Hatha: Force or overcoming will.

(See also: Hatha, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Hatha yoga:

Yogic system of balancing the body's energies. Consists of physical exercises, known as 'asanas'.

(See also: Hatha yoga, Psychic, Psychic Dictionary, Parapsychology, Parapsychology Dictionary)

hatha-yoga

the system of practicing sitting postures for sense control.

(See also: hatha-yoga, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Hatha Yoga: the physical practice of postures and breathing exercises. Prepares the body for spiritual experience.

(See also: Hatha Yoga, Hinduism, Yoga, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Hatha Yoga: A branch of Yoga, perhaps the most practiced style of Yoga, emphasizing the physical aspects of the spiritual path, with postures and breath control.

(See also: Hatha Yoga, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Hatha yoga:

science of yoga which purifies the whole physical body by means of shatkarma, asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha and concentration

(See also: Hatha yoga, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Hatha Yoga:

Hatha Yoga ("Forceful Yoga"): a major branch of yoga, developed by Goraksha and other adepts c. 1000 C.E., and emphasizing the physical aspects of the transformative path, notably postures (asana) and cleansing techniques (shodhana), but also breath control (pranayama)

(See also: Hatha Yoga, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Hatha Yoga:

Hatha Yoga. "Sun-Moon Yoga". Exercises for better physical health. Also means "Forced Yoga". Can detract from spiritual pursuits by addicting one to the body.

Evolved by Gorakhnath.

(See also: Hatha Yoga, Tantra, Tantra Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

hatha yoga:

"sun-moon yoga". exercises for better physical health. Also means "Forced yoga". Can detract from spiritual pursuits by addicting one to the body. Evolved by gorakhnath.

(See also: hatha yoga, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

HATHA YOGA: the Yoga of physical perfection

(See also: HATHA YOGA, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Hatha Yoga: Yoga of the physical body

(See also: Hatha Yoga, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

hatha yoga:

yoga of the physical body

(See also: hatha yoga, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Hatha yoga:

The yoga of body postures. A form of yoga based upon physical contortions of the body aimed at increasing strength, suppleness, and stamina. Its aim is to prepare the body to receive the stronger, higher vibrations experienced during Samaddhi, and ultimately achieve union with God.

(See also: Hatha yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Hatha yoga:

Yogic practices, both physical and mental, performed for the purpose of purifying and strengthening the physical and subtle bodies.

(See also: Hatha yoga, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary, Siddha Yoga, Siddha Yoga Dictionary)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V X Y Z

Hatha Yoga

(Sanskrit) Yoga emphasizing physical postures, breathing and diet

(See also: Hatha Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika:

Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika ("Light on Hatha Yoga"): one of three classical manuals on hatha yoga, authored by Svatmarama Yogendra in the fourteenth century

(See also: Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Hatha Yoga (Sanskrit) The lower form of Yoga practice; one which uses physical means for purposes of spiritual self-development The opposite of Raja Yoga.

(See also: Hatha Yoga, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Hatha yoga:

The foundation of Raja yoga; ethics, postures, breathing.

(See also: Hatha yoga, Kundalini, Kundalini Yoga, Kundalini Dictionary)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V X Y Z

Hatha Yoga (Sanskrit) A lower form of yoga practice which uses physical means for purposes of self-development, teaching that it is possible to attain to a certain grade of psychomental abstraction and to develop some of the lower vital-astral powers, by means of a set of physical exercises and postures, by the regulation of the breath, or by certain other psychophysical methods. These methods are to be neither recommended nor followed, for they are exceedingly dangerous except when practiced in minor degree under the supervision of a teacher, and above everything else in full coordination with the higher forms of yoga.

Hatha yoga practices can be exceedingly dangerous to sanity and health. Being of nonphysical nature on one side, they can adversely affect the mind, and in extreme cases even dislodge the mind from its normal and proper seat, producing insanity. Being of a physical nature also, they interfere with the proper pranic circulations in the body; the pranas when left alone are usually productive of health, and when disturbed by attempted meddling produce disease.

One phase of hatha yoga is the pranayama (suppression of the breath), interference with the normal and healthy respiration of the body; a practice which can readily produce tuberculosis of the lungs. It is breathing deeply, healthfully, and as often as common sense suggests, that brings benefits to the body because bringing about a better oxygenation of the blood and therefore a better physical tone. In very rare circumstances only, where a chela has advanced relatively far mentally and spiritually, but has still an unfortunate and heavy physical karma as yet not worked out, it may possibly be proper, under the guidance of a genuine teacher, to use the hatha yoga methods in a limited degree, but only under the teacher's own eye. For this reason hatha yoga books are occasionally mentioned in theosophical literature -- the Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali, for example, is a hatha yoga scripture, but one of the highest type. But generally, hatha yoga practices are injurious and therefore unwise, for they distract the attention from things of the spirit and direct it to the lower parts of the constitution.

Unfortunately, however, physical practices of various kinds seem to be particularly attractive to the average person because apparently within the sphere of easy performance. One does not know the dangers lurking there; but actually, to achieve even the minor results that come from perfect performance, greater effort and larger difficulties have to be encountered than in raising one's eyes to the nobler forms of yoga. It is always safe and indeed requisite for a disciple to practice the higher branches of yoga: jnana yoga, raja yoga, bhakti yoga, and karma yoga, which means the yoga of unselfish action in daily life. Consequently, when considered apart from the nobler forms of yoga there is not a particle of spirituality in all these hatha yoga practices.

(See also: Hatha Yoga, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

hatha-yoga:

hatha-yoga - union with the supreme via discipline

(See also: hatha-yoga, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)