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Hatha Yoga is typically the most well known form of yoga in the western world, and well suited for people who like there to be a strong emphasis on the physical. As you might expect from the name, ‘ha’ meaning sun and ‘tha’ meaning moon, this form of yoga attempts to bring together seemingly opposing forces. One of the benefits of yoga is that there are six different types, to allow you to choose the one best suited for you. In addition to Hatha Yoga, there is Raja Yoga which focuses more on meditation for the more mentally inclined, Karma Yoga which focuses on selflessness for people who want to help humanity, Jnana Yoga, the yoga of knowledge is best for those who most enjoy using their intellect, Tantra Yoga is ceremonial yoga for people who enjoy the formal and ritualistic, and finally Bhakti Yoga, based on the principles of love for those who reach for the Divine with their hearts.

Hatha Yoga is based most importantly on two things: The positions (also known as asanas) and the breath control (also known as pranayama). The different positions used not only keep your body flexible but also cleanse your body and allow you more ease in your spiritual progression. The most important way of aiding the spiritual side of yoga is by opening the chakras, centers of energy that run along your spine. This opening of the chakras allows the energy latent at the base of your spine, known as Kundalini, to travel up your spine and out through your head chakra, the Sahasrara chakra. The idea of this process is that it brings the spirit of the person closer to the Cosmic Consciousness. The other side of the equation, the control of breath, is just as important. When done in tandem with the asanas, keeping your breath consciously focused, it also aids in spiritual enlightenment and cleansing your physical body.

Asanas are useful in many other ways as well. They open the nadis, making your body healthier and more energetic. They also help develop the correct technique to meditation. In order to meditate, one must hold a particular posture for lengthy periods of time. The more postures you can hold, the better the experience, and asanas help you to hold these postures.

Breath control, or pranayama, is believed to be important because by learning to control your breath, you are then much closer to learning how to control your mind. In addition, Pranayama allow more ease to the flow of prana, or life force. The more advanced forms of Hatha Yoga require this flow of prana, which then through practice lead to the Cosmic Consiousness, or Samadhi. One of the ways we practice Pranayama is alternating breathing through the nostrils to balance both sides of the brain.