200 Hour Hatha Yoga TTC

The word Hatha is a Sanskrit word meaning “self-will” or “discipline”, but this translation does not mean that Hatha yoga is a forceful practice, in fact it is a source that brings the practitioner in an aligned state of body and mind. An ideal way to explain this is the balanced state of physical & mental energy that awakens the practitioner towards the path of self-realization or spiritual energy.

As per the traditional ancient explanation, hatha yoga is derived from two syllables “Ha” & “Tha” where “Ha” means the sun energy, which is symbolized as heat & active energy showing the masculine force and “Tha” means the moon energy which is symbolized as cool & receptive showing the feminine energy in all. Hatha yoga is the practice to balance and uniting these opposite forces and bringing them into harmony which awakens one’s consciousness and equilibrium in mind-body functions.

The balanced state of “ha” and “tha”, the sun and the moon energy show the actual meaning of yoga which is the union of individual and universal consciousness that takes one into a realized state of being. However, first, it is important also to understand the importance and balance of health because that only can take us into a deeper understanding of spirituality. So as per need in the modern era, the primary utility of yoga is to develop a stable and healthy physical as well as mental energy. Regular practicing of postures, breathing techniques, cleansing practices, gestures, energy locks, and meditation develops more strength in people and starts releasing toxins from the body and opens all the blockages facilitating a better flow of energy in the body.

The teachings of hatha yoga hold its origin from lord shiva. Shiva is known to be the first yogi, termed as ‘Adi yogi’. Shiva is the source of knowledge represented as pure consciousness, often described as ‘Purusha’ also. Shiva’s wife Goddess Parvati, also known as ‘shakti’ or ‘Prakriti’ (nature) was his first student to whom he disclosed the secrets of this glorious science of Yoga. Later on, Parvati’s insistence this science was given to the humans for the sake of their health and goodness because Shiva always kept this science secret as per the delicacy of it, so that no one could misuse these powers but Parvati being the mother has the softness in nature that could not see people’s sufferings and urged Shiva to deliver this to human beings for their welfare and also because hatha yoga is the way or path for the accomplishment of ‘Samadhi’, the ultimate goal of Raja Yoga (union to the ultimate truth or inner realization) which is known as ‘Enlightenment’ or ‘moksha’.
And this is how the knowledge of yoga was acquired by humans but this happened through some ancient Sages like Sage Patanjali (manifestation of Adi Shesha, the serpent on which Lord Vishnu rests) father of yoga philosophy, estimated to live in the 2nd to 4th century BCE, described the Eight limbs of yoga for the attainment of moksha or enlightenment. His famous text is known as ‘yoga sutras of Patanjali’ in which the path of attaining the moksha or freedom is described. The founder of Hatha Yoga became Matsyendranath (lived somewhere between the 7th & 10th century), also the founder of Nath Parampara. Nath sampradaya is the community of yogis who follow or worship lord Shiva. Hatha yogis come from Nath Parampara and Matsyendranath is known as the first Hatha yogi of Nath Parampara. Gorakshnath(a sage of the 11th century), the disciple of Matsyendranath is also known as the founder of Hatha yoga as given his teachings to the society through his creation known as ‘Goraksh Samhita’,

one of the primary and main texts on Hatha Yoga. Swatmarama, yogic sage in the 15th century also wrote his teachings in the text ‘Hatha yog pradipika’ the most common referred text of Hatha Yoga, where he described certain asanas, pranayamas and other yogic practices for the purification and the realization of the consciousness. Another rishi of a similar era, Gheranda Rishi disclosed the importance of the practice of hatha yoga for the awakening of ‘kundalini’( the rising of energy to the crown chakra) to his disciple King Chandakapali in form of Saptanga yoga, meaning the seven limbs of yoga and this is collected as his teachings in the famous text known as ‘Gheranda Samhita’. The other main texts on Hatha Yoga are ‘Shiv Samhita’, ‘Hatha Ratnavali’, Siddhasiddhanta Paddhati’ where different asanas and other practices are discussed that are explained to take us into the advancement in understanding our eternal nature, our creation as well as the ultimate goal of us as human beings.

“Hatha Yoga is the divine way to get stable in our nature, to realize more than our physical structure and to awaken our energy to get sensitive enough differentiating the materialistic lifestyle and the actual cause of beings.”

The purpose of Hatha yoga could be versatile according to the need and demand. The primitive and specific purpose of hatha yoga is to reach the higher state (Raja Yoga) which is known as ‘moksha’ or ‘enlightenment’. The state of moksha is the meaning of yoga. This is known universally now that yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’ which means to unite or combine. Where the individual and supreme consciousness gets united, that state is known as yoga. In other words, the union of body, mind, and soul is yoga which means the union of physical, mental and spiritual energy. To reach mental and spiritual balance, one needs to get mastered on the physical energy and Hatha Yoga is the path that takes the practitioner or sadhaka to master the physical body and to get further enter into the mental and spiritual balance. Traditionally, Hatha Yoga is described as the practice that purifies the practitioner’s body and the mental energy and awakens the consciousness, increases the concentration and focus for the aim or goal of the practice.

In modern life, the purpose of Hatha Yoga is important in the aspect of preserving a healthy lifestyle maintaining physical, mental and social balance. In today’s fast and competitive lifestyle where most of the people are desk workers and the physical activities are very less, people really need to do some physical exercises so that they can keep themselves balanced in medical aspects otherwise different diseases could affect their health and in this concern, Hatha yoga can be seen as one of the best physical workouts to keep the immune systems stronger and to increase the physical capacities and improve the functions of bodily systems stimulating physiological actions. Apart from that pranayamas and energy locks increase the capacities of the lungs and the metabolic functions of the cells which in turn increases more balance. Different cleansing practices bring purification and the mudras increase inner control. So for the balance of health and physical energy, Hatha Yoga is the best tool.

“Yoga has the power to heal us physically and mentally but one thing important to remember always is that yoga apart from being therapy is a precaution. And that’s why yoga is always defined as the art of living. More than a form of exercise or physical practice, it is a lifestyle”

This one-month intense program on Hatha Yoga will help the practitioners to get deeper into their own practice exploring very new ways of learning and to teach even.

This will be a detoxification period also for the practitioners and will be a life changing experience helping them to release all their negativity and toxins and grow in all aspects.

This programme is designed particularly according to the expectations of the learners who want to experience and learn more how to teach and surely this will clear all the doubts of people helping them to become more advanced as teachers.

200 Hrs YTTC from Yoga Alliance, U.S. is widely accepted and that is one of the main benefits as well.

Advanced and experienced yoga practitioners in hatha form can easily adapt other forms also like ashtanga – vinyasa flow which are challenging for practitioners who don’t have a background in yoga so this programme will create a stronger base for the practitioners to be protective enough from injuries.

Overall this programme will make the practitioners balanced and scheduled towards their goal and will increase more enthusiasm and mindfulness in their yogic journey.