Hatha Yoga - What is it and why do we do it?

Hatha Yoga is one of the most established styles of yoga, dating back more than 1000 years.

One of the main principles of Hatha is balance; balancing our naturally active energies with our naturally calm energies. We achieve this balance by practicing physical yoga postures (asanas) as well as breathing techniques (pranayama) which can help to create that feeling of stability within our brains and bodies. 

In Hatha Yoga you will typically stay for longer in each yoga posture, while focusing on deepening your breath. Staying in each yoga posture for slightly longer, means you can work with the breath, and your mind, to find more stability, flexibility and strength in body and mind. In a Hatha class, beginners may start by learning a handful of foundational yoga postures. Starting with the foundations sets you up for success and ensures your yoga practice is safe, steady and progresses at the right pace for you. 

In a Hatha Class it is not uncommon for your teacher to physically demonstrate how to move into that posture before you enter it. Your teacher will explain the correct alignment of each body part and they may also demonstrate variations of the yoga posture, which can be helpful if you are working with an injury and/or ongoing physical sensitivity.

There are hundreds of thousands of different yoga postures and variations, which we can learn gradually. Like anything, the more times you repeat a posture, and work with your teacher to improve alignment, the more accustomed your body will come to that particular posture.

If you want to learn more about Hatha yoga, book onto a Hatha yoga class to see how you can start to learn and refine your foundational yoga postures.