that they are all correct to a certain extent because they are based on Patanjali and his 8 limbs of yoga.

List of some known ones:
 * Vinyasa - 'Flow' or 'Sequence'. To this authors knowledge there are 2 schools of thought when it comes to vinyasa. One is the Ashtanga Yoga created by Sri Ptabi Jois (spelling), which might be described as swift, vigorous, and athletic. The other school of thought is called 'Vinyasa Krama' as taught by Srivatsa Ramaswami who was taught by Sri Krishnamacharya (spelling?), the teach of Jois, Iynegar and (father of) Deskatchar (spelling). This school of thought might be described as
 * Viniyoga
 * Ashtanga
 * Anusara
 * Kripalu
 * Bikram
 * Hatha-Raja
 * Jiva Mukti
 * Kundalini
 * Power Yoga

Hatha yoga is just one form of many practices in the Yogic Science.

Tips
A few tips I wish i was told when I started practicing:
 * Not all teachers of Yoga reflect the practice itself, remember this.
 * Breath Breath Breath Breath Breath Breath..in other words, breathing is huge (it is one way to get more pranic energy in the body). Since breath is connected to the nervous system it will also help to fasciliate calmness and deeper flexibility.
 * Do the pose, don't let the pose do you. Its not about being a contortionist but more like placing your physical body into a position where one can comfortablly and steadily open themselves in a way they usually wouldn't to flow of breath/prana and release of toxins that get trapped in different parts of our body.
 * Listen to your body, not the Ego. Most injuries occur because of Ego related issues. Showing off an advanced pose at a party or to some potential mate (especially without warming-up the body beforehand) is a recipe for disaster. The body will let you know if there is something wrong. Watch for sharp pains and/or complaints from different parts (especially knees) during or after class. Ask your teacher for advice and guidance.
 * Use your own weight(gravity), breath, and calm mind to go into a pose. Remember balance is strength, grace, and steadyness all in one.

Pictures
Random yoga pics

Animations
animations of vinyasas Advanced

Video
Free DVD Professionaly done, excellent quality (email reg. required) Yoga clips includes: Pranayama, Surya Namaskar, other Asanas, and Savasana session (.ram format) Kundalini Yoga exercises

Scriptures

 * The Hatha Yoga Pradipika from Wikisource
 * Free Hatha Yoga Pradipika (10% of the text in .pdf format)
 * Ebooks (offers Bhagavad Gita, Katha Upanishad, Samkhya Karika and Yoga Sutras)

Teachers
Guru has a negative connontation in the west. Stepping into an anthropologist's shoes and going beyond sterotypes, the guru/disciple relationship is a description of a complex social interaction that happends between 2 people. Master and devoted student, Teacher and Apprentice. Now there is all kinds of people and all kinds of relationships that occur. What is the intention behind this interaction? This, in my opinion, is what needs to be determined. transcript
 * Sivanada audio &

Art and Parody

 * NakedArts
 * Dubya Yoga
 * [MTV's "The State" Yoga parody

Related: Meditation | Breath | Nadis | Tantra
 * articles himalayan institute]
 * White Lotus institute articles
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