Hatha yoga postures point to the various physical movements that entail the utilization of the mind of the practitioner.
Hatha Yoga Postures: Connotation of the terms
Hatha Yoga refers to the different physical movements that a practitioner performs.
Hatha Yoga – commonly called ‘Asanas’ – is a combination of the physical as well as the mental states of the person who regularly performs.
For instance, the postures include a set of specialized breathing exercises called ‘Pranayama’.
Hatha Yoga: The roots
The Sanskrit term ‘Pranayama’ has its roots in the two words: “prana” which means the source of energy or the life source; while “Ayama” means to control.
Therefore, the entire set of these yoga postures enables a person to deliberately manipulate the breathing process.
In short, these postures constitute the gamut of the science of controlling breathing.
Hatha Yoga Pranayama Postures
The postures are the typical breathing controlling exercises involving the body and the mind.
When you regularly practice Hatha yoga you will be able to have total control over your mind. It provides you with the key to doing this by giving you full control over your breathing process. As you do the postures – particularly the breathing control or ‘pranayama’ exercises – you unleash the potential energies latent within your physique. This is done in two phases, viz., involuntarily as well as voluntarily. Hence both unconsciously as well as consciously you gain control over your dormant power centers. Constant practice of these postures will help you even manipulate these treasure troves of latent energies.
Hatha Yoga controls breathing
The breathing includes the two processes of inhalation or breathing in (including the ingressive air) and exhalation or breathing out (egressive air). In normal circumstances, a person carries out breathing as a natural process.
Benefits of Hatha Yoga Pranayama Postures
The hatha yoga pranayama postures yield immense benefits to the dedicated practitioner.
Research has proved that if we can control the breathing process we can very well have control over our mind and body. In fact, controlled breathing is the key to healthy living.
Hatha yoga postures focus on the optimum utilization of the pranayama or the breathing process to give the body immunity against various ailments.
Hatha yoga is also the forefather of various mind control techniques. There are copious instances of people curing their own diseases (that were earlier declared incurable by modern medical science) through pranayama. Hatha yoga explores these intricate breathing postures.
Parents can even determine the sex of their yet-to be-conceived progeny through controlled breathing.
