What is Hatha Yoga compared to other types of yoga? Hatha Yoga is the traditional Indian yogic path that is composed of three branches: Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath and energy work), and Meditation (spiritual awareness and awakening). Hatha Yoga also comes with its own philosophies that can be read about within texts like the Upanishads, the Yog Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, and other ancient Indian philosophy texts. Most importantly, we must understand that Hatha Yoga is a lifestyle, not merely a practice.
The best way to start is by learning about the Yamas and the Niyamas, which is the “yogic code” essentially. You can learn about those on my podcast episode here, where I explain them all.
Next is to understand and practice the three-fold system, meaning not just doing an hour asana class. What this looks like in reality is 10-20 minutes of asana, 20 minutes of meditation, and 10-20 minutes of pranayama, give or take depending on our needs. This is utilizing the system as a whole, as it is meant to be used. Please note these do not all have to be practiced in the same hour if that’s not possible for you. You can let this enter your life in small pockets of time throughout your day. Let it be easy. This is meant to support your system, not give you more things “to do”.
Want to get started? Here are some simple videos from my YouTube channel, Holistic Hatha Yoga, that give you easy practices in each of the three categories: Asana, Pranayama, and Meditation.
Want to dive into the practice of Hatha Yoga, and learn how to use it for your own health of mind, body and soul? Join my 12 week journey, Foundations of Hatha Yoga, and do just that. This is at your own pace, with weekly practices to teach you everything you need to know to have a holistic Hatha Yoga practice from home.
As always, feel free to reach out if you need further assistance in the yogic realm. I am always happy to help.
Om Shanti, friend.
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