Hatha Yoga Class Schedule
Hatha Yoga Class
What Is Hatha Yoga?
Hatha yoga refers to a practice of yoga utilizing physical discipline. The main objective is to use physical postures (asana) and breathing techniques (pranayama) to balance the mind and body. In essence, it is preparation for working toward Enlightenment. In this style of yoga, we practice balancing the body and mind with sequences and postures linked to our breath in order to use our energy (also referred to as prana or life force) most effectively. Ultimately, the Hatha yogi wishes to prepare their body to approach the practice of meditation with more ease and stability.
The roots of the word Hatha in Sanskrit are Ha (Sun) and Tha (Moon) which speaks to the balancing nature of the practice. We can’t have day if we don’t have night. Exploration of this balancing is a method by which yogis can prepare their bodies for the long seat of meditation that will lead them to Enlightenment. Without this balanced preparation, these states are unlikely to be achieved.
In the modern world, Hatha yoga is the yoga of poses, postures, and sequences that we often recognize as “yoga.” We don’t always think of practicing yoga as a means of achieving enlightenment. And the good news is, we don’t have to start there. The balancing benefits of Hatha yoga are noticeable even to the newest student, who simply wants to move their body in balance with their breath.
Benefits of Hatha Yoga
Yoga has many physical health benefits: it is a form of movement that is focused on increasing the body’s ability to relax, restore and rejuvenate. Yoga is a system of movement and self-study that can significantly lessen the impact of stress. People who practice yoga regularly have reported improved sleep, digestion and reduced illness. Almost immediately, people notice that they breathe better. All of these benefits arise from the balancing of prana (life-force) through focusing the attention on the connection between breath and body movement.
Beyond the physical benefits, there are noted psychological and mental-emotional ones, too. Increased ability to self-soothe, increased focus and clarity, a heightened feeling of connection to oneself, emotional evenness and equanimity, are all regularly reported. Practitioners can even experience a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life (Cope, 1999).
Do you have to want to attain all of these benefits in order to see yoga as a positive in your life? Certainly not. I encourage my students to come to their classes, practices and mats with an open curiosity: just see if you can observe what it is like for you. Take what is useful, helpful, interesting or wonderful, and feel absolutely free to leave what isn’t. Yoga will do what yoga does, and you can absorb what your being needs when it needs it.