Hatha translates to “force” and further breaks down to “ha” sun & “tha” moon. Because of this it is often misinterpreted in the west as simply balancing sun & moon energies or a slow moving yoga class. 

More accurately, Hatha yoga is an ancient school of yoga, referred to as “the path of force”.

Hatha yog utilizes physical techniques to cleanse and prepare both the body & mind, channeling & balancing life force energy for higher spiritual practices such as raja yoga & later samadhi/Union with the divine—the goal of all yoga. Because of this, hatha yoga skips Yama/Niyama & moves directly into purification and mastery of the body. 

The foundational components of hatha yoga include: (1) shatkarma “cleansing practices” of which there are 6, (2) asana “physical postures” of which there are 84, (3) pranayama “expansion of pranic/energetic body”, (4) mudra “hand gestures” & (5) bhanda “energy locks”. 

Hatha focuses on balancing the two main “nadis” energy channels in the body. The divine feminine force is in the ida nadi or left nostril, understood as “manas shakti” or mental energy/forces. In the right nostril is the pingala nadi understood as the divine masculine life force energy or “prana shakti”. Once the body is purified, the mind balanced, the Ida & pingala in harmony, then the shushuma nadi, which encompasses all the chakras & spinal column from root to crown, can be activated to achieve heightened states of consciousness—aka kundalini awakening. 

Referenced in ancient scriptures, the science of hatha yoga was first introduced in a systematic form in India around the 6th century AD though the knowledge & practice of hatha yoga is timeless. Foundational texts include: Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Goraksha Samhita, & Gheranda Samhita. Lord Shiva imparted the knowledge of hatha yog, meaning Shiva is the adi yogi “first yogi” and adi guru “first guru” of the Hatha yoga tradition. 

Hatha yoga class should include some of the classical components of practice. In hatha yoga asanas are held for longer duration to build strength, develop flexibility, and channel energy through the body. 

Join every Sunday us for a rejuvenating Sunday Sadhana, a 60-minute Hatha-Raja Yoga practice on Zoom. This session is designed to start your Sunday in a mindful and positive way. All levels are welcome!