Hatha YogaHatha Yoga Basics
This section holds 11 short articles about what a practice stands on. The four articles in the Basics group explain what hatha yoga is, how Patanjali's eight limbs fit together and what yama and niyama mean. The seven articles in the Practice group deal with breathing, ujjayi, bandhas, Sun Salutation, Savasana, safety and putting together your own sequence.
Each one takes 2 to 4 minutes to read and comes with examples that link to poses, pranayamas and sequences on the site. If you're just starting out, read the pieces on safety and breath in practice first. If you'd rather practice without ready-made programs, the article on how to build your own practice will come in handy.
Basics
- What Is Hatha YogaHatha yoga is an ancient Indian system for working with the body, the breath, and attention. · 3 min
- The Eight Limbs of YogaIn the Yoga Sutras, the sage Patanjali described yoga as a path of eight limbs: ashtanga yoga, literally “eight-limbed yoga” (not to be confused with the athletic style of the same name). · 3 min
- Yama: Five Principles for Relating to the WorldYama is the first limb of yoga: five principles for how we interact with the world around us. · 4 min
- Niyama: Five Principles for Relating to YourselfNiyama is the second limb of yoga: five principles of inner discipline. · 4 min
Practice
- Breath in PracticeThe breath is the main tool of Hatha yoga. · 3 min
- Ujjayi: Breathing with SoundUjjayi, the “victorious breath,” is a technique in which the glottis narrows slightly and the breath becomes audible, like the distant sound of the ocean. · 2 min
- Bandhas: Energy LocksBandha means “lock”: a gentle muscular engagement that redirects internal pressure and energy. · 3 min
- Sun Salutation: Meaning and TechniqueSurya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation, is a sequence of twelve positions linked by the breath. · 3 min
- Savasana: The Art of RelaxationSavasana is the pose of complete relaxation that ends every practice. · 3 min
- Safety and ContraindicationsYoga is safe when you practice with respect for your body. · 3 min
- How to Build Your Own PracticeThe Builder in this app puts together sequences according to the classical rules of Hatha yoga. · 3 min