Hatha yoga is also known as Hatha vidya, and is a particular system of yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a wise man from 15th century India, and collector and recorder of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Swatmarama introduces Hatha Yoga as a preparatory stage of physical purification that renders the body fit for the practice of higher meditation. The word Hatha is a compound of the words ha and tha meaning sun and moon and refers to the energy channels of the body that must be fully operational to attain a state of inner peace. Hatha Yoga is what most people in the West associate with the word "yoga" and is practiced for mental and physical health throughout the West.

Traditional Hatha Yoga is a holistic yoga path, including moral disciplines, physical exercises (ex. postures), breath control, and meditation. The Hatha yoga predominantly practiced in the West consists of mostly postures and exercise. Exercising postures in Hatha Yoga has two main objectives: (1) to practice any real meditation, you need at least one posture in which you can be perfectly comfortable for a long period of time- the more such postures one can master, the better the basis for developing the inner meditation techniques; (2) to bring health and energy to body and mind by opening the nadis- simply mastering the postures is no objective in itself, although mastering various postures strengthens the power of will and concentration.

Yoga positions should not be confused with mere exercise, which help strengthen and develop muscles. Yoga postures, or asanas, are special positions of the body that strengthen, purify and balance the endocrine, nervous and circulatory systems. Although there yoga asanas are not prescribed to treat illnesses, they have been shown by many participants to have healing properties and may help prevent diseases. If you regularly practice yoga positions, your body will gradually achieve increased endurance, your body will rid itself of toxins, your spine will become more flexible, you will breathe much more easily, gain energy, your circulation will improve, your body will come to its natural weight, your blood pressure will normalize, you will not feel as much stress, and your overall mood will improve. And with benefits like that, how can you not want to get involved with Hatha yoga?

If you're thinking of doing Hatha Yoga, here is a list of directions you may want to follow.

• Drink plenty of water before performing postures, but your stomach should be empty.


• Do not try to force your body into one of the postures.


• Each posture should be performed slowly and exactly.


• Breathing should be controlled and should always be through the nose.


• If you are pregnant, after the first 3 months you should avoid exercises that require lying on the stomach.


• Positions should be performed in a well-lit, clean and ventilated room. The atmosphere should be a peaceful one. Some people prefer to do Hatha yoga in nature (just be sure that it's a calm environment).

Regular practice of Hatha yoga will help you control your emotions and lead a more satisfying life. If you start yoga practice early in your life, it will dramatically reduce your risk of developing cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other serious illnesses. Don't become discouraged if it takes some practice before you can do all the poses you want to be able to do. It just takes some work and luckily, the rewards greatly exceed your effort.