static practices. How to start hatha yoga classes: basic tips and complexes Morning hatha yoga: statics

The first mention of yoga is found in, and is used in the sense "curb, harness". Various scriptures speak of the manifestation of yoga at the same time as the creation of the material world.

According to legend, god Shiva discovered and learned the secrets of yoga in meditation and passed them on for development, as a means to comprehend the truth and get rid of illusions. In other scriptures this is done by Brahma, giving birth to Knowledge, Yoga, Renunciation and Tapas.

Hatha yoga- the direction of yoga, from ancient times, combining its first steps: ethical and moral aspects, Asanas, Pranayama, as well as cleansing techniques of Shatkarma. From Sanskrit verbatim "Ha"- this is the Sun, "tha"- moon. The solar aspect symbolizes strength and activity, the lunar aspect symbolizes flexibility and relaxation. In the literal sense, "hatha" is translated as the union of the sun and moon, strength and flexibility. In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the author of Swatmarama deciphers the term "hatha" as a combination of two bija mantras. "Tha" is prana, the force of life, and "ha" is the mind, mental energy. Hatha yoga represents the union of pranic and mental forces, when combined, the awakening of higher consciousness occurs.

The goal of hatha yoga is to create an absolute balance of interaction and processes of the physical body, mind and energy, which ensures the preparation of the practitioner for the higher levels of yoga. The classic texts on hatha yoga are the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Shiva Samhita, Gheranda Samhita and others.

Exists many styles of hatha yoga. In this article, we will tell about the directions of yoga, the most famous in the West.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

The founder of the Ashtanga Vinyasa school is Sri Pattabhi Jois, a famous student of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. The term "ashtanga" means "eight foundations" and goes back to the eight basic principles of this type of yoga. Ashtanga vinyasa is a type of hatha yoga, which is a dynamic practice in which sequences of asanas pass one into another through vinyasas (sequences of movements accompanied by breathing), bandhas (energy locks), drishti (focus on different areas of the body). For all poses set a certain amount of vinyasas are five to eight. There are about seven levels of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, depending on the level of difficulty of the practice.

According to one of the opinions, the beginning of these practices was laid in the Himalayas and Tibet, where the cool climate made it possible to engage in actively dynamic practices, and there was no great burden on the heart, as it could happen in the hot Indian part. One of the most famous dynamic complexes is the Salutation to the Sun "Surya Namaskar". The complex combines 12 asanas with pranayama, and can also be performed with mantras and visualization concentrations at the same time.

Iyengar Yoga

One of the styles of hatha yoga, which was founded by Bellura Krishnamacharya Sundararaja Iyengar, a student of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. Iyengar came to yoga at a young age due to very poor health, his personal practice was very strict and tough. Over time, he shifted the focus from the degree of strength and endurance training to the deep and static tuning of each position in yoga, so he systematized more than 200 asanas and created his own system, which is methodical and gradual. A characteristic feature of this direction is a detailed detailed construction of the body in asanas with various auxiliary materials - props in the form of bricks, belts, rollers, blankets, etc., a special place is also given to safety. Each asana is performed for a long time and the transition to the next asana is slow and smooth.

“The most important thing in yoga is not the breathing technique, the knowledge of asanas, or the flexibility of the joints. The most important thing is to lay out the rug and start exercising.” B.K.S. Iyengar.

Vini yoga

A style of yoga introduced by T. K. V. Desikachar, son and disciple of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. Vini yoga (viniyogah - “application”, “action”) is a soft and dynamic practice, which is more related to the field of yoga therapy. An individual and at the same time a comprehensive approach to classes, which are built depending on the age, cultural level, physical and mental capabilities of the practitioner, is characteristic of this type of yoga. In addition to the basic and compensatory yoga postures, attention is paid to breathing, Vedic chanting in combination with asanas, mudras, bandhas, meditations and the study of philosophy, yogic texts. The practice can begin both with the study of the sutras and with meditation. Vini yoga is taught individually from teacher to student, depending on the therapeutic goals.

Sivananda Yoga

This hatha yoga technique was developed by yoga practitioner Swami Sivananda. Sivananda Yoga is a classical Indian yoga based on five principles: correct exercises correct breathing (pranayama), proper relaxation(shavasana), proper nutrition, right understanding (study of scriptures and meditation). The practice includes training the body, studying the scriptures, selfless work, service to the world, composure of the mind and no asceticism.

Classes begin with the Salutation to the Sun Surya Namaskar complex, after which static asanas are held, consisting of 12 basic asanas, which go in a certain order and their variations: Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Matsiasana, Pashchimottanasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Dhanurasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Bakasana, Padahastasana, Trikonasana. In the process of development, complex options are supplemented. Yoga practice includes pranayama, meditation and mantra chanting. In this style of yoga, strict asceticism is not welcome. Swami Sivananda was a doctor and developed his system of exercises, taking into account their deep therapeutic effect, in practice, the emphasis is on relaxation.

The founder of this school is famous yogi Swami Satyananda Saraswati, disciple of Swami Sivananda, who is the author of over 80 books. In 1963, Satyananda Saraswati founded the Bihar School of Yoga in Munger, which combined an ashram and a modern research center. Interestingly, the Buddhist University of Nalanda, which was located in this area in the Middle Ages, was taken as a model. The center founded by Saraswati simultaneously houses an ashram and a modern research center, which accepts not only Indian, but also Western students. The practice of hatha yoga of the Bihar school of yoga is to perform a small number of asanas that have a therapeutic effect, pranayamas, mantras and cleansing techniques - Shatkarma, with an emphasis on awakening the Kundalini and preparing the body for Yoga Nidra.

kriya yoga

Kriya yoga (kriya in Sanskrit means "action" or "movement") originated in ancient times and gradually developed through practice and experience. IN full form Kriya Yoga contains more than seventy kriyas, of which about twenty are widely known. The method became known thanks to Guru Lahiri Mahasaya, he also received it from Mahavatar Babaji. Paramahamsa Yogananda made a great contribution to the development of kriya yoga. Kriya yoga classes include preparatory exercises hatha yoga, perfection in mudras and bandhas, stimulating the nerve nodes and endocrine glands, the development of conscious breathing, the ability to find mental paths (channels) and chakras, breathing meditation practices, light, sound. There are no limits to the practice of kriya yoga.

Founder - Dhirendra Brahmachari (1925-1994). Vyayama is translated as exercise, rotation, kneading; sukshma - subtle, that is, an exercise of subtle impact or affecting one or more close areas of the body.

The essence of vyayama is best characterized by the main name of the exercises - vikasaka (with emphasis on the second syllable). Vikasaka is the study of various parts of the body, the removal of so-called blocks and clamps, which affects both the physical and mental state. The name just indicates the area being worked out - parts of the body, chakras, marmas.

Vyayama can be practiced both by beginners with the aim of gradually developing a culture of movement, quality preparation for the practice of asanas and vinyasas, working out joints and ligaments, removing blocks and clamps, and by continuing and experienced yoga practitioners in order to improve coordination, develop balance, work out moments that are not involved in statics, increasing the vital capacity of the lungs, etc. For the same reasons, the practice of vyayam can be useful in the training of dancers, practitioners of martial systems. If necessary, vyayama can be a warm-up for the practice of asanas or another workout, or it can be an independent practice for 1.5-2 hours, completely working out the whole body.

Tri Yoga (TriYoga Kali Ray)

Trai yoga is called "meditation in motion." Soft practice, asanas flow one into another and are performed synchronously with breathing. The continuity of practice leaves no time for the mind to return to ordinary reflection. The Kali Ray system has many unique exercises that are not found in other yoga schools. More importance is given to mudras - specific hand gestures that direct the flow of energy.

Yoga for seniors

The peculiarity of the practice is that the simplest poses are chosen. The emphasis of the lesson is on general tonic and relaxing asanas. When explaining, complex descriptions and Sanskrit names are avoided, the simplest and most figurative vocabulary is used.

Yoga Nidra

yoga nidra translated from Sanskrit means "sleep yoga" or the art of conscious relaxation, the borderline state of mind between wakefulness and sleep. The unique technology of the Bihar school, developed by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. Yoga Nidra was considered a secret science, but since the 60s of the last century, thanks to lectures and the book of the same name, Saraswati has spread throughout the world. The practice is a special meditation in a motionless lying position with pranayana and visualizations, supported by sankalpa (intention, attitude), which allows you to get rid of unnecessary habits, complexes, anxieties and achieve certain aspirations. It is often referred to as psychic sleep, deep relaxation with inner awareness. One hour of yoga nidra is equal to four hours of normal sleep.

Kundalini yoga

A modern trend in yoga, which gained worldwide distribution in the 60s thanks to Yogi Bhajan. Previously, this technique was transmitted only from a teacher to a worthy student. During the years of the spread of Kundalini Yoga in America, there was a boom in drug addiction, alcohol and other addictions, and the practice of yoga became a lifeline in the matter of returning to a healthy lifestyle. A person who has recently begun to practice effective Kundalini Yoga can experience an incredible effect of awakening energies in a short period of time and allow himself to replace some addictions with new experiences. Since the 90s of the last century, the style of Kundalini Yoga has been available in Russia. In the practice of Kundalini Yoga, classical hatha yoga asanas with dynamic elements are used, combined into special sequential kriyas (actions), often with intense breathing techniques, concentrations, mudras, bandhas (energy locks), mantras.

Yoga 23

The basis of the Yoga 23 direction was laid by Andrey Sidersky in 2003. Subsequently, the system developed and transformed taking into account the practical and theoretical developments of students and colleagues of the author's style. It incorporates the latest developments in the field of hatha yoga, martial arts, modern sports training systems, fitness, swimming and freediving. Asanas in yoga 23 are performed under a metronome with a given tempo and rhythm, most often standard for everyone, sometimes a pendulum is used to determine the necessary asanas for a group of practitioners. The practice is based on 23 matrices, which are basic sets exercises that are the foundation for practicing this area of ​​yoga. All exercises are divided into five levels from simple to complex. There are even specialized training programs, for example, for the training of freedivers, special forces and even for astronauts.

Universal Yoga

The direction founded by the Ukrainian yoga master Andriy Lappa. The basis of universal yoga is a complex system that includes the experience and practices of Iyengar yoga, Tibetan Himalayan yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga in combination with the author's individual techniques. Yoga classes are a balanced practice that combines classical static and dynamic asanas and complexes (Surya Namaskar, Chandra Namaskar, Shiva's Dance), pranayama, mantra chanting, mudras, rasas (psychoenergetic techniques for controlling auditory and visual channels), drishti.

Universal yoga does not have rigid and unchanging schemes, restrictions that practitioners are required to adhere to. Each instructor can change and direct the practice as he sees fit, placing different methodological emphases in accordance with individual goals. The practice must remain free and conscious.

Ishvara yoga

The founder of the Ishvara style of yoga is Anatoly Zenchenko. "Ishvara" in Sanskrit means "Inner Teacher", "Spirit", a divine form that has no external manifestation. The practice of asanas is built from top to bottom - from the top of the head to the feet and from bottom to top - from the feet to the top of the head, controlling every part of the body. The emphasis in Ishvara yoga is on balancing the symmetry of the body, and only after reaching a certain physical level do students move on to pranayama and meditative practices, special attention is paid to maintaining a state of relaxation even in difficult positions. A. Zenchenko says that this style of yoga allows the practitioner to listen to his spirituality and find the "Inner Teacher", thereby forming his own individual occupation.

yoga therapy

This is a system for restoring health and preventing human diseases. Asanas and pranayamas, as well as various types of meditations, a special diet, methods of cleansing the body - shatkarma, can act as tools.

Yoga therapy as a branch of science was actively developed in the twentieth century in India, and then throughout the world. Swami Sivananda, a physician by training, popularized yoga and yoga therapy. Yoga therapy is indicated for any problems with the body, from flat feet to intervertebral hernias. Asanas affect much deeper therapeutic gymnastics, as they are performed at the psychophysiological level, while physical exercises are purely external in nature. Therefore, yoga therapy is also used for diseases. internal organs and can even help with the adjustment of the psycho-emotional state. Classes are held in a slow rhythm, with long static fixations and soft pranayamas.

Correct approach to the spine - CPR

This is a method of performing yoga asanas, aimed at maintaining and strengthening the health of the spine. The technological essence of the technique can be expressed in three terms: stretching, strengthening, relaxation. Spinal traction is performed using the muscles located around the spine. Strengthening is the effect of asanas on the segments of the spine, an increase in elasticity and flexibility in healthy directions mobility of the vertebral joints, strengthening of the paravertebral muscles. This improves the trophism of surrounding tissues, including ligaments, muscles, and intervertebral discs. Relaxation is based on the contemplation of the state of the spine during the practice of asanas and during the period of relaxation. Focused attention and mindfulness are key to successful practice. In addition, the key exercises in the CPR technique are the coordination of asanas with breathing and the practice of kumbhakas: Sahita and Kevala.

sri sri yoga

The founder of the direction is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Sri Sri yoga is a modern style of hatha yoga combined with jnana yoga (the path of knowledge), bhakti yoga (the path of service and devotion) and karma yoga (the path of selfless action). Classes complement other practices and do not contradict any beliefs. The technique combines asanas, meditations and rhythmic breathing techniques proposed by Sri Sri Shankar called Sudarshan Kriya. The training is divided into basic and advanced courses. Regular practice gives steady flexibility, strengthens the body, calms the mind and develops awareness.

Swastha yoga

The soft style of hatha yoga created by A.G. Mohan, one of Sri T. Krishnamacharya's disciples. Based on yoga therapy and Ayurvedic practice. This style combines the detailed alignment of asanas, static postures, and dynamic vinyasas (vinyasa-krama), bandhas (energy locks), and also pays special attention to compensatory postures.

Perinatal yoga

Yoga for women who are planning a pregnancy or are already expecting a baby. The practice is adapted to the period of childbirth from preparation for conception to the first months after childbirth. Francoise Friedman, a medical anthropologist at the University of Cambridge and yoga therapist, was the first specialist to pay attention in the late 70s and early 80s to the importance of not only adapting yoga practice to motherhood, but also to the need to consider this process in a complex manner. In her research, she used knowledge from medicine, obstetrics, psychology, Ayurveda, yoga and anthropological studies of the birth practices of the world. An invariable component of yoga for pregnant women is working with the muscles of the pelvic floor, which helps to prepare the birth canal. The classes pay attention to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of a pregnant woman. Soft dynamic exercises produce a healing effect general condition mothers and children, lead to flexibility and mobility, the load is removed from the joints, and conditions with edema are relieved. Simple relaxation techniques and special breathing practices, chanting of mantras are studied, allowing a woman to control her emotions, which will undoubtedly help to go through the process of childbirth more easily.

acro yoga

The modern style of yoga is considered to be the founders of Jason Nemerom and Jenny Saur-Klein, who founded their school in the USA at the beginning of the 21st century. Acro yoga is a pair practice that combines hatha yoga exercises, acrobatics and healing arts. In the classroom, one of the partners acts as a support, the other changes asanas right in the air.

Acro yoga can be done not only in pairs - it can be done alone or in threes. The main secret acro yoga is not about the strength of an athlete, but about the right balance. The creators call their original style of acro yoga the “school of air flights”. They developed two systems at once: therapeutic and sports-acrobatic. Within a few years of its inception, acro yoga has become a favorite activity for students in North and Latin America.

Bikram yoga

The direction of Bikram yoga is the author's technique of yogi Bikram Chowdhury. The main feature of this direction is that classes are held in heated rooms in a tropical climate, with a temperature of 37-40 degrees Celsius and a high humidity of 40%. The practice consists in performing a dynamic sequence consisting of 26 hatha yoga asanas and two breathing exercises. Fixing the position in one asana takes no more than a minute. The dynamic practice of Bikram Yoga and high temperature contribute to increased sweating and the removal of toxins and toxins from the body. However this species yoga has an impressive list of contraindications.

Sama yoga

Yoga itself or yoga of the Dervishes originates in ancient Eastern teachings, based on the knowledge of yogic, Taoist, Sufi and Dhen philosophical schools. Classes follow a certain structure and consist of meditations, stretches, coordination movements, dances, lasso (special movements, meaning "the process of transformation, transformation"), relaxation. The fundamental element of practice is attention to your gestures, movements, body position, to your breathing, thoughts. Sama Yoga can be practiced by people of all ages.

Yoga in hammocks (FLY yoga or FLY YOGA)

Yoga classes are held in special hammocks attached to the ceiling or horizontal bar. Yoga in hammocks additional features perform asanas easier, such as backbends, stretches, somersaults and inverted positions. Before practicing FLY yoga, you should consult a doctor, as there are serious contraindications, in which case the practice is carried out according to individual program agreed with the instructor.

Vinyasa Flow Yoga (Vinyasa Flow Yoga)

Vinyasa flow yoga is one of the branches of hatha yoga. Vinyasa is “the connection of breath and movement”, “respiratory-motor system of exercises”, flow (flow) translated from English as “flow”, “flow”.

Vinyasa flow practice involves a smooth transition from one posture to another with the help of vinyasas (dynamic connections between asanas) connected by breathing.

The difference from Ashtanga-vinyasa yoga is that there are no clearly fixed sequences in this direction, asanas can be performed in any order, while maintaining continuous movement and breathing during practice.

The sequence is built in "waves", combining tension and relaxation, even the spine moves in waves. The continuity of practice brings awareness of each movement, without distraction to the mental fuss. Regular practice makes the human body stronger and younger, develops concentration, awakens the ability to control internal energy (prana).

Yantra Yoga

"Yantra" is a Sanskrit word that can mean a "geometric shape" such as a mandala; but translated into Tibetan, "yantra" (Tib. Trulkor) means "movement of the body." Yantra Yoga is an ancient Tibetan yoga system that includes a series of physical movements performed in a certain strict rhythm and breathing, methods of concentration. The founder of Yantra Yoga is considered to be the mahasiddha Humkar, who passed on the knowledge of Guru Padmasambhava, who, in turn, to the Tibetan yogi Vairocana in the 8th century in Tibet.

There are numerous systems of Yantra related to the various Buddhist tantric teachings, but the only system currently in use in the West is Yantra Yoga, taught since the early 1970s by the Tibetan teacher Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. In Yantra Yoga, certain movements of the body, combined with breathing and rhythm, are called yantras, which are similar to the classical asanas of hatha yoga, but the way they are performed is significantly different. One of the main points is that the very movements of the body are such that they help control the breath. Complete system Yantra yoga of Vairocana consists of 108 elements - yantras and pranayamas. There are preliminary, main and final practices in it. As a result Vital energy harmonizes and allows the mind to discover calm state which is commonly called contemplation.

Rajahiraja Yoga

Rajahiraja yoga (translated from Sanskrit as “the king of kings”, raja or king is the mind, and the soul or atman, individual consciousness is defined as the king of kings) arose about 2000 years ago, its creator is considered Maharishi Ashtavakra, the revivalist of the practice of modern yoga master Sri Sri Anandamurthy. Training in the tradition of rajahiraja yoga is carried out by monks (acarya-sannyasins), depending on the individual characteristics of those involved. Characteristic features are the performance of asanas in a certain mode of breathing, as well as the mental repetition of the ishta-mantra (an individual mantra received from the acharya), relaxation after each asana, combining concentrations on the higher chakras (usually anahata or agya chakra).

Victor Boyko Yoga School

The author's technique of Viktor Boyko was created in 2000. The main directions in the school are yoga therapy and deep relaxation techniques. Each practitioner practices according to an individual program, which is constantly being adjusted. Group lessons are carried out no more than once a week, but it is recommended to practice at home daily. Asanas in Viktor Boyko's yoga school are rebuilt in detail in a calm, static rhythm. Great emphasis is placed on complete relaxation, "Yoga Nidra" is applied.

Yuddha yoga

Yuddha yoga (from the Sanskrit root "yuddh" - "foundation, foundation") - "combat yoga", an ancient Lao yoga system that came from the eastern combat system of Kung Fu. Yoga practices are 49 dynamic sets of hatha yoga exercises for the development and harmonization of all body systems, relieving stress and blocks and healing at the physical and mental level, special attention is paid to the spine and lower back, various principles of breathing (correct abdominal breathing) and meditations are applied, exercises to achieve superpowers, dream yoga, higher Kung Fu systems.

Yin yoga

Yin yoga has its roots in traditional Hatha yoga and Taoist practice. The peculiarities of the method are considered to be long-term passive holding of asanas with complete relaxation. During the exercise, muscles develop and strengthen, joints remain soft and flexible, and this allows you to relax the deep layers of connective tissue. Yin yoga is like a self-administered acupuncture session. In class, sequences are also often aimed at developing certain energy channels (known in yoga as nadis, and in Chinese medicine as meridians), which helps to improve the functioning of internal organs and the immune system, as well as the emotional state.

Tripsichora yoga

A style of hatha yoga created by contemporary ballet master Edward Clarke. Tripsikhora yoga is named after the dance group of the same name, in which the founder of this yoga area practiced and led. In his practice, to train dancers, Edward used the methods of Ashtanga yoga. So formed the new kind yoga. Tripsychora yoga includes the principles of vinyasa (exercise sequences), elements of dance, and ujjayi breathing. Practices progress from simple to complex, however, a certain amount of stamina is required to complete the sequences.

Qi-Yo Multiversal yoga

A type of yoga that combined Qi Gong, Tai Chi and Balinese practices with traditional Vedic yoga. About the Qi-Yo Method: It is a form of theosophical yoga that transcends Eastern or Western spiritual practices. It is a technique of self-discovery that is neither Eastern nor Western, it is universal. Covers different forms of yoga: hatha, bhakti, jyana, karma, mantra, laya, yantra, raja yoga. The practice includes the Qi-Gong complex, pranayama, asanas, singing, visualization, meditation and more.

Solar Yoga Method (SunShineYoga)

“This type of yoga was created for residents of the metropolis who are deprived of the opportunity to fully receive the energy of the sun, which is why the “lunar” (passive or dark) side of the personality dominates, and, as a result, fatigue and depression appear.”

The technique includes a soft, but working through the whole body practice of asanas of different levels of complexity, dynamic vinyasas, pranayamas, visualizations, and work with energy flows, meditations. Much attention is paid to awareness in the flow and work with energy.

STI yoga

Ana Shane's author's technique. The style of yoga is based on cycles - "sets" of asanas aimed at working out individual groups muscles. STI yoga consists of 12 author's sequences aimed at point, injury-free work with the body: SETU BANDHA - backward bends; BALANCE - no comment; HANUMANA CYCLE - transverse twine; SAMAKONA - longitudinal twine; SUPTA - lying yoga, inverted asanas; PADMA - lotus; WARRIOR - virasanas, virabhadrasanas, switching on the sensitivity of the feet; NS - lower racks, their detailed detuning; ARMUS - disclosure of the chest and shoulder; RAJAKA - lightness in backbends and flexibility in hip joints; PARIVRITA - the correct approach to twists; BUDDHA - foot behind the head.

Shadow yoga

The founder of the Shadow Yoga School is Sandor Remete. This is one of the approaches to the study of hatha yoga, which considers the limitations (blockages, habits) of the physical body as layers of frozen shadows. Through dynamic sequences of exercises in the proposed sequences (there are 4 in total), breathing techniques and bandhas, the body is freed from these restrictions, and the mind is freed from the layers of conditioned existence. Shadow Yoga is a synthesis of the essential techniques and exercises of traditional Hatha Yoga and the internal martial arts. Also uses the provisions of "marma-stana" (science of 108 vital points of the body), the science of "nadis" ( thin channels) and "vayu" (main winds).

Power Yoga (Power Yoga)

The founder of the style is Beryl Bender Burch. The foundation of the school is Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. In 1995, Beryl offered her own view of yoga as a tool for improving the body, which is effective system physical exercise and not giving special attention spiritual aspect of practice. Power yoga is one of the young styles that combines dynamics and statics through vinyasas, relaxation, concentration, balances and breathing techniques, meditation, yoga nidra.

Unlike the Pattabhi Jois methodology, this direction offers a variability of sequences, shorter sets, a somewhat simplified detuning of asanas and the absence of a bunch of ujjayi-bandhi-drishti.

Yoga for weight loss (Slim-yoga)

The creator of the style is Ksenia Tishko. Yoga for weight loss or Slim yoga is a special practice of hatha yoga that combines diaphragmatic breathing using bandhas. During the classes, kriyas and pranayamas, asanas and dynamic complexes, meditations, the Om mantra are used.

Adequate yoga

A modern method compiled by Sergei Agapkin. Adequate yoga is referred to as yoga therapy, combining traditional yoga practices and the achievements of modern medicine and science. The knowledge and experience of traditional yoga schools are used in practice. This style is based on the detail of asanas in the tradition of B.K.S. Iyengar, supplemented by the principles of building swastha yoga complexes by A.G. Mohana, a wide arsenal of dynamic practices of the D. Brahmachari tradition and relaxation practices. Classes are built sequentially, including yoga therapy, sukshma-vyayama, pranayama, meditation, yoga nidra.

Apnea yoga

The creator of the method is Alexander Dudov. The APNEA YOGA system (apnea from the Greek “no wind”, “without breathing”) is a modern training system that combines ancient yoga techniques, qigong, various sports and fitness training, as well as training methods for freedivers - deep divers while holding their breath. It is the systemic breath holding and attention control when performing asanas that are characteristic of this modern style yoga.

Kaula yoga

Method of Ilya Dunaevsky. Kaula yoga is a modern type of yoga developed on the basis of Eastern schools of yoga and modern developments of Western science. Classes are divided into levels, they combine soft dynamic practices of asanas and vinyasas, long static holdings of energy locks, full yogic breathing, yantra, mantra and gong meditation practices, free shamanic dances.

aishwara yoga

Aishwara yoga (translated from Sanskrit "divine yoga") is a discipline transmitted by Sri Tathata. Group complex practice, consisting of asanas, pranayamas, meditation, chanting mantras and bhajans. Aishvara yoga is the path of Raja yoga, which has chosen as its tool for knowing oneself control and mental discipline from hatha yoga - concentration and introspection.

Free yoga (Yoga Freedom)

The author's method of Lyudmila Krivtsova. Free yoga is an integrated approach and method of working with the body and spirit, combining different practices of single, couple yoga, wave gymnastics, as well as including elements of dance, contact improvisation, kundalini yoga and others. Exercises are aimed at developing sensitivity and flexibility, allowing you to easily and quickly relieve tension in the body.

open yoga

The style of the Open Yoga School is based on a unique approach - to help people find their own way to the correct implementation of exercises and practices. In the school of Open Yoga, it is believed that there can be only one criterion for the "correct" performance - this is an internal feeling of harmony and an experience of joy during practice. The practice of open yoga consists of: kriya yoga, hatha yoga and others different kinds yoga, pranayama, mantras, nyasa yoga, raja yoga, visualization yoga, meditation. During the performance, the instructor helps to find a position that allows you to relax as much as possible and experience the joy of yoga practice. This is the position that gives the most pleasure. Ascetics are not allowed.

In its exact meaning, the word "yoga" is translated from Sanskrit as "harness" or "submission" and means psycho-practice for changing consciousness; embodied in a special way of life, it helps those who follow its path to achieve enlightenment. In European schools, adapted styles are usually taught, in fact it is yoga for beginners, which is a system gymnastic exercises. But even in this “reduced” form, it helps a person in knowing the capabilities of his body and controlling them, allows him to learn how to breathe and relax properly; strengthen muscles; improve the condition of joints and internal organs, correct posture, improve digestion, regulate hormonal levels.

Health universal complexes based on yoga are based on two main practices - static (and its variety) and dynamic (ashtanga vinyasa yoga). Young people are advised to practice dynamic practice, as it is performed at a fairly fast pace, for static restrictions there are less.

• Classes according to the hatha yoga system involve the static performance of asanas with pauses between them in the background. correct breathing and concentration; in Iyengar yoga they are performed in a certain strict sequence. In addition to health, Iyengar yoga is also used for medicinal purposes;
• Vinyasa is a kind of dynamic meditation based on the smooth transition from asana to asana in the rhythm of the breath, with each posture preparing the next. It is sometimes called "yoga for the layman", that is, for those who do not have time to devote a lot of time to practice: due to concentration, work with breathing, it allows you to achieve results without using complex asanas.

In European countries, “synthetic” systems are also common, for example, vinyasa flow or popular with women. Unlike the classical vinyasa, there is no strict sequence of postures in the flow; asanas are selected individually and lined up so as to alternate power and aerobic exercise. Stretching alternates static asanas and vinyasas, with the emphasis on stretching and working on the flexibility of the spine.

At home, you can do simplified complexes in both static and dynamic techniques, having studied the performance of asanas from descriptions, photos and videos, or taking several lessons in the hall. It is better to start doing synthetic practices under the guidance of a trainer, having analyzed each exercise and their sequence step by step.

• Exercise at home every day for 20-25 minutes. If you are a “night owl” by your lifestyle or character, and it is more convenient for you to pay attention to yoga in the evening or during the day, it’s okay. But keep in mind that in the morning it is easier to agree with your body, it is more responsive to stress and quickly acquires harmony and strength.

• Try to concentrate on the necessary movements and at the same time relax, drive away anxieties and worries. Are you unable to do something? It's OK! It will turn out tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a month.
• You can not do yoga after a heart attack or stroke, with diseases and after injuries of the joints and / or spine, with heart problems, exacerbations of chronic diseases, with colds, flu and fever, and for women during menstruation. Yoga is contraindicated for people with cancer. Pregnant women are allowed to perform some asanas, but if you did not practice yoga before pregnancy, you should not start classes on your own on the advice of your friends.

Morning hatha yoga: statics

Many of the yoga asanas for beginners have long been familiar to you under other names from the complexes for morning exercises and fitness. So, utkatasana resembles a plie squat, uttanasana is an ordinary tilt to the floor, trikonasana and ardha matsyendrasana are varieties of twists, and sarvangasana is nothing more than a “birch tree”.

Exercises are performed in the same way as in conventional gymnastics: exhalation effort, inhalation relaxation.

The next few asanas you will do in the supine position. They must be performed in that order, since each of them prepares the body for the next.

Hold each asana for three to five inhalation/exhalation breaths unless directed otherwise. Did you feel pain or discomfort while performing a particular pose? Refuse it, do not try to do the asana through force, otherwise you will earn at best a sprain, and at worst, a torn ligament or joint injury.

The complex ends with shavasana - a pose of relaxation. Although it seems simple, shavasana is one of the most important, effective and difficult yoga practices because it is the most difficult for beginners to learn to completely relax. Lie on your back, cross your arms and legs, breathe deeply through your nose. Tighten your whole body with all your strength, freeze, count to five and completely relax, trying not to think about anything. Lie down in shavasana for 5-7 minutes.

Surya Namaskar in dynamics

("Salutation to the Sun") is a circle of twelve asanas; five of them are repeated. It exists in two versions: for entry level and experienced yogis, but the breathing technique in them is the same: inhale on backbends, exhale when bending over.

1. pranamasana, prayer asana. Stand up straight, do not slouch, feet together, hands folded on the chest in the “namaste” gesture. Stretch the top of your head up, “toward the Sun”, feel how the spine straightens. Inhale deeply, filling your lungs completely, at the same time draw in your stomach and hold your breath as long as you can. Exhale smoothly, on the next breath, move to the next asana.
2. Hasta Uttanasana. At the same time, raise your arms, slightly winding them behind your head, your back bends. At the top of the asana, the arms remain parallel, palms facing up. Try to perform the movements precisely, but relaxed.
3. Padahastasana. Exhaling, bend your face to your knees, the stomach is pressed against the top of the thighs, with your palms clasping your legs behind. Stretch your back as much as you can, feeling the tension in the muscles. Until you have experience, the asana can be done with your legs bent so as not to stretch the ligaments, but do not relax yourself for too long.
4. Ashwa Sanchalasana(rider). Enter the next asana. Take a step back with your right foot; the left is bent at the knee. Leaning only on the toe of the back leg, lower the pelvis; straighten your back, at the same time stretch the top of your head up.
5. Adho Mukha Svanasana(mountain). Take your left leg back, substituting it for the right. Resting on the toes of the legs and palms, raise the buttocks, pull them up, arching the lower back, and lower the head until it is between the elbows (“ears between the shoulders”). If enough stretching is enough, touch your forehead to the floor.
6. Ashtanga Namaskara. Holding your breath after completing the mountain, bend your knees and lower yourself to the floor, touching the floor with your chest and chin, but sticking your buttocks up. When performed correctly, the body touches the floor with the chin, palms, chest, knees, toes.
7. Bhujangasana (snake pose). From the previous asana, move to the snake pose: leaning on your hands, push out while inhaling chest forward / up. The buttocks are launched, the back is arched.

Now, having skipped ashtanga namaskara, we perform asanas in the reverse order: snake - mountain - rider (only now it works right leg, taking a step forward) - padahasana - hasta uttanasana - pranamasana: the circle is completed. Over time, you can perform not one, but two or three rounds of Surya Namaskara.

Asanas against stress: learn to relax!

A set of four exercises will help restore peace of mind, clear the mind of disturbing thoughts and worries. Exercise for 15-20 minutes in the morning and before bed.

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Some firmly believe in the miracles of static asanas, others can not wait to recharge with divine energy, others learn Sanskrit after classes in order to find revelation in ancient texts. And although there are far fewer yoga centers in Moscow than in New York or London, the problem of choice is already becoming relevant. So, where to go - to ashtanga vinyasa or to the Shadow School, it's up to you.

Hatha Yoga Sri B.K.S. iyengar

In Sanskrit, "hatha" means power, fury, necessity or effort. At the same time, the syllable "ha" symbolizes the sun, and the syllable "tha" - the moon, and the main task of hatha yoga is to establish a balance in the body between the sun and the moon, activity and relaxation. First of all, hatha yoga is designed to restore physical health human: restore joint mobility, stop the curvature of the spine, normalize blood pressure and digestion, strengthen the immune system and hormonal levels. And the health of the mind and spirit should be a direct consequence of physical health.

Iyengar himself at a young age suffered from numerous diseases: malaria, typhoid fever, tuberculosis. Doctors doubted that he would last longer than 20 years, and at sixteen the young man began to practice yoga with his sister's husband, Sri Tirumalaya Krishnamacharya, one of the best yoga masters in India, who raised a whole generation of teachers.

The Iyengar style is static: each asana is held for several minutes. Unlike dynamic types of yoga - ashtanga vinyasa, kundalini - here the body is literally built anew, paying great attention to the smallest nuances: stretching, muscle tension, turns and twists. Moreover, for each person, standard poses may vary slightly depending on what exactly he needs. For the correct construction of poses, wooden bricks, ropes, blankets and horizontal bars are used.

Sivananda Yoga

Swami Sivananda (1887-1963) is one of the most famous and beloved Indian yoga teachers. A doctor by training, at the age of 37 he came to Rishikesh. It was there that he decided to become a hermit. Meditating 12 hours a day and doing yoga with his teacher, Swami Sivananda continued to medical practice. In 1932, he founded an ashram in Rishikesh, which marked the beginning of his yoga school. For his time, Sivananda was almost a revolutionary: he invited the untouchables to the house and the ashram, defended the right of women to learn yoga. After Swami passed away in 1963, many of his students went to teach yoga in Europe and America.

The system of yoga created by Sivananda is a static practice. Its main difference from Iyengar yoga is that, first of all, students are taught not asanas and pranayama, but deep relaxation. It is believed that only if you are completely relaxed, asanas will be beneficial and really serve to transform not only the body, but also the spirit. Depending on the individual characteristics, mental warehouse and physical form student instructor selects the practice of relaxation. For example, to begin with, you will be taught to completely relax your face, and only then - the Cobra or Plow pose.

The five basic principles of Sivananda Yoga are: proper exercise (asanas), breathing (pranayama), relaxation (shavasana), diet (vegetarian), and meditation (studying and contemplating the scriptures of the Vedas).

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

Another student of Krishnamacharya, Patabhi Jois, unlike Iyengar, retained the dynamic style of his teacher, laying the foundation for ashtanga vinyasa yoga, one of the most powerful and fast-acting systems of hatha yoga. In ashtanga vinyasa, all asanas are assembled using vinyas - dynamic ligaments. You will have to learn not only vinyasas, but also a special pranayama practice - it is called Ujjayi, or Victorious Breath. Synchronous with movements, breathing helps to warm up the body from the inside and accumulate a large amount of energy.

Sweating profusely during the session, you are cleansed of toxins and toxins, and thanks to vinyasas, active blood circulation is ensured. In addition, great attention is paid to the performance of special energy locks, or bandhas, which distribute energy throughout the body, as well as the direction of gaze, or drishti. Each vinyasa corresponds to a certain drishti - on the tip of the nose, on the third eye, on the palm, on the big toes, up, to the right, to the left, to the navel. This allows the practitioner to calm the mind and achieve inner concentration. In total, there are six levels in the Ashtanga system, ascending in order of difficulty.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga is the yoga of energy channels. According to Hindu beliefs, kundalini is the original spiritual energy of creation that created the cosmos. It is present in the human body in an unawakened, dormant form at the base of the spine (muladhara chakra). In order to fulfill the main goal of yoga - to merge with the divine consciousness, the yogi must awaken the kundalini and raise it up the central energy channel along the spine to the seventh chakra. The system of kundalini yoga was developed and spread among the Sikhs - warriors of medieval India from the state of Punjab. In the 1970s, Guru Siri Singh Sahib (Yogi Bhajan) became the first teacher to introduce Kundalini Yoga to North America and Europe.

“Some teach yoga as if it is only a set of exercises - and nothing more, but such people have no right to call themselves yogis. If the flexibility of the body and the ability to take different postures made a person a yogi, the best yogis would be circus clowns, ”says Yogi Bhajan and assures that the practice of kundalini yoga allows a person to achieve the same results in 2-3 years, which can be achieved using hatha methods. yoga takes 20-25 years.

Kundalini yoga involves various meditation techniques (or exercises). In most cases, meditation lasts 3 minutes, 11 minutes, 22 minutes, 31 minutes, 62 minutes or 2.5 hours. Usually the eyes are closed and the gaze is focused at the point between the eyebrows (this stimulates the pituitary gland and intuition) or at the tip of the nose, which helps to control the mind. Practically in all meditative practices, mudras are used. Sometimes special types of breathing are used. Many techniques are performed to special music or are accompanied by the chanting of mantras. If there are no special instructions, then they meditate sitting, with a straight spine.

Kundalini yoga is based on kriyas - special sets of dynamic exercises combined with breathing and meditation. However, even if you do not set yourself the goal of gaining enlightenment, kundalini yoga helps restore peace of mind. The most famous American teacher of kundalini yoga is called Gurmukh, she taught "to unlock the potential and relax the mind" half of Hollywood. And Cindy Crawford recently admitted that she is now indebted to Gurmukh for Kundalini yoga and all the happy changes in her life.

Tri Yoga

In 1980, the American Kali Ray, during meditation, began to experience a state called kriyavati - under the influence of the awakened kundalini, she began to spontaneously perform asanas, breathing exercises and mudras - ritual gestures that serve to concentrate energy. From this, tri yoga was born - a very meditative, fluid practice in which static postures are replaced by dynamic kriyas. The links are like dance moves and the practice is a single soft flow. Followers of tri yoga believe that this is the original yoga, representing the cosmic power of creation, and the word "trai" in the title means triple basic principle, underlying the universe, and three energies that are an integral part of each of us: Sat (Existence), Chit (Knowledge) and Ananda (Bliss). And the task of tri yoga is unity, harmony and balance of the body, mind and spirit.

Shadow School Yoga

The name "Shadow Yoga" is taken from the sixth chapter of the ancient tantric treatise "Shiva Swarodaya". In this chapter, which is called "The Yoga of the Shadow Man", the various manifestations of the shadow and their meaning both inside and outside the human body are considered. According to the anatomy of hatha yoga, human body consists of three separate bodies and five shells or shadows, and the dissolution of these shadows in the process of practice is the main task of the yogi.

The training is based on the ancient texts of hatha yoga, which state that all fixed forms should be built to develop the practice of free style - this guarantees a long life and is a necessary step in achieving enlightenment. The main postures that must be included in the practice are: standing, sitting, lying down (face down, up, sideways), side, inverted, curved, twisted, squats, balances, forward bends, backbends and spirals.

Fitness Yoga

It is not actually a school and has a very indirect relation to ancient Indian teachings. Actually, this is what remains of yoga, if you remove philosophy, ideas about the energy structure of a person, mantras, pranayama and mudras. This direction is closest to ashtanga vinyasa, from which fitness yoga inherited only a sequence of dynamic ligaments. In fairness, it should be noted that not all teachers comply with it. Often, instructors include elements of classical choreography and stretching exercises in classes. This is yoga for those who want to correct their posture, improve proportions and lose weight, but definitely prefer meditation treadmill, and pranayama - a glass of freshly squeezed juice. And if mystical associations frighten you or you simply have no time to go into details and read primary sources, do not rush to give up the thought of yoga. Fitness variation is still better than nothing.

Bikram Yoga

The hottest (in every sense) hobby of Hollywood stars and Manhattan workaholics is yoga in rooms with an air temperature of 40-43 degrees Celsius. Its creator, Bikram Chowdhury, was born in 1946 in Calcutta and already at the age of four began taking yoga lessons from one of the most famous Indian teachers - Bishnu Ghosh, the younger brother of Paramahansa Yoganada, who wrote Autobiography of a Yogi. At 13, he won the All India Yoga Championship and held that title until the age of 17, when a knee injury left him in a hospital bed. The doctors were sure that Bikram would never be able to walk on his own, but he returned to his teacher and six months later was healthy. It was then that Ghosh blessed his student to open yoga centers in India, Japan and later around the world.

Having moved to America, Bikram developed and began to implement his revolutionary method of "hot yoga", arguing that the Indian rishis lived in a very hot climate and in fact all asanas are designed for a warm body, and practicing at a temperature of 20 degrees is complete nonsense. In 1973, he opened a studio in Beverly Hills, and since then, almost all the star residents of Los Angeles have worked there, from Madonna and Michael Jackson to Irvine Welsh and Salma Hayek. The Bikram yoga complex consists of two breathing exercises and 26 simple hatha yoga asanas, which are performed at a very fast pace (from 10 to 60 seconds for each pose).

Fans claim that Bikram Yoga cleanses the body of toxins and toxins, brings relief from back pain, migraines, asthma, diabetes, problems with the liver and spleen, and also helps to quickly recover from injuries. Doctors worry that a large load in the heat can be dangerous for the heart, and high temperatures are bad for male fertility. And Chowdhury, meanwhile, is going to patent his own asana - the first time in history when spiritual teaching becomes a market brand.

Jivamukti Yoga

"Jiva" in Sanskrit means the individual soul, "mukti" - liberation. “We are committed to teaching yoga as a spiritual practice and remind students that they are on an arduous mystical journey towards enlightenment. And we have created a method that allows you to stay on track, ”says the creator of this system, David Life. Among those whom he and his wife Sharon Gannon set on the right path are Sting and Trudy Tyler, Christy Turlington and Russell Simpson. David (an artist and musician) and Sharon (a dancer and singer) discovered yoga in the late 1970s, studied in India with Swami Sivananda and Swami Nirmalananda, and were in fact the first to try to bring back the spiritual aspect of yoga teaching in the West - singing religious hymns and mantras, meditation and lectures on philosophy. In their classrooms, instead of white walls and rugs, students found an altar on which Shiva, St. Teresa of Avila and Glinda the fairy from The Wizard of Oz.

If you go to one of the Jivamuktiyoga centers in New York, London or Toronto, in addition to the intensive performance of classical yoga asanas in the Ashtanga Vinyasa style, you will find discussion of ancient Sanskrit texts and singing of prayers, training in pranayama and kriya yoga (purification practice). In addition, you will be shamed for eating meat and strongly recommended to become a vegetarian. And they will put the Beatles and Billy Laswell's Indian jazz on the soundtrack. David and Sharon are hilarious anarchists who say there are no rules except one: "You can contact God directly, on your own." And their jivamukti yoga is a proven way to do it in the midst of a cosmopolitan metropolis, not in the quiet of a Himalayan cave.

Power Yoga

This style was introduced in 1995 by Beryl Bender Birch. As befits a person with the surname Bender, she actually committed a small forgery, taking the sequence of the first two levels of Ashtanga Vinyasa as a basis and giving them a new name - simple and accessible to every American. In addition to exercises that strengthen muscles and increase flexibility, power yoga pays great attention to breathing and emphasizes concentration and mobilization of emotional resources. Actually, one of the main tasks of this method is to make a person not so much more enlightened as stronger, more resilient and energetic.

In addition to Birch, three other trendy power yoga teachers in the States are Brian Kest, Baron Baptist, and Mark Blanchard. The latter is a favorite of celebrities, in particular Jennifer Lopez and her namesake Aniston.

Vini Yoga

One of the most popular destinations created by the outstanding Indian teacher T.K.V. Desikachar and his American student Gary Kravtsov. The main postulate of Vini Yoga is that the practice must be strictly personalized, that is, the teacher must create a unique program for each of his students. Actually, it is reminiscent of a kind of "yoga to order." In addition to asanas, the obligatory program of vini yoga includes pranayama, bandhas, chanting of mantras and religious hymns, meditation, the study of rituals and yogic texts. At the same time, the main difference between Vini Yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa is that in the second there are rigid sequences of asanas, and in the first sequence they are formed spontaneously, depending on the mood and specific needs of the practitioner. Excellent therapeutic technique - to get rid of diseases, bad thoughts and apathy.

Yoga course 114.

Hatha yoga. Static yoga.

Step 1.

Introductory seminar on Hatha yoga from 01.01.2001

Hatha yoga from scratch

Today we have April 26, 2009. My name is Vadim Zaporozhtsev. This is our Hatha yoga workshop. We are located in cultural center"Enlightenment" near the Novoslobodskaya metro station in Moscow. All archival information on our websites www. openyoga. ru, www. happyoga. people. ru, www. yogacenter. ru. This is a seminar for the International Outdoor Yoga University.

What is yoga?

Today we have to get acquainted with Hatha yoga. And let's try to consider this subject in the best traditions of the Open Yoga University. We believe that even complex things can be explained in a simple, understandable and accessible language, even for those people who have just started practicing yoga, as they say, from scratch. This is how we will go, so that a person from scratch can immediately understand what is the meaning of Hatha yoga, what is its strength, and how it can be directly applied in your personal life.

Let's start with formalities. In fact, what is yoga?

It is necessary from the very beginning to decide what yoga is and what it is not. The answer is the following, yoga is a system of self-knowledge that has come down to us since ancient times. So ancient that we can only speculate and guess when, in fact, this doctrine arose. That is, it is a period of time, calculated in thousands of years. Yoga is a very interesting system of self-knowledge, where a person is encouraged to observe moral and ethical principles. The so-called First and Second Principles of Yoga.

The first principle of yoga - it is not to harm anyone unless absolutely necessary, and if this is not possible, then to do as our duty tells us, and to try with all our might to reduce this harm.

Second principle – this is the principle of common sense, this is the principle of a certain logic, which calls on us to spend all our vitality only on achieving our goals. i.e. with common sense approach all the tasks that we set for ourselves. And it doesn't matter what the tasks are, but if we do yoga, then this is the task of self-knowledge.

And finally, the most important distinguishing detail in yoga is that we must engage in self-knowledge, as yoga calls us, to engage harmoniously. There can be no talk of any violence against oneself. This is important to understand from the very beginning. Especially for people who have never practiced yoga. Usually, with the word yoga, they have a lot of fears, phobias, that they have to force themselves somehow, they have to force themselves to do something, to experience some kind of discomfort. So, from the very beginning, we must be very clear and precise here. Yoga does not involve violence against oneself. Another thing is that sometimes you have to force yourself, you have to make some effort. But even as we make these efforts, we watch ourselves from the background and rejoice that we are overcoming ourselves.

That's all there is to yoga in general. Yoga is the system that in no case should any person be afraid. Everyone will find a path or a style of yoga that suits him personally. In this regard, even other people who practice yoga are, in general, not an indicator for us. Sometimes they show people on TV doing very complicated twisted poses, and this turns a lot of people off. Many people think to themselves: “No, I will never twist like that, I will never achieve this.” So the most interesting thing is that yoga does not require you to twist like that, to demonstrate such miracles of flexibility. More precisely, over time, as yoga says, you will acquire it smoothly, naturally, without violence against yourself. So, a person should not be afraid of yoga. Unfortunately, there is such a trend now. Many people are afraid to even approach yoga because they are afraid that it will be very difficult for them. From the very beginning, you must clearly tell yourself that the ancient teaching does not imply that you should do more than your body is able to do at the time you start yoga. Yes, of course, things will change in the future. And the body will change, and the mind will change, and the nerves will become strong, but that will be later. And now, that's what you have, that's good.

Let's re-emphasize here. Yoga is something alive, yoga is something natural, yoga is something that is already in us. If you have ever watched small children who have just learned to walk, and now they look at their hands and feet with surprise, they can grab their leg, lift it up and look at it, smiling, then throw it away. And all movements are natural, all effortlessly and with interest. This is the ideal of yoga Small child. Again, as far as everyone can do anything. There may be some hard prickly attitudes inside you - you read in some book, do this, not that. Or you saw a picture where some uncle twisted in a completely ferocious way. This picture scared you and rather pushed you away - know that something is not right. Yoga is harmony. If you do not feel harmony, know that either it is not really there, or perhaps it has not been revealed to you. Why? There are different characters, people have different preferences.

What is the difference between Hatha yoga and yoga in general?

But the purpose of our today's seminar is a very specific type of yoga, which is called Hatha yoga. And here it is required to explain, what is the difference between Hatha yoga and yoga in general? The answer is: Hatha yoga is just one of the many different approaches in yoga or one of the types of yoga. There are many such species. It is believed that as many manifestations of a person, as many types of yoga.

Hatha yoga is such an approach or such exercises in yoga that use the ability of our body to stay in certain static positions or postures.

Once again, it is enough to watch small children who play. Here they are playing with some of their toys, suddenly, either standing on their heads, or upside down, or something else. Each of them takes some kind of pose - this is our ability. An adult can do the same. But adults, for a number of reasons, are sometimes embarrassed to do something, sometimes it seems to them that there is no point in doing it. Sometimes we are so "driven" by life that we are not up to it. People get tired, they say: “Yes, I would like to get to bed, lie down and lie down. What kind of poses are there?

So, you and I can take various poses. And these poses can sometimes be the most intricate. And on this possibility that we can take either one position or another position and be in this position, the main method of Hatha Yoga is built. It turns out that if you take one pose and stay in it for a while, then another pose and stay in it for a while, then a third pose, then as a result the overall effect is unusual, and sometimes even it seems fantastic.

The man took the usual postures. One will stay a couple of minutes, the other will stay a couple of minutes. And I want to emphasize that these are not necessarily such poses that they like to depict in books on yoga, some insanely difficult ones. No, friends, yoga is simple. These insanely difficult poses, of course, are in yoga, but they are the tip of the iceberg of all the many poses that we have and that we can do. And some of them are quite simple, natural.

So, Hatha yoga is just that yoga, which assumes that we will take different postures, we will be in them. We will perform or stay in them for an extremely harmoniously defined amount of time, one posture will replace another posture in a known sequence. There are many other factors, but they are secondary. And the very first thing a person encounters, he cannot understand, well, how is it, in books on yoga, in all these myths, stories, it is said about what power a person practicing yoga can achieve if he performs these postures. And the poses are simple, friends. How can there be such a colossal effect from the fact that, for example, I just lie on my stomach, bend my knees and grab my legs behind my back with my hands. I don't even make an effort, I just lie there. Or a pose, as if we were lying on the beach with you, reading a book. Here we lie, resting our arms bent at the elbows, and sunbathing in the sun. Well, what could this be? A pose is a pose. But it turns out that there is a certain secret of the structure of our body. And just as the key comes to the lock and opens the door behind which treasures are hidden, so are the poses. When we perform them, primarily from a position of harmony, they completely imperceptibly turn something in us like a key, and suddenly we begin to get an effect, and an effect that we didn’t even expect to get.

This is the highest, deepest secret of yoga tells us that all the most mysterious and powerful that is in the universe, we can find within ourselves. But you need to find an approach to this power. And so Hatha yoga gives us this approach through different postures.

Who Invented Yoga?

Go ahead. We will, of course, touch upon the issue of poses. Now we will analyze Hatha yoga in general, and then we will do a more detailed analysis of WHAT to do, HOW to do it, WHEN to do it. The next question that always interests people who start practicing Hatha yoga is where did yoga come from, who invented it?

Friends, we cannot answer this question. It arose so long ago that no authors have survived, no names have survived. This happened for a number of reasons. The tradition for a long time was not recorded on any material media, but was transmitted orally. On the other hand, it was not always appropriate to leave your name. But we can definitely say that yoga is much, much more than 3000 years old.

In general, they call different numbers in the estimates. Some believe that yoga is over 5,000 years old. Some say even longer. It's not really important. The important thing is that this teaching has somehow come down to us. And by the fact that it has existed for so long, we can prove for ourselves, albeit indirectly, the most perfect effectiveness of this method. After all, a huge number of other systems, including self-knowledge systems, simply did not survive to this day. And yoga has shown that it is so strong system that it was folly to refuse it in antiquity. Thus, it passed from generation to generation and has come down to us. Of course, there are the names of certain authors or teachers who became known at the later dates of the spread of yoga. But in fact we do not know where this teaching came from. This is one of the secrets, one of the very serious secrets of history.

Why is yoga so popular these days?

The next question we would like to answer. Yes, yoga has survived to this day. Why is it becoming more and more popular these days? Let's say a little over 100 years ago nobody in the West heard about yoga. 100 years ago, few people heard about yoga, 50 years ago more people heard about yoga, now even more.

The fact is that there is a large percentage of people who come into contact with yoga and immediately begin to benefit from yoga. And only this is due to the fact that yoga is becoming popular. But do not confuse the two concepts, friends, the popularity of yoga and the safety of yoga. These are two different things. Yoga is becoming popular, but, unfortunately, some primary sources of yoga right now are beginning to be understood worse and worse.

That is, we understand the ancient treatises worse and worse, on which all the exercises of this system were built. We kind of took a small part, and this part came to the court of modern man so much that it spread so quickly. And the rest, which is also preserved, we do not use.

So, why is yoga, Hatha yoga, so popular in the first place? The answer is also very interesting. We are now leading a lifestyle that is entirely determined by our civilization. If earlier people walked, at best they used horses for transportation, now we have cars. If earlier we spent more time reading some handwritten texts, now we spend more time at the computer. If before the work involved more movements that we would have to do, now the number of movements is less and less. We use public transport to and from work. The result is that we lead a sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, at the same time, our work is becoming more and more stressful. Everything sped up.

It is necessary to react very quickly to changing circumstances, so the degree of our concentration, which life forces us to show every day, is growing and growing. As a side effect or reaction to this, we are seeing a surge of mental disorders among modern people, a surge of mental illness. We observe neuroses, psychoses, depressions with you, we observe stress with you. We tense up mentally, while the physical body is relaxed. And in ancient times, everything was more correlated, that is, mental or psychic tension was associated with physical. Now these two things are separated. This modern look life.

Well, the ancient sages faced the same problem many thousands of years ago when they practiced this system of self-knowledge. Let me remind you that we have determined that yoga is a system of self-knowledge. These sages had to sit motionless for long hours in various poses and meditate on various issues, on the essence of being, on the question of what is a person, what is the Higher “I” of a person, how does the Universe work? That is, in ancient times, a yogi or yoginis could sit for five hours in a row in one position, without moving, with extreme tension to reflect on these issues. Moreover, this extreme tension has the same strong effect on the body as stress.

It turns out that in the modern era we are faced with the same phenomena that the ancient sages faced many millennia ago. And many millennia ago, in order to compensate for the negative factors from long meditation, various methods were developed, in particular, this method of Hatha Yoga.

By practicing Hatha yoga, we can compensate side effects from a small amount of movement.

And this has come to court today in modern society, because now we are seeing the same thing. Therefore, it is easy to assume that yoga will be increasingly popular among modern people. Indeed, there are different kinds of statistics. In Western countries, the number of people who have practiced yoga at least once is quite serious. By the way, there are more people practicing yoga in the West than in the East. There are fewer practicing yogis in India than in the USA. This is the real paradox.

What does Hatha yoga reveal in us?

We go further. What exactly does yoga give us? The answer to this question is paradoxical. Yoga does nothing. Yoga reveals what is already there . Once again I remind you that according to the teachings of yoga, the greatest source of power is in ourselves. And if we put the question in this way, what does yoga reveal in us, then here we can list a long list.

physical health

Firstly, Hatha yoga classes give us physical health. Sometimes, even in narrow circles, Hatha yoga is a kind of panacea, that is, a medicine that helps against all diseases. Indeed, the effect of Hatha Yoga cannot be underestimated. If you have any physical illness or physical weakness, then Hatha Yoga can greatly help you overcome these problems.

But here you should remember that yoga never replaces medicine. And if you have any disease, then first of all you need to consult a doctor. Although there are cases when medicine is powerless, and yoga can help. But so that there is no misunderstanding that supposedly yoga can replace medicine. No, yoga cannot replace medicine, yoga has other goals. The goal of yoga is self-knowledge. Medicine heals. Yoga is also partly concerned with the physical body, but only so that the process of self-knowledge can go smoothly. But she never set out to heal anyone. So, yoga gives physical health.

mental health

Then it goes on increasing. The mental state of modern man is extremely shaken. Moreover, watch yourself, and sometimes you will be surprised to realize that from time to time you behave inappropriately. And this is actually a very good sign. This suggests that you are really getting closer to understanding your mental health. It is caused by stress, it is caused by changing conditions of life, environment. So, yoga gives mental health through the impact on the physical body, that is, from gross to subtle. Or, as the well-known proverb tells us that in healthy body healthy spirit. If we understand the word spirit as our mental state, then it is quite a good saying.

Intellectual abilities

Finally, further, what does yoga give us, what does Hatha yoga give us? It gives us, oddly enough, intellectual abilities. Again, there is a paradox. It seems that we are engaged in physical exercise, and at the same time intellectual abilities are growing.

Usually, in our view, a person who overdoes some kind of physical exercise, an athlete, should not be expected to become a professor of philosophy. That is, in the mentality of people, the image of an athlete, such a pumped-up athlete, and the image of an intellectual, who is more likely to be skinny, flimsy, are opposed. In the minds of society, this is disconnected.

Yoga strongly disagrees with this. She believes that in the first and second cases, i.e., in the case of excessive physical pumping up and lack of intelligence, and vice versa, in the case of too intellectual development, but with physical problems, all these are painful deviations. You have to get rid of them.

The ideal of Hatha yoga is when we have a physically strong person, even if not too distinguished by forms, as is the case with bodybuilders, for example, but at the same time with a fairly highly developed intellect. And the most interesting thing is that by doing Hatha yoga, a person sooner or later comes to strengthening his intellectual abilities. The mechanism, how it happens, is very hidden and very mysterious, not at all obvious, but it is a fact. This was written about in antiquity, we can observe this in the modern era. I myself can say that I have repeatedly witnessed that a person who started practicing Hatha yoga suddenly began to grow intellectually.

I have very specific live examples. The fact is that if we approach and act on our physical body from the positions that we will discuss a little later, which Hatha yoga gives us, then everything intensifies inside: both some hormones are produced, and some then nerve currents are formed, and the blood supply to the brain increases, so that all this begins to contribute to intellectual development. And if a person lagged behind somewhere, he very quickly catches up. Therefore, here is also such a third positive factor, in addition to physical and mental health, this is an increase in intelligence.

Creative skills

The next thing that Hatha yoga gives is the disclosure of creative abilities. In many ways, what is called creative torment is not determined at all by some insurmountable obstacles at our mental level. Everything, as yoga teaches us, is much more prosaic and banal. We're just not in tune. We don't have the vitality to keep our work going. nervous system at the right level, so that she is receptive enough, creative enough, as they say now. Energy is not enough. Like a computer, if there is not enough electricity, the battery dies and it turns off.

When we begin to practice Hatha yoga, all systems are in such a good condition that there is a certain excess of vitality. And if there is an excess of vitality, this is a guarantee that a person begins to demonstrate creative breakthroughs. Therefore, if one of you is a person of a creative profession, then sometimes it is much easier to make such a breakthrough if you preempt it by practicing Hatha yoga. That is, roughly speaking, your muscle energy, your muscle life force will turn into something subtle or subtle. Once again, friends, this is not observed or very rarely observed in athletes. More precisely, it is observed only in those athletes who, in their sports training somehow intuitively rediscover the method of yoga. But simply pumping up muscles does not lead to this. And yoga gives both pumping up muscles and also strengthening intellectual and creative abilities.

A special place in yoga is occupied by static postures. In Vietnam, they are used as additional physical training in law enforcement agencies. Yoga asanas are a holistic system that combines the unity of the body, mind and spirit.

A static posture consists of 2 parts: entering the posture and staying in it.

To enter into a pose, you need to make a movement to take a fixed position. Staying in a posture means focusing on sensation or energy.

The great yogi Patanjali said that correct execution Asana leads to the fact that the boundary between the body, thought and spirit disappears.

Before training, you need to fulfill several requirements. The first is to free the body from waste products. Perform asanas with empty stomach, and if a person has eaten, then after a few hours after eating.

The best time to exercise is early morning or evening.

The asanas should be completed with the “sivasan” or corpse pose, this will allow you to relieve fatigue.

The first pose is called "Snake". Having taken a supine position face down, you need to stretch your legs back. The knees are tightened and the toes are extended straight. The palms of the hands are placed next to the pelvis. As you exhale, you need to press your palms to the floor, and pull the body to the top.

Making one more exhalation, it is necessary to smoothly raise the torso until the moment when the pubis touches the floor. In this position, you need to freeze, and tighten your hips. This pose should be held for about 20 seconds with even breathing.

This asana can be repeated 3-4 times.

The positive effect of the exercise is that the vertebral discs return to normal, and the chest opens up.

Another exercise is called - "Crocodile". Asana is performed in the supine position on the ground. You need to bend your elbows and set them at waist level.

With an exhalation, you need to rise above the floor and balance on your toes and palms. The body must be kept straight, knees tense. After taking a few breaths - exhalations, you need to lunge forward 20 - 30 centimeters. Lunges are repeated 3 to 4 times.

These lunges outwardly resemble the behavior of a crocodile hunting for prey. After a short rest, you need to change the direction of movement, and lunge back. The exercise ends with the adoption of a lying position. Through this practice, the wrists are developed, fatigue is removed from the body and mind.

Thanks to static exercises you can develop significant strength of muscles and ligaments, which will have a beneficial effect on the state of the body.

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