Hatha Yoga

Overview

Hatha Yoga is the branch of yoga that forms the foundation of most physical yoga practices in the West. The term "Hatha" comes from Sanskrit: "Ha" means sun and "Tha" means moon, symbolizing the union of opposite and complementary energies. The foundational texts are Swami Swatmarama's Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th century), the Gheranda Samhita, and the Shiva Samhita. Contrary to popular belief, Hatha Yoga is not limited to postures: it is a complete system including purifications (shatkarmas), postures (asanas), energy locks (bandhas), gestures (mudras), breathing (pranayama), and meditation.

Traditionally, Hatha Yoga was practiced as preparation for prolonged meditation and spiritual awakening. Today, it is primarily taught for its benefits on physical and mental health, flexibility, strength, and stress management.

Core Principles

• Union of opposites: balancing solar (active, masculine, Ha) and lunar (receptive, feminine, Tha) energies in the body
• Asanas: postures held with awareness and breath, aiming for stability and comfort (sthira sukham asanam — Patanjali's Yoga Sutras)
• Pranayama: control of vital breath (prana) through specific breathing techniques
• Bandhas: energy locks (mula bandha, uddiyana bandha, jalandhara bandha) that channel energy
• Gradual progression: the practitioner advances at their own pace, respecting body limits
• Non-violence (ahimsa): never forcing a posture beyond one's capabilities

Main Indications

• Flexibility and joint mobility improvement
• Gentle muscle strengthening
• Stress and anxiety reduction
• Posture improvement and imbalance correction
• Chronic pain management (back, shoulders, neck)
• Sleep quality improvement
• Blood pressure regulation
• Mild depression support
• Meditation preparation

Session Structure

A typical session lasts 60-90 minutes:

1. Centering (5-10 min): seated cross-legged or in lotus, eyes closed. Body, breath, and present moment awareness. Sometimes Om chanting
2. Warm-up (10 min): gentle joint mobilizations, Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) adapted to group level
3. Standing postures (15-20 min): Warrior I, II, III (Virabhadrasana), Triangle (Trikonasana), Tree (Vrksasana), Chair (Utkatasana)
4. Floor postures (15-20 min): Cobra (Bhujangasana), Locust (Shalabhasana), Bridge (Setu Bandhasana), seated twists, forward folds
5. Inversions (5-10 min): Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana), Plow (Halasana) or half-bridge depending on level
6. Pranayama (5-10 min): alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana), abdominal breathing, or Kapalabhati
7. Final relaxation (Shavasana) (10 min): lying on back, complete body-mind relaxation, practice integration

Variations and Styles

Hatha Yoga as taught today varies considerably across schools and teachers. Classical Sivananda Hatha follows a fixed 12-posture sequence. Iyengar Hatha Yoga emphasizes alignment with props. Gentle Hatha is adapted for seniors and beginners with simplified postures. Hatha Flow adds fluidity between postures. In India, ashrams offer a more complete traditional Hatha including kriyas (purifications), mudras, and bandhas, rarely taught in Western group classes.

Contraindications

• Acute joint or muscle injuries (adapt postures with instructor)
• Herniated disc in inflammatory phase (avoid deep forward bends and twists)
• Uncontrolled hypertension (avoid inversions)
• Pregnancy beyond first trimester (switch to specialized prenatal yoga)
• Glaucoma (avoid inversions and breath retention)