A branch of yoga that started
the practice of modern-day yoga.
Yoga originated in ancient India as a form of physical and mental practice used to control the mind, keeping it free and untouched from vices and mundane suffering.
Although there are different opinions among scholars debating on when the practice of yoga started, the first appearance of the word was found in a book created between the third and fifth centuries. Yoga was initially a spiritual practice focusing on meditation and release from worldly attachments but has evolved to become more of a physical exercise.
Definition of Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is a branch of yoga that uses physical techniques to preserve vital forces of energy, they mainly focus on asanas(postures), breathing techniques, and hand mudras. Modern-day Hatha yoga also consists of asanas and breathing techniques, the major difference lies in its use of yoga flows/sequence (vinyasa) during the exercise.
Evolution of Hatha Yoga
The introduction of yoga practices to other parts of the world came with various changes, as the original Hatha yoga which was developed in the 15th century became modified towards the 20th century. The current form of yoga practiced was created in 1920 by Yogendra who introduced postures as a more active part of the exercise, sun salutations were created by Rajah of Aundi and Bhawanrao in the 1920s. Krishnamacharya, a yoga teacher created most of the standing poses used today, his students went on to create other branches of yoga like Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, Power yoga, and Iyengar yoga. Other integral aspects of ancient Hatha yoga like purification(shatkarma), breath retention(kumbhaka), and centers of energy(chakras) are absent in present-day yoga reducing it to merely a physical exercise with little to no spiritual benefit.
The popularity of yoga increased in the United States as more Hollywood celebrities were introduced to the exercise, the 1950s brought about the rise of yoga as a popular TV show “Yoga for Health” was aired.
Benefits of Hatha Yoga
Yoga has been linked to many health benefits, a few of them are:
- Improves back pain: Weekly yoga practice has been linked to improved muscular activity in the lower back. Poses like downward facing dog, low lunge with backends, seated forward folds, and seated spinal twists were found to be most effective.
- Mental Wellness: Slow and controlled yoga poses elevate muscles and stimulate the release of brain chemicals, helping to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Improves Menopausal Symptoms: Psychological and certain physical symptoms can be improved through yoga exercises. Research carried out by scientists in Indonesia found that yoga helped improve symptoms and sleep quality in menopausal patients.
- Improves Women’s health: From relieving menstrual pains, improving hormonal health, helping pregnant women relax, increasing flexibility and fertility as well as helping with postpartum recovery yoga is the best exercise for women.
- Boosts immunity: Practicing yoga long-term has been linked with improved immunity. Chronic stress affects the immune system negatively and yoga helps in combating stress.
Even though Hatha yoga is the best option for beginners, some poses might be too difficult for you if that’s the case try some modified poses till you’re strong enough to practice the main thing. If a Hatha class seems too slow for you, Ashtanga or Power yoga might be a better option.
Good practice makes perfect so remember to perform the correct hand gestures and breathing techniques while practicing.
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