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Frequently asked questions:
What is Hatha Yoga?
Hatha Yoga focuses primarily on the physical, and
was designed to keep the body healthy and strong so that one could
sit comfortably to meditate. The word hatha is the union between ha
(sun) and tha (moon), a metaphor for bringing the body and mind
together.
Because of hatha yoga's ever increasing popularity
in the West, a wide variety of styles of hatha yoga and surfaced,
growing up around particular teachers from India or as variations on
a theme developed by a western teacher. Like individuals, styles or
schools of yoga have their own personalities and approaches to
practicing the components of hatha yoga: the asanas (poses),
pranayama (breathing), or meditation (concentration).
Although the basic asanas remain the same, how they
are done, in what order, and where attention is placed while doing
them may vary from style to style. Some styles are gentler, or more
meditative, while others may be more rigorous and athletic for
example.
However, no matter which style you opt for, special
clothing is not required. All that is needed are comfortable, loose,
or stretchy clothing, bare feet, an empty stomach, an open mind, and
a few basic props.
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