The Practice: Asana Hatha
The Practice: Asana
Hatha
Yoga (Ha = sun , tha= moon) is an umbrella term for the systems of physical postures
that our culture today has come to associate the term Yoga. It is the path of bodily discipline,
whose highest purpose is to purify the body to give one awareness and control over the
internal states, rendering the body/mind fit for meditation.
The physical practice of yoga is called asana – physical postures linked with breath and
movement to build internal heat, called tapas, which cleanses the internal organs and glands,
oxygenating blood and joints and clearing the mind of disconnected thoughts which can lead
to anxiety, stress, anger or depression.
Asana is essential to life force control – it supports the ability to invoke divine energy in
preparation for pranayama and meditation, by alleviating strain, tension, restlessness, laziness
and bodily attachment and bestowing bodily control, mental and physical calmness.
Through our practice of asana, our aim is to align physical, personal, emotional and spiritual
with the natural order, or Supreme Divinity, to come to the remembrance, understanding and
trust that we are guided by grace, that from a superior perspective, all is working in synchrony
with a perfect and universal plan, and that even the so called “bad” or negative experiences
have a positive quality and can be used to teach us something. The practice of asana can be
used to elevate consciousness, help us feel more aligned, happier, more well being and
more balanced than before our practice.
The Practice: Sun Salutations
Sun Salutations, or Surya Namaskar, is a specific sequence of 12 or so poses linked in a
series to lengthen and strengthen, flex and extend the spine and many of the main muscles of
the body while distributing the prana flow throughout the body’s systems. Sun salutations
mobilize the spine in all directions strengthening hundreds of muscles, stretching and
enhancing flexibility of the entire body, increasing the respiratory capacity of the lungs,
rhythmically stimulating and relaxing the nervous system, eliminating a lot of stress and
leaving us feeling more vibrant and healthy! Sun Salutations can be taken as a complete asana
practice in and of itself and is an excellent starting point for creating your own home practice.
Home Practice Tip: Use the sun salutations as a template from which to be creative and
build your own home practice according to your body’s needs.