Hatha Yoga for Health, Vitality and Inner Peace

When people talk about yoga, they usually mean Hatha yoga which is the most well-known of the disciplines. Hatha can be interpreted as meaning sun and moon and yoga translates as union or unity.

The focus of Hatha yoga is for the student to achieve a balance of body and mind and to be able to cope with the daily stresses and strains. Continued and regular practice enables the student to achieve a sense of deep inner peace, mental clarity, flexibility of the body and to be able to reach deeper relaxation.

There are many useful books or DVD’s on the subject of yoga and these depict the correct body alignment, the various stages of development within individual postures and also the benefits. Hatha yoga was pioneered in the 15th century and is suitable for the complete beginner, those with disabilities or those who are inflexible. Hatha yoga could be considered the ultimate stepping-stone from beginner to greater health.

Some of the postures have a positive impact on conditions such as arthritis and diabetes and by practicing the breathing techniques, can help with asthma and also those who suffer with bronchitis.

Hatha yoga is more of a way of life rather than a set of exercises. It becomes a conscious act, a way of developing and improving, a way of reaching a higher awareness.

Each of the postures should be carefully followed to reach maximum benefits and attention should be turned inwards so that the practitioner is aware of every movement, every sensation, feeling the stretch and then releasing the tension. Whilst increased flexibility is the aim of many, it is more about listening to the body rather than the reward of being sat in some advanced yogic position, which is more important.

The benefits of yoga can be felt within days; certainly a feeling of lightness and achievement can happen quite readily. Yoga is highly therapeutic, the regular practice sessions providing an outlet for tension and everyday stresses and strains.

Attendance at a yoga class is useful as not only can the student receive regular guidance from the teacher, but there is a feeling of support from the other students too and often, strong friendships can develop through the attendance of a class. These friendships can be useful in that they encourage continued practice of yoga even on those days when you may not feel like practicing.

During your Hatha yoga session, the teacher will also introduce gentle relaxation techniques, which will then lead into guided visualizations and meditations so that the students can realize the benefits that are achievable instantly through applied practice.
Yoga postures, the breathing techniques and meditation are simple techniques for the eager practitioner to achieve a healthy balance in life.

Discover Spiritual Growth with Kriya Yoga

Many people believe that yoga is all about the physical aspects meaning the body becoming stronger, suppler, and the student being able to deal with stress more efficiently. Of course Hatha yoga which is the more well known of the yoga styles is to a greater extent about improving the body and these are some of the advantages of making yoga part of your life. However, Kriya yoga is an advanced form, which focuses on spiritual growth as opposed to the physical context of yoga.

Typically, the practitioner of any yoga style should have studied any style of yoga for a year or more before embarking on the Kriya yoga route. This is because Kriya yoga is much more complex and requires even greater dedication and understanding of its principles.

Essentially all yoga disciplines teach the student about the inner life force and all yoga postures work at increasing the life force, opening up channels, clearing blockages, balancing inner energies.

The Kriya yoga student focuses on the energy in a different manner and works this energy up and down the spine. Kriya practice is to do with mastery of the breath and the concept is that the student directs this energy to rotate around the spinal centers (medullary, cervical, dorsal, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal plexuses) these spinal centers relate to the twelve signs of the zodiac.

The practice of kriya yoga is very deep and involved and the student must be dedicated to the practice to be able to progress and this is why it is recommended that students will have practiced other yoga methods and styles previously.

The techniques are very powerful and bring inspiration and clarity to the student; it opens up the spiritual eye and magnetizes the body. It takes students a long time to be able to grasp in fully the theory behind the practice and this is one of the reasons why it is important that the student does not self-teach this discipline. There are qualified teachers who should be contacted so as to instill correct techniques into the student; this will then help them to understand all that is Kriya yoga.

Essentially, the student will be able to decarbonize the blood and recharge it with oxygen, and this then rejuvenates all of the spinal centers and the brain. The idea is that the student will have control over the decay of body tissues by using the energy, this internal life-force and the power of their mind.

The student can still carry on with the other elements of yoga such as Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga etc, keeping the body strong is important and will help with the studies towards spiritual growth.