“Yoga is not a forgotten ancient practice, but rather a valuable inheritance of the present. It is a necessary component of our well-being today, and an essential part of the culture of tomorrow.” – Swami Satyananda Saraswati.
Yoga is an art that promotes healthy living in today’s world and the future. Hatha Yoga is a traditional and pure form of yoga that still exists today. It is designed to open specific energy channels and psychic centres in the body. Hatha Yoga works with 84,00,000 asanas, or body postures, to evolve humans to higher levels of awareness. These 84,00,000 postures represent the 84,00,000 forms a human being needs to pass through to attain liberation, as mentioned in Hindu mythology.
This beautiful intention of achieving higher realization materializes in various forms and a series of yoga sessions. Hatha yoga, where Hatha means force in Hindi, is a yogic practice that aligns the practitioner physically, emotionally, and mentally.
The primary sequence of Hatha Yoga includes a list of asanas taught, which are as follows:
1. Surya Namaskars:
The art of sun salutation has been handed down by Vedic sages for ages for the betterment and enlightenment of humanity. Activating the sun or male side of the body, this part of yoga makes one active, stretches, tones, massages, and strengthens the entire body. The Sun Salutation is a needed set of postures in the modern day, added later on to the original group of asanas. Vitalizing the solar energy in the body is a complete practice to kickstart the day with zeal and enthusiasm.
2. Standing Poses
Standing postures are a great way to strengthen various muscle groups, such as the back, shoulder, and legs. They can also help improve your confidence and endurance levels. These poses are also beneficial for enhancing muscle coordination, improving posture, and enabling you to keep your back straight during meditation and Pranayama. Moreover, they form the foundation for many advanced poses by making your body more flexible and supple, enabling your spine to stay erect.
3. Kneeling Poses
Kneeling poses focus on the Vajra asana or thunderbolt pose. They are practised worldwide in different traditions and cultures. They activate the genitor-urinary nadi and help control sexual energy. Kneeling poses are beneficial for strengthening the back and knees, toning the thighs, and improving the functioning of the reproductive system. They also aid digestion, bowel movement, and toning the sides.
4. Sitting Poses
Sitting poses include forward-bending and spine-twisting asanas. These poses require a great deal of hip opening and hamstring stretch, helping to turn the spine for a healthy and strong back. Every yoga session should include spine-twisting asanas to make the spinal column flexible, stimulate the spinal nerves, and create a firm abdomen. Forward-bending asanas passively use gravitational force to stretch the muscles and release tension.
5. Prone Position Poses
The prone position involves lying on the stomach and includes backward bending asanas. It aims to create extroversion in the body, expand the chest, strengthen the shoulders, and allow practitioners to embrace life to the fullest. This position requires higher strength and energy to perform as it is structured to counter gravity. Other benefits include toning the stomach, hips, and thighs and strengthening the spine and spinal nerves.
6. Supine Poses
A supine pose involves lying on the back with the face-up. This group of asanas includes abdomen-related postures and works on both the front and back of the body. It relaxes the mind and body by providing substantial support, tones the abdomen and sides, strengthens the thighs, and activates all the chakras. It also includes many relaxation poses for post-yoga sessions.
7. Inverted Poses
Inverted poses reverse the action of gravity and are considered the best for increasing concentration and mental power, beating stress, and releasing tension. They relax the heart as it is resting against gravity. Apart from physical benefits, they also act on the emotional aspect of the personality by refreshing and revitalizing the practitioner’s mood and thinking.
They throw the blood to the brain and regulate stagnant lymph and blood accumulated in the lower abdomen and pelvis region.
Hatha yoga is a boon bestowed by gods on mankind. It allows one to live a healthy, herbal, and disease-free life. Practising and embracing this art form can open many locked doorways physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Join us at Rishikul Yogshala to deepen your practice, connect with like-minded individuals, and experience the transformative power of Hatha yoga firsthand.
Learn more about Hatha yoga in Yoga Retreats at Rishikul Yogshala. Our experienced instructors guide you through the ancient practices of Hatha yoga, focusing on alignment, breath control, and mindfulness to cultivate a balanced mind, body, and spirit. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced practitioner, our programs cater to all levels, providing personalized attention and a supportive environment for your yoga journey.
