The Art of Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga, which is also called Hatha Vidya, is first introduced by Yogi Swatmarama. Hatha Yoga is considered a preparatory phase of physical purification that the body practices for higher meditation. Hence, it explains why hatha yoga poses might be quite difficult to master, especially if you’re just starting out.

A yoga pose might be difficult to master, depending on how you look at it. Remember that mind power also plays a part in doing a yoga workout. Well, as one who practices yoga for many years, I could certainly attest that no matter what form of yoga pose you are trying to do, none is more difficult than those in hatha yoga. It could just be me but a hatha yoga posture is especially hard because the yoga poses in this type of yoga are much more complicated than those of a beginner’s.

How to Do Hatha Yoga

If you want to be able to execute a hatha yoga posture properly, the first part would be to get the posture right. Most of the time, yogis wonder why they couldn’t hold a yoga pose even for a minute. If that is the case, then you might want to check and ask yourself if you’re really doing the yoga pose correctly in the first place. If you are quite unfamiliar with yoga, then I suggest having someone to assist you, preferably someone who has experience.

If you’ve decided that the yoga poses in hatha yoga is your cup of tea, and therefore consider doing it for the long term, then you might want to enroll to a yoga class, to ensure that you really are gettting the correct yoga poses through the assistance of a professional.

Breathing Technique in Hatha Yoga

Another important issue when it comes to holding hatha yoga poses is to breathe properly. For me, proper breathing is as important as the proper execution of the yoga poses itself. Proper breathing when doing yoga poses allows your body to bring more oxygen to the blood. There are those who say that it also helps produce a “vital life energy”. Proper breathing, especially in hatha yoga, also helps get rid of waste products and toxins from the body. Ideally, you should be consciously aware of each inhalation and exhalation, and make some kind of a rhythmic breathing when you do the yoga poses, especially the challenging ones.

The Essence of Hatha Yoga: Smooth Movements

In doing hatha yoga poses, you need to be as graceful as you can possibly be. Meaning to say, you will need to release it smoothly. Do not do sudden jerky movements. It should be fluid and move as smoothly as possible. Yoga is not only an exercise, but also an art.