Ideal for beginners: Find out what Hatha Yoga is all about and learn the sun salutation.
What is Hatha Yoga? Meaning and special features
Hatha yoga is probably one of the best-known yoga styles and the basis for most contemporary yoga styles. It is about the balance between body and mind.
- Definition and origin: Hatha Yoga comes from India and means “strength” or “endurance”. It combines physical exercises (asanas) with breathing techniques (pranayamana). In the past, it served to achieve salvation and was considered a path to self-knowledge. In his 2000-year-old Yoga Sutra, Patenjali explains how yoga techniques should be applied to achieve enlightenment.
- Goal of Hatha Yoga: Even today, the goal of many yogis is the harmony of body and mind, but the focus is on asanas, i.e. body postures. Many therefore also use yoga to relieve and prevent physical ailments.
- Special features: A characteristic of Hatha Yoga is that this style of yoga does not include flows, i.e. a flowing sequence of several asanas. Particular emphasis is placed on a mindful, slow execution of the asanas. These are often held for longer. This makes Hatha Yoga very suitable for beginners, as it is generally taught more gently.
- Pranayama (Atmung): Breathing is also of central importance in Hatha Yoga. “Prana” means energy and “yamana” means control. This makes it clear what the breathing exercises do: we find our way back to natural breathing, can concentrate better, have more energy or feel more relaxed.
- Final relaxation: A Hatha Yoga class usually includes a final relaxation (Shavasana) or meditation. In Shavasana you lie motionless on your back and relax. This can be done through a dream journey or progressive muscle relaxation. This distributes the energy activated by the practice throughout the body. Only then is a yoga class considered complete.
Important Hatha Yoga exercises and the sun salutation
In Hatha Yoga there are a variety of exercises that strengthen both the body and the mind. One of the most well-known sequences is the sun salutation, which exists in different variations and therefore also has different levels of difficulty.
- The Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar): It consists of 12 asanas that are extremely dynamic, get the whole body moving and, provided it is practiced regularly, harmonize the whole body. If done in the morning, it provides energy for the whole day. It is a particularly good introduction to yoga for beginners who are still looking for their style.
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana): A fundamental pose to improve body awareness and balance. Through Tadasana we find inner peace and ground ourselves. We are immovable and powerful like a mountain.
- Krieger I (Virabhadrasana I): The warrior exists in three variations and is also called “hero” in other traditions. It is a very powerful but also strenuous yoga asana that strengthens balance and promotes self-confidence.
- Child’s Pose (Balasana): A popular asana because it relaxes and calms us down. It reminds us of our childhood. But it also challenges us to let go and surrender, which is not easy for many. If we manage to do this, our muscles can be loosened and pain can be alleviated, especially in the back, neck and shoulders.
- Tree Pose (Vrikshasana): Grounded like a tree with deep roots, but flexible like the treetop that gently sways back and forth in the wind: this is what the tree symbolizes in Hatha Yoga. For some, this asana is annoying, but it improves our balance and our concentration. The tree grounds us and can thus lead us to inner peace and serenity.
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