Hatha Yoga, the origin of all yogas?
There are a multitude of different forms of Yoga and sometimes you can get a little lost! We will focus on Hatha Yoga which is one of the gentle Yoga styles. It is the most popular type of yoga, but also the most practiced in the West today. Hatha Yoga is also one of the oldest traditional Yogas in existence since it has its origins in ancient Indian texts: the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali .
What does “Hatha Yoga” mean?
" Hatha Yoga " in Sanskrit (an ancient and sacred language of ancient India) could be translated as " yoga of lively force ", " yoga of effort " or even " yoga of tenacity ". It also designates the union "Yoga" of the energies of the body "Ha" and the mind "Tha", of the sun and the moon.
Where did Hatha Yoga originate from?
Originally, Hatha Yoga encompasses all postural yogas . It is a gentle and meditative yoga , which appeared around the 12th century. It is inspired by the oldest form of yoga, Patanjali (2nd century BC), but also by ancient traditional Sanskrit texts: Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gherandasamhitā and Shiva Samhita. Hatha Yoga is said to have been born from research on the body, breathing, but also on energies.
The main principles of Hatha yoga
Hatha Yoga focuses on mastering your body and its senses. Added to this is a constant focus on your breathing. It is on these two actions that Hatha Yoga is based.
The 3 pillars or components of Hatha Yoga
In Hatha Yoga , you will find breathing exercises , meditation , but also static yoga postures . Some asanas to be performed are related to breathing and are more dynamic. There are different degrees of difficulty in these postures, depending on the level you have acquired.
“Asanas”: the postures
The asanas performed must be held long enough (about 3 minutes per posture) to be effective and allow for optimal breathing. The yoga positions performed throughout the session help your body prepare for the final meditation .
These yoga postures all have an emblematic name (often animal names) for example the “cobra”, the “pigeon” or even the “bow”.
Asanas strengthen your body, stretch it and therefore act on the spine. They allow your entire body to harmonize and balance. Hatha Yoga therefore intervenes on your mental agitation, but also on your energy balance and brings you to a state of concentration and relaxation.
“Pranayama” or the art of breathing
Breathing is associated with each posture. It allows your body to better oxygenate itself, to free it from certain tensions and to purify it. This acts on the physical level, but particularly on the mental level. The association of asanas with breathing is fundamental in Yoga. Breathing exercises are performed only through the nose. In Hatha Yoga , you may be led to practice different types of breathing, such as "fire" breathing or "alternate" breathing.
“Dhyana”: meditation
According to the founding texts of Hatha Yoga , the different postures performed, breathing (or the art of Pranayama ) and concentration serve a single purpose which is the achievement of a state of deep meditation. This is not easy to achieve since your mind can quickly become distracted. It is then advisable to concentrate again with the help of your breathing in order to return to your inner being.
The meditation will be done in the lotus posture (sitting cross-legged), placing yourself at the center of your being, at the level of your chest.
Who is Hatha Yoga for?
Hatha Yoga is for the general public! It adapts to each person's level and there are alternatives for each posture so that everyone can progress at their own pace. Different levels of classes are possible.
This is a gentle and rather static yoga . It also allows you to assimilate the principles of yoga, to relax and to work on your flexibility gently, as well as your breathing in relation to the asanas.
Hatha Yoga can also be practiced by pregnant women and children .
How does a Hatha Yoga class take place?
A Hatha Yoga session lasts approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. The ideal is to try several classes to see which one suits you best and which teacher you get along with.
- In the first part of the session, breathing exercises ( Pranayama ) will be performed in order to relax and unwind,
- Then, a progressive warm-up of the muscles will generally be done by sun salutations ,
- Once your body is warmed up and your breathing is more in tune with the postures, different sequences of asanas will be performed. The positions can be lying on the ground, standing or even on the head for the more experienced,
- The session will always end with a short relaxation on the ground (about 10 minutes), in corpse pose ( Savasana ) in order to be perfectly relaxed and to empty your thoughts.
What is the ideal equipment for practicing Hatha Yoga?
For Hatha Yoga , the main thing is to invest in a good eco-friendly yoga mat of medium thickness ( 4 to 6 mm ) that will provide you with all the comfort you need for your practice. Indeed, it is a gentle Yoga where the postures are held for about 3 minutes, which requires a fairly dense yoga mat to protect your joints.
A floor mat with good grip is also a good idea, as you will need to feel well anchored in your asanas in order to maintain your balance.
The Chakra EQ Love yoga mat , for example, combines these qualities, as do our Yoga Mad Evolution yoga mats , available in 4 or 6 mm. If you want a mat with a lifetime guarantee for intensive use and rich in color, our PROlite mat from Manduka will seduce you!
What are the benefits of Hatha Yoga?
Among the benefits of Yoga in general you find stress reduction, improved sleep or even better concentration. These virtues of Yoga can be immediate (relaxation and calming), but also occur depending on the duration in the more or less short term and regular practice (lowering of blood pressure after a month of practice for example).
Hatha Yoga takes back its benefits and also allows you to perfect your posture, strengthen your muscles, become more flexible, achieve deep relaxation, improve your concentration, develop your breathing abilities, but also be more in tune with yourself thanks to a clearer mind. Yoga becomes a healthy lifestyle and allows you to access a certain level of fitness and overall well-being.
