HATHA YOGA

Hatha Yoga is the most recognizeable form of yoga practiced in the west. The meaning of the word Hatha is understood to be made up of the sounds "ha" meaning sun and "tha" meaning moon. So this style of yoga works to balance the sun and moon energies in the body, or you can think of it as male and female polarities, yin and yang or left and right sides of the body. In yoga, the sun and moon are simple representations of our physiology, namely the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, that govern our stress response.

The starting focus in Hatha Yoga is on the breath and the use of physical yoga poses called asanas in order to prepare the body and the mind through movement, in order to eventually become more comfortable to then sit for a practice of meditation, without discomfort (physical) or distraction (mental).

Hatha also means "to exert force" which eludes that there is effort involved in getting in a pose, being present in the pose, and coming out of the pose. It signifies that if we are to see change in our current situation, then we need to exert effort in order to trigger a transformation. The movement in asana is timed with the breath and short periods of relaxation in between, to observe the change within; resulting in the union of body, mind and spirit - which is the definition of yoga!

Hatha Yoga offers a focus on proper alignment in yoga poses, and there are over 84 traditional poses and variations that can be practiced at even a beginner / intermediate level.

 

With a consistent practice of Hatha Yoga, you can experience many benefits:

• stress relief

• pain relief

• better breathing

• flexibility

• increased strength

• weight management

• improved circulation

• cardiovascular conditioning

• better body alignment

• focus on the present

Hatha Yoga is very accessible for most fitness levels and is a great way to start for beginners. For those with more experience with Hatha Yoga, the variations to go into deeper stages of the poses allow for a gradual challenge.

 

Hatha Yoga provides exposure to a wide variety of yoga poses, it is a wonderful way to learn how to perform the poses safely and is a good introduction to breath techniques, and meditation.

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It provides an excellent overall mind-body workout, making it a good cross-training choice!

In our 1.5-hour classes, you can expect the following class format:​

• Opening restorative yoga pose with long deep breathing

• Opening invocation with AUM

• Warm-up poses and breathwork

• Yoga sequence building to a peak pose or with a themed focus

• Cool down poses

• Relaxation in Savasana pose to integrate the effects of the practice

• Meditation to clear the mind and to reduce stress

• Closing AUM and thought of the day

 

After your session, enjoy our featured tea and connecting with your class and teacher!