Hatha yoga is the yoga discipline perhaps most familiar to people in Western cultures. Typically seen in the West as a method of modern physical fitness, hatha yoga is an ancient practice from India that incorporates a variety of movements and postures. The goal of hatha yoga is to move the energy in your body in such a way as to help improve your mental, physical and spiritual being.
Definition
The word "hatha" comes from the Sanskrit words "ha," which means sun, and "tha," which means moon. The word "yoga" is the Sanskrit word for "union." The objective of hatha yoga, then, is to unite opposing pairs, such as your external body with your internal thoughts and emotions. SanatanSociety.org notes that hatha yoga is sometimes called "forceful yoga" because it requires physical effort to achieve mental balance and spiritual harmony.
Practices
Ancient yoga masters performed hatha yoga as a daily ritual that helped them to prepare for meditation. This branch of yoga incorporates specific postures, called asanas, and breathing exercises, called pranayamas. The postures are meditative positions that should help you to calm your mind and breathe more easily. The asanas are also thought to help improve your energy and overall physical health. According to ABC-of-Yoga.com, the word pranayama combines the Sanskrit words "prana," which means energy source, and "yama," which means control. Yogis believe that mastering your breathing also helps you to control your mind and relax your body.
Benefits
Western cultures may use hatha yoga as a form of therapy or as a complementary medicine to treat various health issues. MayoClinic.com reports that practicing yoga can help you to reduce stress as well as improve your flexibility, balance, strength and range of motion. This means that you might be less likely to hurt yourself performing other physical activities. Yoga sometimes helps those suffering from depression, insomnia and anxiety. Practicing yoga might also help you to lower your blood pressure levels and reduce your heart rate. The breathing techniques used in hatha yoga might help with the symptoms of bronchitis and asthma.
Warnings
MayoClinic.com cautions that certain yoga poses are potentially dangerous if you suffer from certain health conditions. Talk to your physician before trying hatha yoga if you have balance problems, severe osteoporosis, artificial joints or glaucoma. Pregnant women may be advised to avoid any postures that require lying on the back or twisting the abdominal region.
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