Post by Yogavatar सौन्दर्य on Feb 9, 2024 12:51:11 GMT
In the Yoga Upanishads hatha yoga is described as a means of
attaining physical and mental purification and balance. Although
hatha yoga is the most commonly known yoga, there is a great
misconception about its meaning. Hatha is generally translated as
‘force’, whereas in the yogic literature the word hatha is a
combination of two mantras, ham and tham, which correspond to
pingala and ida nadis respectively. In this context the term hatha
yoga means the yoga through which these two forces are balanced.
Ida nadi, a major pranic channel within the body, represents the
passive aspect of prana which manifests as mental force or chit
shakti. Pingala nadi, the other major pranic channel within the body,
represents the solar, vital energy or the dynamic force which
manifests in the physical dimension as prana shakti. According to
this description, hatha yoga is the yoga of channelling the pranas in
the body.
What is prana?
In order to understand hatha yoga, first we must understand what
prana is and then we can take a closer look at the dual manifestation
of prana. Despite the belief that prana is linked with the breath and
that when we stop breathing we die, yoga says that prana is the
inherent vital force that pervades every experience of matter at the
level of the elements, from sky or ether, down to matter. Each
element is experienced in a different form, composition and
combination of pranic force.
Matter is the densest form of pranic energy. Pranic atoms are
compressed together so that they appear to us as solid objects,
whether in the form of the body, which is animate, or a rock or a
piece of metal, which is inanimate. The density of energy in different
forms is the manifestation of pranic force in the different elements.
This life force is responsible for the growth, maturity and decay of a
particular life form in the manifest dimension. Prana is not linked
with the mind, brain or physical activity, but has been given a
separate identity apart from consciousness in yogic literature. Prana
in its transcendental, unmanifest aspect is known as maha prana. The
various manifestations of this vital energy are known as the subpranas.
Maha prana is linked with shakti/prakriti in its unmanifest nature.
From the merger of maha prana with shakti emanates another aspect
of prana, which is known as the manifest life force. The manifest life
force or vyakta prana is responsible for the governance of the
elemental, causal and subtle stratas of creation. This vyakta prana
has been further divided into two categories. One is known as ida,
the lunar force, governing the manifest, subtle (sukshma) dimension,
and the other is known as pingala, the solar force, governing the
manifest, gross (sthoola) dimension. The manifest, subtle dimension
or ida represents the experiences of the greater mind. The gross
dimension or pingala represents the manifestation of the physical
and material world of objects. From pingala comes the five subpranas, or upa-pranas, which control the physical attributes of
creation. These are known as: prana, apana, samana, udana and
vyana, which are situated in different parts of the body.
The elements, the mind and the body all have their own
structured personalities. How the structured personality is
maintained with the awakening of prana is the beginning of the
theory of hatha yoga. Hatha yoga represents the balancing and
awakening of the gross and subtle pranic vibrations. The two
mantras comprising the word hatha correspond to the ida and
pingala force. Ha or ham is the sound of pingala nadi and tham or
ksham is the sound of ida nadi. This is also the symbology of ajna
chakra. The two petals of ajna contain these sound vibrations. Ha
represents the pranic force and tha represents the mental force of the
one energy which governs creation. In the process of hatha yoga,
purification and synchronization on the physical dimension as well
as the mental dimension is achieved.
Yoga Darshan by Swami Niranjan
attaining physical and mental purification and balance. Although
hatha yoga is the most commonly known yoga, there is a great
misconception about its meaning. Hatha is generally translated as
‘force’, whereas in the yogic literature the word hatha is a
combination of two mantras, ham and tham, which correspond to
pingala and ida nadis respectively. In this context the term hatha
yoga means the yoga through which these two forces are balanced.
Ida nadi, a major pranic channel within the body, represents the
passive aspect of prana which manifests as mental force or chit
shakti. Pingala nadi, the other major pranic channel within the body,
represents the solar, vital energy or the dynamic force which
manifests in the physical dimension as prana shakti. According to
this description, hatha yoga is the yoga of channelling the pranas in
the body.
What is prana?
In order to understand hatha yoga, first we must understand what
prana is and then we can take a closer look at the dual manifestation
of prana. Despite the belief that prana is linked with the breath and
that when we stop breathing we die, yoga says that prana is the
inherent vital force that pervades every experience of matter at the
level of the elements, from sky or ether, down to matter. Each
element is experienced in a different form, composition and
combination of pranic force.
Matter is the densest form of pranic energy. Pranic atoms are
compressed together so that they appear to us as solid objects,
whether in the form of the body, which is animate, or a rock or a
piece of metal, which is inanimate. The density of energy in different
forms is the manifestation of pranic force in the different elements.
This life force is responsible for the growth, maturity and decay of a
particular life form in the manifest dimension. Prana is not linked
with the mind, brain or physical activity, but has been given a
separate identity apart from consciousness in yogic literature. Prana
in its transcendental, unmanifest aspect is known as maha prana. The
various manifestations of this vital energy are known as the subpranas.
Maha prana is linked with shakti/prakriti in its unmanifest nature.
From the merger of maha prana with shakti emanates another aspect
of prana, which is known as the manifest life force. The manifest life
force or vyakta prana is responsible for the governance of the
elemental, causal and subtle stratas of creation. This vyakta prana
has been further divided into two categories. One is known as ida,
the lunar force, governing the manifest, subtle (sukshma) dimension,
and the other is known as pingala, the solar force, governing the
manifest, gross (sthoola) dimension. The manifest, subtle dimension
or ida represents the experiences of the greater mind. The gross
dimension or pingala represents the manifestation of the physical
and material world of objects. From pingala comes the five subpranas, or upa-pranas, which control the physical attributes of
creation. These are known as: prana, apana, samana, udana and
vyana, which are situated in different parts of the body.
The elements, the mind and the body all have their own
structured personalities. How the structured personality is
maintained with the awakening of prana is the beginning of the
theory of hatha yoga. Hatha yoga represents the balancing and
awakening of the gross and subtle pranic vibrations. The two
mantras comprising the word hatha correspond to the ida and
pingala force. Ha or ham is the sound of pingala nadi and tham or
ksham is the sound of ida nadi. This is also the symbology of ajna
chakra. The two petals of ajna contain these sound vibrations. Ha
represents the pranic force and tha represents the mental force of the
one energy which governs creation. In the process of hatha yoga,
purification and synchronization on the physical dimension as well
as the mental dimension is achieved.
Yoga Darshan by Swami Niranjan