Bhakti yoga, or devotional yoga, is the most natural path for those who are dominantly seeking emotional fulfillment and well being.

The “bhakta” usually practices meditation by visualizing, thinking and feeling that the Lord is sitting or standing before him. The bhakta pours out his heart’s love, adoration, and shares his deepest thoughts and concerns with the Lord until a continual flow of awareness moves between devotee and his or her beloved Lord.

This continuous flow of love and life force brings about a superconscious state of awareness which is generally called a mood, or bhava.
Generally, in this form of meditation — bhakti meditation — there is awareness of relationship, or twoness. The devotee is aware of the Lord and of his own being, and of the relationship between the Lord and the devotee. Sometimes, however, the devotee loses self-consciousness and is aware only of the Lord. Also, at times the bhakta experiences that the Lord’s spirit, or consciousness, moves into the devotee, infilling and indwelling him.
Both in the mood of twoness and in the experience of oneness you are transformed: your character is improved. And, periods of higher consciousness come more frequently. With even greater development, the aspirant who does bhakti meditation lives in a sense of permanent relationship with his divine Beloved!

This permanent relationship is not a static thing. It develops into one exciting dimension of love after another. These relationships are ever-new and ever-refreshing and continue to delight the bhakti yogi throughout life.

The bhakta, also, because of the ease of the mood relationship, is given special ability to experience the deep samadhis and other high states of awareness which other yogis focus upon.

Chanting (Kirtan) is a part of the path of Devotional Yoga.

When we see the beauty of our own being we are seeing the beauty of the Being that is the One of which we are all a part. And when we turn towards that One, love is the natural reaction of the heart.

God or Guru is an endless ocean of love truth and presence. First we may hear the distant roar of the crashing waves of the ocean and we’re drawn to that sound. As we get closer, we can smell the ocean air and taste the sweet moisture. When we reach the beach and see the ocean for the first time, we’re transfixed by the vastness and Beauty. We run and we dive in and enjoy the freedom that comes from this ecstasy. Finally we merge with that ocean of love and somehow find ourselves back on the shore, returning to ourselves so that we can share the experience with others.

Those that have returned have given us these Names of God. These Names are the sound of the surf of that Ocean of Love. They hold the power to help us find our way back to that ocean. We don’t have to create anything; we don’t have to manufacture any emotions or feelings. We can’t make it happen. It already is. All we have to do is Remember. Everyone has their own path to this beach, to the Ocean, but we all wind up in the same place. There is only one…One.

The following is an excerpt from ‘Pilgrim of the Heart’ audio series by Krishna Das:
“The words of these chants are called the divine names and they come from a place that’s deeper than our hearts and our thoughts, deeper than the mind. And so as we sing them they turn us towards ourselves, into ourselves. They bring us in, and as we offer ourselves into the experience, the experience changes us. These chants have no meaning other than the experience that we have by doing them. They come from the Hindu tradition, but it’s not about being a Hindu, or believing anything in advance. It’s just about doing it, and experiencing. Nothing to join, you just sit down and sing.”
Satsang is where people gather together to remember, to turn within and find their own inner path to the One. When we gather together to sing like this we are helping each other find our own paths. We all must travel this path by ourselves because each of us is our own path. All these paths wander on in their own way, but in truth we are all travelling together and until the last of us arrives we will all keep travelling. So let’s sing!

‘And when he sees me in all and sees all in me,
Then I never leave him and he never leaves me.
And he, who in this oneness of love
Loves me in whatever he sees,
Wherever this man may live,
In truth, he lives in me…’

Bhagavad Gita, VI:30,31

The Practice:

The Iyengar method of Yoga is initially learnt through the in-depth study of asanas (posture) and pranayama (breath control).

Mr Iyengar has systematized over 200 classical yoga Asanas and 14 different types of Pranayamas (with variations of many of them) from the simple to the incredibly difficult. These have been structured and categorized so as to allow a beginner to progress surely and safely from basic postures to the most advanced as they gain flexibility, strength and sensitivity in mind, body and spirit.

Asana:
In practice Iyengar yoga focuses particularly on three aspects. Correct body alignment allows the body to develop harmoniously in an anatomically correct way so that the student suffers no injury or pain when practicing correctly. As all bodies are different and people have different weaknesses and strengths. Mr Iyengar has also developed the use of props to help the body into the correct positions required. Props are objects like wooden blocks, chairs, blankets and belts that help one adjust or support oneself in the different postures so that one can work in a range of motion that is safe and effective.

An added benefit is that although the therapeutic aspects of asanas and pranayama have been known for centuries, Mr Iyengar’s unrelenting emphasis on correct anatomical alignment and methods of working have refined the therapeutic aspects of Yoga. Thus practice of Iyengar yoga will often result in eliminating aches and pains, improve posture etc. but Iyengar Yoga can also be used to treat many ailments, including extremely serious medical conditions, under the supervision of a suitably experienced teacher. The other two key aspects of asana practice in the Iyengar system are correct sequencing in which there is a powerful cumulative effect achieved by practicing asanas in particular sequences. The concept of timings means postures are held for considerable lengths of time to let the effects of the poses penetrate deeper within the individual

Pranayama:
Pranayama is started once a firm foundation in asana has been established as physically the student requires the alignment, flexibility, lung capacity and training necessary to sit and breathe correctly while practicing. Pranayama gives numerous physical benefits including toning the circulatory, digestive, nervous and respiratory systems, activating the internal organs and creating a feeling of energy and calmness. Equally importantly it also brings the mind and senses under control and make the individual fit for the experience of meditation.
Astanga Yoga

One may, from the above, gain the impression that Iyengar yoga is therefore just gymnastics and deep breathing or only Asana and Pranayama. This is incorrect.

Asanas and Pranayama are merely used as the tools with which to master all 8 aspects of Patanjali’s Astanga yoga. Mastery of the body is the gateway to mastery of the mind. Consider the following: The whole human being from the outermost skin to the innermost being (or soul) is interconnected. For example, if the body is ill, the mind also becomes depressed, lethargic and bad tempered and if the mind is stressed the body becomes tense. The intensity and depth to which Iyengar yoga is practiced on the physical level does affect and change the mind and spirit.

In doing yoga asanas the whole body and mind must learn to become involved. One has to spread one’s awareness to the smallest parts of the body simultaneously so the mind becomes alert, attentive and sharp. One learns to breathe smoothly deeply and evenly so one’s energy (prana) can flow without obstruction and one learns to make the mind quiet, passive and receptive thus promoting a meditative state of mind. This makes the body fit for Pranayama.

To read more, please click here to visit the Iyengar Website. >>

From the Ashtanga Website. Click here for more information! >>

Ashtanga yoga is a system of yoga recorded by the sage Vamana Rishi in the Yoga Korunta, an ancient manuscript “said to contain lists of many different groupings of asanas, as well as highly original teachings on vinyasa, drishti, bandhas, mudras, and philosophy” (Jois 2002 xv). The text of the Yoga Korunta “was imparted to Sri T. Krishnamacharya in the early 1900’s by his Guru Rama Mohan Brahmachari, and was later passed down to Pattabhi Jois during the duration of his studies with Krishnamacharya, beginning in 1927″ (”Ashtanga Yoga”). Since 1948, Pattabhi Jois has been teaching Ashtanga yoga from his yoga shala, the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute (Jois 2002 xvi), according to the sacred tradition of Guru Parampara [disciplic succession] (Jois 2003 12).

Ashtanga yoga literally means “eight-limbed yoga,” as outlined by the sage Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. According to Patanjali, the path of internal purification for revealing the Universal Self consists of the following eight spiritual practices:

Yama [moral codes]
Niyama [self-purification and study]
Asana [posture]
Pranayama [breath control]
Pratyahara [sense control]
Dharana [concentration]
Dhyana [meditation]
Samadhi [absorption into the Universal] (Scott 14-17)

The first four limbs—yama, niyama, asana, pranayama—are considered external cleansing practices. According to Pattabhi Jois, defects in the external practices are correctable. However, defects in the internal cleansing practices—pratyahara, dharana, dhyana—are not correctable and can be dangerous to the mind unless the correct Ashtanga yoga method is followed (Stern and Summerbell 35). For this reason, Pattabhi Jois emphasizes that the “Ashtanga Yoga method is Patanjali Yoga” (Flynn).

The definition of yoga is “the controlling of the mind” [citta vrtti nirodhah] (Jois 2003 10). The first two steps toward controlling the mind are the perfection of yama and niyama (Jois 2003 10). However, it is “not possible to practice the limbs and sub-limbs of yama and niyama when the body and sense organs are weak and haunted by obstacles” (Jois 2002 17). A person must first take up daily asana practice to make the body strong and healthy (Jois 2003 10). With the body and sense organs thus stabilized, the mind can be steady and controlled (Jois 2002 16). With mind control, one is able to pursue and grasp these first two limbs (Flynn).

To perform asana correctly in Ashtanga yoga, one must incorporate the use of vinyasa and tristhana. “Vinyasa means breathing and movement system. For each movement, there is one breath. For example, in Surya Namskar there are nine vinyasas. The first vinyasa is inhaling while raising your arms over your head, and putting your hands together; the second is exhaling while bending forward, placing your hands next to your feet, etc. In this way all asanas are assigned a certain number of vinyasas” (”Ashtanga Yoga”).

“The purpose of vinyasa is for internal cleansing” (”Ashtanga Yoga”). Synchronizing breathing and movement in the asanas heats the blood, cleaning and thinning it so that it may circulate more freely. Improved blood circulation relieves joint pain and removes toxins and disease from the internal organs. The sweat generated from the heat of vinyasa then carries the impurities out of the body. Through the use of vinyasa, the body becomes healthy, light and strong (”Ashtanga Yoga”).

Tristhana refers to the union of “three places of attention or action: posture, breathing system and looking place. These three are very important for yoga practice, and cover three levels of purification: the body, nervous system and mind. They are always performed in conjunction with each other” (”Ashtanga Yoga”).

Posture: “The method for purifying and strengthening the body is called asana” (Jois 2002 22). In Ashtanga yoga, asana is grouped into six series. “The Primary Series [Yoga Chikitsa] detoxifies and aligns the body. The Intermediate Series [Nadi Shodhana] purifies the nervous system by opening and clearing the energy channels. The Advanced Series A, B, C, and D [Sthira Bhaga] integrate the strength and grace of the practice, requiring higher levels of flexibility and humility. Each level is to be fully developed before proceeding to the next, and the sequential order of asanas is to be meticulously followed. Each posture is a preparation for the next, developing the strength and balance required to move further” (Pace). Without an earnest effort and reverence towards the practice of yama and niyama, however, the practice of asana is of little benefit (Flynn).

Breathing: The breathing technique performed with vinyasa is called ujjayi [victorious breath] (Scott 20), which consists of puraka [inhalation] and rechaka [exhalation] (”Ashtanga Yoga”). “Both the inhale and exhale should be steady and even, the length of the inhale should be the same length as the exhale” (”Ashtanga Yoga”). Over time, the length and intensity of the inhalation and exhalation should increase, such that the increased stretching of the breath initiates the increased stretching of the body (Scott 21). Long, even breathing also increases the internal fire and strengthens and purifies the nervous system (”Ashtanga Yoga”).

Bandhas are essential components of the ujjayi breathing technique. Bandha means “lock” or “seal” (Scott 21). The purpose of bandha is to unlock pranic energy and direct it into the 72,000 nadi [energy channels] of the subtle body (Scott 21). Mula bandha is the anal lock, and uddiyana bandha is the lower abdominal lock (”Ashtanga Yoga”). Both bandhas “seal in energy, give lightness, strength and health to the body, and help to build a strong internal fire” (”Ashtanga Yoga”). Mula bandha operates at the root of the body to seal in prana internally for uddiyana bandha to direct the prana upwards through the nadis (Scott 21). Jalandhara bandha is the “throat lock” (Jois 2002 23, n.27), which “occurs spontaneously in a subtle form in many asanas due to the dristi (”gaze point”), or head position” (Scott 23). “This lock prevents pranic energy [from] escaping and stops any build-up of pressure in the head when holding the breath” (Scott 23). Without bandha control, “breathing will not be correct, and the asanas will give no benefit” (”Ashtanga Yoga”).

Looking Place: Dristhi is the gazing point on which one focuses while performing the asana (”Ashtanga Yoga”). “There are nine dristhis: the nose, between the eyebrows, navel, thumb, hands, feet, up, right side and left side. Dristhi purifies and stabilizes the functioning of the mind” (”Ashtanga Yoga”). In the practice of asana, when the mind focuses purely on inhalation, exhalation, and the drishti, the resulting deep state of concentration paves the way for the practices of dharana and dhyana, the six and seventh limbs of Ashtanga yoga (Scott 23).

Instruction in pranayama can begin after one has learned the asanas well and can practice them with ease (Jois 2002 23). “Pranayama means taking in the subtle power of the vital wind through rechaka [exhalation], puraka [inhalation], and kumbhaka [breath retention]. Only these kriyas, practiced in conjunction with the three bandhas [muscle contractions, or locks] and in accordance with the rules, can be called pranayama” (Jois 2002 23). The three bandhas are “mula bandha, uddiyana bandha, and jalandhara bandha, and they should be performed while practicing asana and the like” (Jois 2002 23). “When mula bandha is perfect, mind control is automatic” (”Ashtanga Yoga”). “In this way did Patanjali start Yoga. By using mulabandha and by controlling the mind, he gradually gained knowledge of Yoga” (Jois 2003 11).

Practicing asana for many years with correct vinyasa and tristhana gives the student the clarity of mind, steadiness of body, and purification of the nervous system to begin the prescribed pranayama practice (Flynn). “Through the practice of pranayama, the mind becomes arrested in a single direction and follows the movement of the breath” (Jois 2002 23). Pranayama forms the foundation for the internal cleansing practices of Ashtanga yoga (Flynn).

The four internal cleansing practices—pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi—bring the mind under control (Stern and Summerbell 35). When purification is complete and mind control occurs, the Six Poisons surrounding the spiritual heart [kama (desire), krodha (anger), moha (delusion), lobha (greed), matsarya (sloth), and mada (envy)]—”will, one by one, go completely” (Stern and Summerbell 35), revealing the Universal Self. In this way, the correct, diligent practice of Ashtanga Yoga under the direction of a Guru “with a subdued mind unshackled from the external and internal sense organs” (Jois 2002 22) eventually leads one to the full realization of Patanjali’s eight-limbed yoga.

Hatha yoga is a physical yoga discipline which trains the body so that the practitioner can work on his or her spirituality. When most Westerners think of “yoga,” they are actually thinking about hatha yoga; yoga is actually a huge and complex spiritual and physical discipline with a number of branches. A variety of physical disciplines are descended from hatha yoga, including bikram yoga. Chances are very high that a hatha yoga class is being offered in your area.

The most famous aspect of hatha yoga is probably the postures or asanas which are used to strengthen, stretch, and tone the body as part of yogic practice. During a hatha yoga session, the practitioner will move through a number of these poses, holding them for varying amounts of time and working in a set order to ensure that muscle groups are slowly warmed up and evenly worked. Many hatha yoga poses are quite demanding, requiring focus, strength, and agility.

Another important aspect of hatha yoga is pranayama, or breathwork. During a yoga session, yogis and yoginis are very mindful of their breath, and they may take breaks during the session to focus specifically on breathing. Control of the breath is said to be vital to the control of the body, and it also encourages an inward focus which can help to develop one’s spirituality.

The practice of meditation is also deemed to be an important part of hatha yoga, although not all people engage in meditation. The practice of yoga tends to promote a calm, still state which can be conducive to meditation, and this is part of the goal of yogic practice. In India, hatha yoga also includes a number of moral precepts which people are expected to follow, including principles of nonviolence and truthfulness. These precepts are not always integrated into Western practice of hatha yoga.

The goal of hatha yoga is to achieve a balance between mind and body. Yoga practitioners tend to be in good shape, because their bodies are repeatedly put through a series of demanding exercises, and their minds are also said to be clearer than those of people who do not practice yoga. The practice of hatha yoga can help people focus on self-improvement, and it encourages people to take the experiences and emotions of their yoga sessions and classes with them into the outside world.

Where does Hatha come from?

The earliest classical work on yoga is unanimously considered as “Yoga sutra of Patanjali.” This treatise laid the foundation for all the manifestations of Yoga formed thereafter. Hatha has developed following this very groundwork.

Owing to the fact that Indian studies have been really ancient, the lack of accurate chronological evidence leads to vagueness concerning dates. Even if we happen to decide on the exact date the treatise was written on, the fact remains that the knowledge has been passed from centuries before in oral form.The conclusion remains that the ideas themselves could derive from the intangible time of pre-history.

Many scholars locate hatha-yoga`s formative years somewhere between the ninth and tenth centuries C.E. It is in this time period that the estimated flourishing of the great siddhas (adepts) Matsyendra and Goraksa, and other researchers and practitioners of yoga took place simultaneously.

It is believed that Matsyendra lived at the beginning of the tenth century A.D. Goraksa`s existence is traced much farther back in time. Some expert view the existence of hatha-yoga to be a tradition whose roots extend back at least several thousand years, with its earliest known authentic text being the Yoga-Karunta. This work took its shape in Varanasi. “Krishnamacharya” claims to have come across a 1,500-year-old manuscript of this text. `The style of language [being] derived from an oral tradition predating classical Sanskrit, and possibly going back as far as 5,000 years back.

To put it factually, Hatha yoga known today has originated and evolved through generations to generations with no fixed measure of time. Its best-known treatises such as the Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika, Gheranda-Samhita and Siva-Samhita fall within a particular Indian literary category known as Tantra. It is for this reason that hatha-yoga is sometimes referred to as a variety of `Tantrism`. However,Tantras constitute a very broad category indeed, and thus being designated as Tantric tells us little about the content of a work.

The verbal root of tantra is “Tan” which literally means `to extend, spread, to put forth, manifest, display or augment`. The word Tantra itself has various meanings; mainly referring to that of web or warp. Finally “Tantra” came gradually to stand for an uninterrupted series, orderly rituals, the doctrinal theory or system itself.

Many doctrines of tantra still incorporate philosophies in which the Absolute is personified as the deity Siva. Tantra or `Tantrism` has come to be most closely connected with the Saiva (Ardent followers of Shiva) traditions. Nevertheless, it would be wrong to assume that hatha-yoga is exclusively Saiva, for the ardent follower ship of Vishnu, Ram and Krishna also exist. Still, one of the most fervent yogis of this branch have been non-sectarian, and believers in supreme self within themselves.

Hatha-yoga has been frowned upon by supposedly `orthodox` Brahmins and even by practitioners of more predominantly `mental` forms of yoga. The reason being that Hatha is significantly a body-affirmative approach. However, its basic metaphysical tenets are continuous with those the Vedas and Upanisads. Although, the underlying doctrine of the identity of “Jivatman” (living self) and “Paramatman” (supreme Self) is the same, difference lies in the greater emphasis given to postural and breathing techniques therein. Such techniques did not receive systematic literary attention until the tantrika period. Still enough references to similar methods appear in certain of the early major Upanishads to suggest that hatha practice, as well as its theoretical basis, is Vedic in origin.

However, as every branch of ancient Indian knowledge is said to be inspired by a deity and weaved in mythology, so is the case with Hath yoga. This form of Yoga has following myth behind it:

Origin of Hath YogaOne day Parvati, the consort of Siva, looked down on her children, human beings, and seeing them in such a bad way, asked her divine husband: ” My Lord isn`t there anything that can be done to ease the suffering of our children? ” Siva closed his eyes, entered into a state of deep meditation and started to teach the science of Hatha Yoga. Divine knowledge was pouring out of his lips as naturally and effortlessly as the Ganges flows to the sea.

When he had finished, he opened his eyes and discovered that Parvati had fallen asleep. As he had been teaching from this deep state of meditation, he could not remember what he had said. “What a waste!” said Siva to himself. Fortunately, in a pond nearby, there was a very special fish who had listened with great attention to the whole discourse. He said to Siva: “Please, do not worry my Lord, I remember everything!” Siva was so happy that he instantly liberated this great soul who had been the first recipient of this knowledge. He became Matsyendranath. Matsyendranath handed it over to his disciple Goraknath, and this started a lineage of siddhas, perfected beings.

This story underlines the fact that Hatha Yoga is a divine gift traditionally transmitted from Guru to disciple. In this lineage, the first Guru was Shiva himself. Far from being frozen knowledge and codified instructions, it is a science kept alive by the yogis who have mastered it and who in turn transmit their knowledge to their deserving students. Sampoorna Hatha Yoga is a continuing expression of this tradition. That is why it is so effective for evolution of Ardent practitioners.

Over the course of the next year, we will publish posts on the different styles of Yoga.  The biggest question I am asked today as a yoga teacher is, “What style of yoga do you teach?”  My answer is always Hatha Yoga.  Then most people look at me with a blank face because they either don’t know what it is, or because they have always assumed that Hatha is a style of yoga that is meant for old people, which could not be father from the truth.  The truth is that if you have walked into a yoga class and participated, then you have done Hatha.

There are a few forms of yoga which are part of the lineage of Yoga.  Hatha, Bhakti, Tantra, Kundalini, Janu, Kriya, Patanjali, Karma, Laya, Mudra, Mantra, and a few more.  These styles of yoga are part of a long lineage past down from teacher to student.  What is taught today in all yoga studios are a variation of Hatha.   Each teacher has taken an aspect of Hatha Yoga, and carefully created their own brand from it.  To name a few: Ashtanga Yoga (by Pattabi Jois), Iyengar Yoga, Vini Yoga, Power Yoga, Anusara, Sonic Yoga, Jivamuhkti Yoga, Om Yoga, Happy Yoga, Laughter Yoga, Pure Yoga, Para Yoga, Kripalu Yoga, City Yoga, and so on.  These styles of Yoga are called name brands, and while valuable, usually only offer a piece of the kernel of wisdom that belongs to the Yoga Tradition.

Namaste
Aaron