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Dissecting Yoga Styles: Hatha Yoga
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The word Hatha is comprised of two parts: "ha" meaning sun and "tha" meaning moon. Yoga is the union of the sun and moon, or body and mind leading to vitality, peace and balance.
This type of yoga preceded many of the modern practices heard throughout studios in the west today. Popular styles like Iyengar and Ashtanga are considered Hatha yoga, but have evolved into very distinct methods. Some are more rigorous, while others are more meditative, but they all have roots in Hatha.
The goal of yoga is to have a clear mind, peaceful and free of distraction in a healthy, strong physical body. Sitting in meditation can be extremely difficult if the body experiences pain or discomfort, so Hatha was created to achieve this very goal. By practicing physical poses, the body is able to sit with ease in meditation thus clearing the mind of any bodily obstacles.
A Hatha yoga class usually consists of asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. There is no set order of asanas to practice, so this allows for creativity from the instructor, as well as variation from class to class in some cases. The basics of Hatha are a great place for someone to start with yoga because so many other styles have developed from this ancient form. Most studios offer a range of levels, so Hatha can be for beginners or expert practitioners.
The benefits are endless including stress relief, strengthening and toning of muscles, boosting of the immune system, posture improvement, stronger ability to focus and concentrate, increased circulation, healthy body awareness, increased energy and improvement of muscular-skeletal conditions (like kyphosis, lordosis and scoliosis).
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