Regretfully, individuals in the western world assume that doing yoga means standing on your head or twisting yourself like rubber bands. Yoga isn't a type of workout. The definition of "yoga" is togetherness. Modern science has demonstrated that there is only one energy in the universe. Why then do you not feel this way if all of this is really one energy? Yoga is the ability to transcend the bounds of the delusion that you are separate and start to feel the unity of reality. Global religions have always claimed that God is present everywhere. Is it any different whether you claim that God is everywhere or that all energy is one? It is the same world. It's science when it can be inferred mathematically. It's called religion if you believe it. Yoga is what we call the process of finding a way there. Therefore, what is yoga and what is it not? It doesn't exist.
Directing Your Energies through Hatha Yoga
To guide you towards the Yoga experience of union and boundlessness, we manipulate energy and move the system in a specific manner. Physical postures represent just one aspect of this practice. Understanding the body's mechanics, creating a particular environment, and then utilizing body postures to direct energy flow is the essence of Hatha Yoga or Yogasanas. Hatha Yoga should not be mistaken for mere exercise. Asana refers to a posture - each sitting position constitutes a unique asana. With countless potential postures the body can assume, eighty-four foundational postures have been recognized as Yogasanas.
What is Hatha Yoga?
Hatha Yoga is an initial phase of Yoga. The word “ha” represents the sun, while “ta” represents the moon. “Hatha” denotes the Yoga discipline that aims to balance the sun and moon energies within oneself, or the Pingala and Ida within oneself. Hatha Yoga can be approached in various manners to surpass certain limitations, yet fundamentally, it serves as physical groundwork – preparing the body for heightened capabilities. Despite additional dimensions, in essence, by observing an individual's posture, one can infer much about their condition. Upon self-reflection, you may notice that diverse emotions result in distinct sitting positions – anger, joy, and sadness each materialize in unique stances. This observation lays the foundation for the science of asanas. By purposefully adopting different postures, one can also elevate consciousness.
In many places, the current practice of Hatha Yoga predominantly concentrates on the physical element – the body's mechanics.
Traditional Hatha Yoga
Despite Yoga becoming popular in the West over the past two decades, sometimes being taught inadequately, its undeniable health benefits transcend geographical and occupational boundaries. Currently, there is a significant increase in the number of people practicing Yoga, possibly due to the gradual acknowledgment by the scientific community of its profound nature. However, if an incorrect and distorted version of Yoga continues to spread, scientific research in fifteen years may reveal its detrimental effects on human health, leading to its decline.
Therefore, it is crucial to revive traditional Yoga practices. When taught in a conducive environment with humility and inclusivity, Yoga becomes an extraordinary method of transforming one's body into a remarkable vessel, an incredible instrument for connecting with the Divine.