Hatha Yoga
“Ha ” means Sun, “Tha ” means Moon and “Yog” means to unite or to join. So “hatha yoga” could be the union of the solar and lunar principles, the union of masculine and feminine, physical and mental energies.
The Hatha yoga system is originally a preparation for meditation by creating body purification and mental stability.
This implies first, to clean and remove blockages in the energy channels of the body (shatkarmas). Then, one can practice the yogic postures (asanas), that will bring strength to the muscles and improve the functioning of the internal organs. While practicing asanas, you try to connect the mind to the body by increasing awareness of body parts, focusing on stressed joints and muscles, maintaining awareness of the breathing. When you reach stability in your posture then you also perfect mental stability.
After that, the third aspect of hatha yoga is pranayama, or control and extension of the vital energy. Those breathing exercises are combined with energy locks (bandhas) and gestures (mudras).
In the classes we will practice all these aspects of hatha yoga.
That is why yoga is very different from stretching or any other form of physical exercise: in yoga, steadiness, comfort, conscious movements and breathing awareness are involved.
Our classes are designed for all levels; they include the practice of both dynamic and static yoga poses, meditative and relaxing poses. They can also be designed for a specific public, for example for athletes, elder people, children…