Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga (pronunciation: /ˈhɑːtə jəʊɡə/) is a branch of Yoga that emphasizes physical exercises to master the body along with mind exercises to withdraw it from external objects. The word Hatha means 'force' in Sanskrit, and may have this association because the early Indians believed that its practice was challenging and 'forced its results to happen' on the yogi.
Etymology
The term Hatha Yoga has been commonly used in the English language since the late 19th century. It is a compound of the words Ha and Tha in Sanskrit. Ha means sun and Tha means moon. The word Yoga means union. Therefore, Hatha Yoga is often referred to as the branch of Yoga that unites pairs of opposites referring to the positive (sun) and negative (moon) currents in the system.
Related Terms
- Asana: Asana is a term widely used in yoga practice that is derived from the Sanskrit word 'asana', meaning 'seat'. In the context of Yoga practice, Asana refers to one of the many positions in which a practitioner can sit or stand.
- Pranayama: Pranayama is a Sanskrit word that means extension of the prana or breath. In Yoga, Pranayama is practiced to clear or cleanse the body and mind.
- Meditation: Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.
- Yogi: A yogi is a practitioner of yoga. The term 'yogi' is also used to refer specifically to Siddhas, and broadly to refer to ascetic practitioners of meditation in a number of Indian religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hatha Yoga
- Wikipedia's article - Hatha Yoga
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski