Our Teacher Aimee teaches Hatha Yoga and Meditation on: Friday mornings (St Mary's Church Hall, Nunthorpe). For bookings and information please see 'classes'. Who is this class suitable for? It is suitable for all ages and abilities. Beginners are very welcome. We have a range of students from 20 years old to 80+. It involves standing, seated, kneeling poses as well as lunges.
What is Hatha Yoga?
Hatha is the root of all yoga. Iyengar, Vinyasa, Yin, Ashtanga and other forms all stem from Hatha yoga.
A ‘Hatha’ yoga class will typically involve a set of physical postures (yoga poses) and breathing techniques, practiced slowly and with standing, seated and sometimes inverted static posture holds.
Hatha means ‘force’ in Sanskrit हठ and attains that through the physical practice of Yoga, we receive the benefits. So Hatha yoga can be considered as anything you might do with the body to still the mind, including:
- asana – yoga postures (practised in any style of ‘yoga’)
- pranayama – breathing techniques
- mudra – hand gestures
- Meditation and relaxation techniques
Hatha practices are designed to align and calm your body and mind. This practice is often modified and can be as challenging as you wish it to be, with modified poses for beginners. More challenging options are included for more experienced practitioners, making it accessible to all. Your practice deepens and grows with you as you progress.
When practising, asana (postures) are important, but there are 8 limbs to yoga and asana is only 1 of these limbs. When practising the other elements of Hatha yoga, such as chanting, pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation, kriyas (cleansing), satsang (chanting and listening to well learned teachers) and philosophy, plus eating a vegetarian diet, we can begin to link the benefits of healthy mind and healthy body.
Vinyasa means “to place in a special way” , where in Hatha, we tend to hold asana postures for longer, in Hatha Vinyasa we flow through asana, linking postures and movement with breath. Without practising the other limbs of hatha/ hatha vinyasa yoga, you are only doing a gym class. It is really important to develop a fully rounded practice to learn and get the benefits from Hatha properly. This is an integral part which is sadly getting lost and diluted in the west.
The benefits of this practice are well known. In the west it is mainly used to bring strength and flexibility to the body. However, if you take the time to learn about other aspects of Yoga; you can really begin to develop a deeper practice. Not only for your body but for your mind.