An Introduction to Hatha Yoga

Photo by: Bigstockphoto
Photo by: Bigstockphoto

Hatha yoga is the most popular form of yoga, especially in the west. Also known as Haṭhavidyā, Hatha yoga focused on physical posturing (Asanas), meditation (dhyana) and breathing techniques (pranayama) to achieve better health and well-being. It enhances circulation, tones the soft tissues, and stretches the ligaments, and spine. Hatha yoga promotes balance and flexibility as well as calm of the mind. In today’s post, we are listing down the amazing health benefits of hatha yoga:

Eases Chronic Pain

Do you suffer from recurring back or neck pain? One of the most common causes of neck or back pain is stiff muscles. Stretching and improving flexibility helps ease muscle stiffness, alleviating aches and pains in various points of the body.

Hatha yoga relieves chronic pain by gently stretching and elongating the spine. The various poses are meant to calm the mind, boost flexibility, and tone the muscles. As such, people who suffer from carpal tunnel, back pain, neck pain, and sciatica will benefit from performing Hatha yoga regular. In addition, this type of yoga works great for those who suffer from asthma, sinusitis, anxiety, insomnia, and menstrual cramps!

Tones and Strengthens the Body

Hatha yoga allows you to focus on every muscle group, including those you did not know existed! By promoting a deeper sense of calm, you are able to increase your body’s flexibility, strength, and range of motion. Hatha yoga enhances balance, leaving you with a fitter body that’s resistant to common injuries.

Promotes Weight Loss

Although Hatha yoga is not a rigorous exercise, it does promote faster weight loss. You lose weight because the body burns off calories from achieving the perfect form. Also, a regular Hatha yoga session will leave you sweating buckets! This form of yoga is best for individuals who use food as an emotional crutch. If you are a constant grazer who loves snacking and you are looking to achieve a fitter body, give Hatha yoga a try! It will change your life.

Deeper Sense of Calm

Hatha yoga requires performing several poses to align the body with the mind and spirit. Think of these positions as a connection that eliminates mental distress, removing you from the chaos of the outside world. When you focus your mind inwards, you are able to reconcile whatever negative thoughts you have. This allows you to react or think about certain issues with a deeper sense of calm. With Hatha yoga, you are able to recognize your own behaviors and respond more effectively to any experience.

Spiritual Development

The very concept of yoga is to awaken and develop a person’s spiritual self. It works by releasing the energy that flows within the body, allowing you to balance all the opposite aspects of your being.

According to yoga practitioners, the practice refers to hot active energy and cooling energy as “ha” and “tha” respectively.

Hatha translates to “sun-moon,” denoting that the practice aims to rebalance the opposing energies in the body. Hatha yoga also clears and opens the body’s energy channels, including the spine that holds the divine energy. The idea is to allow opposing energies to flow continuously within the body to trigger a spiritual awakening.


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