Hatha Yoga

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is compiled by Yogi Swatmarama, an outstanding personality among many authorities of Hatha Yoga i.e. Goraknanath, Gheranda and Srinivasa Bhatta. The majority of yoga being practiced in the globe is Hatha Yoga, involving Asanas (yoga postures), pranayama (breathing practices), Kriyas (internal cleansing techniques), Bandhas (muscular locks and contractions), and Mudras (hand gestures and seals), to greater or lesser degrees depending on the system of yoga. Hatha yoga is a highly refined system of Holistic Health and well-being, addressing all layers of the  self are not separate but interrelated, affecting one another.

• Bringing Holistic Health and well Being.
• Purification and harmonization of Body, Prana and Mind.
• Leading to Raja
• To gain balance and control in one’s life.

Meaning of ‘Ha’ & ‘Tha’–Sun and Moon

Although the Sanskrit term hatha means “Forceful” or “intense,” when broken into its syllables, ‘Ha’ for “moon” and ‘Tha’ for “sun,” it implies a joining of opposites. Masculine Qualities such as strength, activeness, aggression, hardness, and heat are associated with the sun, and Feminine Qualities such as softness, passivity, gentleness, nurturance, and coolness are associated with the moon.

1. Garudasana (eagle pose)
2. Utkatasana (Mighty Pose)
3. Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose)
4. Parivritta Trikonasana (revolved triangle pose)
5. Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)
6. Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (revolved side angle pose)
7. Parsvottanasana (side intense stretch)
8. Virabhadrasana-1(warrior 1)
9. Virabhadrasana – 2(warrior)

1. Padangusthasana (holding the big toes)
2. Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana
3. Virbhadrasana-3 (warrior)
4. Natarajasana(lord of the dance pose)
5. Prasarita Padottanasana (wide spread foot pose)
6. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (extended hand big toe pose)
7. Malasana (garland pose)

Beginners Level Kneeling Asana

1. Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)
2. Balasana(Child’s Pose) or Shashankasana (pose of the moon or hare pose)
3. Madukasana(Frog Pose) or Bhadrasana (gracious pose)
4. Marjaryasana(Cat Pose)
5. Vyaghrasana(Tiger Pose)

Intermediate Level Kneeling Asana

1. Virasana (hero pose)
2. Ushtrasana (camel pose)

Advanced Asana Kneeling Asana

1. Parighasana (gate pose)
2. Supta Virasana (recline hero pose)

Beginners Level

1. Sukhasana(Easy pose)
2. Dandasana (Staff Pose)
3. Swastikasana (auspicious pose)
4. Siddhasana ((adept’s pose or psychic pose)
5. Siddha Yoni Asana (accomplished pose for women)
6. Padmasana (lotus pose)

Intermediate Level

1. Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose)
2. Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (revolved knee to head pose)
3. Paschimottanasana (Ugrasana or Brahmacharyasana)
4. Purvottanasana (east intense stretch pose)
5. Gomukhasana (cow face resembling)
6. Marichyasana (name of the sage mariachi) & Vakrasana
7. Ardha Navasana (half boat)
8. Upavistha Konasana (Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend Pose)
9. Baddha Konasana (bounded angle pose)
10. Ardha Matsyendrasana (half spinal twist)
11. Yogamudrasana (Yoga Gesture or Psychic Union Pose)
12. Simhasana (lion gesture)

Advanced level

1. Paripurna Navasana (complete boat pose)
2. Ubhaya Padangustasana (Ubhaya – both, padangusta – big toe)
3. Merudandasana (spinal column pose)
4. Urdhva Padmasana (Upward Lotus Pose) or Lolasana (swinging pose)
5. Akarna Dhanurasana (heel touches the ear as an archer pulls the bow-string)
6. Kukkutasana (cockerel pose)

Beginners Level Supine Asana

1. Shavasana (Corpse Pose)
2. Supta Pawanmuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)
3. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana(bridge)
4. Uttan Padasana

Intermediate Level

1. Jathara Parivartanasana (abdomen twisting pose)
2. Salamba Sarvangasana(supported Sarvangasana)
3. Matsyasana(fish pose)
4. Supta Konasana(Reclining Angle Pose)
5. Urdhva Chakrasana (upward wheel pose)

Advanced Level

1. Anantasana (Vishnu couch pose)
2. Eka Pada Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
3. Supta Padangusthasana (supine holding big toe)
4. Halasana (Plough Pose)
5. Karnapidasana (ear to pressure pose)

Prone Asana (abdomen Pose)

Beginners Level Prone Asana

1. Makarasana (Crocodile Pose)
2. Ardha Shalabhasana (Half Locust Pose)
3. Salabhasana (locust pose)
4. Sarpasana (Snake Pose)
5. Bhujangasana(serpent pose)

Intermediate Level Prone Asana

Advanced Level Prone Asana

1. Parsva Dhanurasana(sideways bow pose)

Arm Balancing Asana

Intermediate Level Arm Balancing Asana

2. Phalakasana (Plank Pose) or Santolanasana (balancing pose)
3. Chaturanga Dandasana
4. Purvottanasana(east intense stretch pose)

Advanced Level Arm Balancing Asana

1. Bakasana (crane pose)
2. Kukkutasana(cockerel pose)
3. Salamba Sirsasana (supported head standing pose)

1. Jala Neti- Nasal Cleansing with Water
2. Vaman Dhauti- Regurgitative Cleansing

Shankhaprakshalana– Cleansing of the Entire Digestive Tract)

Mudras

1. Jnana Mudra- psychic gesture of knowledge
2. Chin Mudra- psychic gesture of consciousness
3. Bhairava Mudra- fierce or terrifying attitude

Bandhas (Energy Locks)

1. Moola bandha(perineum contraction)
2. Uddiyana Bandha(abdominal contraction)
3. Jalandhar Bandha (throat lock)
4. Maha Bandha(the great lock)

1. Kapalbhati Pranayama (frontal brain cleansing breath)
2. Bhastrika Pranayama (bellows breath)
3. Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (psychic network purification)
4. Ujjayi Pranayama (the psychic breath)
5. Surya Bhedana Pranayama (stimulating vitality)
6. Sheetali Pranayama(Cooling Pranayama)
7. Sheetkari Pranayama (Hissing Breath)
8. Bhramari Pranayama (humming bee breath)

Meditation Methods

1. Meditation on Breath- Anapana Sati
2. Mantra Meditation