Hatha Yoga

“ Fashions and social ambitions have not reached the Yogi's consciousness—he smiles at these things, and regards them as he does the pretences of childish games—he has not been lured from nature's arms, but continues to cuddle close up to the bosom of his good mother who has always given him nourishment, warmth and protection. Hatha Yoga is first, nature; second, nature, and last, nature. When confronted with a choice of methods, plans, theories, etc., apply to them the touchstone: "Which is the natural way?" and always choose that which seems to conform the nearest to nature. ”

“ Each branch of Yoga is but a path leading toward the one end—unfoldment, development, and growth. He who wishes first to develop, control and strengthen his physical body so as to render it a fit instrument of the Higher Self, follows the path of "Hatha Yoga." He who would develop his will-power and mental faculties, unfolding the inner senses, and latent powers, follows the path of "Raja Yoga." He who wishes to develop by "knowing"—by studying the fundamental principles, and the wonderful truths underlying Life, follows the path of "Gnani Yoga." ”

“ Nature knows what it is about—she is your friend and not your enemy.
There have been many and most valuable works written on the other branches of the Yogi Philosophy, but the subject of Hatha Yoga has been dismissed with a brief reference by most of the writers upon Yoga. This is largely due to the fact that in India there exists a horde of ignorant mendicants of the lower fakir class, who pose as Hatha Yogis, but who have not the slightest conception of the underlying principles of that branch of Yoga. ”

“ The Prana becomes calm and latent by this means, and thus there is no death, old age, disease, etc. These three Bandhas are the best of all and have been practiced by the masters. Of all the means of success in Hatha Yoga, they are known to the Yogis and Yoginis as the chief ones. The whole of the nectar, possessing divine qualities, which exudes from the Soma (Chandra) is devoured by the Surya; and, owing to this, the body becomes old. To remedy this, the opening of the Surya is avoided by excellent means. It is to be learnt best by instructions from a guru ”

“ Yoga, therefore, means yoking the Mind to the Spirit of God by concentration. Hatha Yoga consists in cleaning and disciplining the outer and inner physical body by the practice of certain postures of sitting, processes of moving the muscles and fixing the eye upon some external object or the tip of the nose. These, in time, induce mental poise. Karma Yoga is performing good actions, and practising spiritual formulas which contribute to the purification of the mind and, finally lead to the unfoldment of the soul. Rāja Yoga is stopping the functions of the mind's volitions. ”

“ Success comes to him or her who is engaged in the practice. How can one get success without practice; for by merely reading books on Yoga, one can never get success. Success cannot be attained by adopting a particular dress (Vesa) . It cannot be gained by telling tales. Practice alone is the means to success. This is true, there is no doubt. âsanas, various Kumbhakas, and other divine means, all should be practiced in the practice of Hatha Yoga, till the fruitóRâja Yoga is obtained. ”

“ Evening sandhya should always be performed after practice, and Hatha Yoga should be practiced at midnight. Viparita Karni is good to be practiced in the evening and at midnight, and not just after eating, as it does no good at this time.) Ujjayi Having closed the opening of the Nadi (larynx) , the air should be drawn in such a way that it goes touching from the throat to the chest, and making noise while passing. It should be restrained, as before, and then let out through the Ida (the left nostril) . This removes slesma (phlegm) in the throat and increases the appetite. ”

“ This concentration of mind is insisted on in the Hindu systems in many different ways. It is called by them Ekkragrata or one-pointedness. In the dialogues the expression is constantly used, and Krishna is said to say to Arjuna (in Bagavad-Gita) . “Has thou listened to me with thy mind fixed on one point?” It is to bring about such a condition that practitioners of Hatha Yoga—which in English simply means any practice tending to develop psychical powers, such as mediumship and the like—prescribe that the Yogee shall sit with his sight concentrated upon the tip of his nose. ”

“ Other feats of these so-called Hatha Yogis are about on a par with the instance which we have reluctantly given, and we know of nothing that they perform which is of the slightest interest or benefit to the man or woman seeking to maintain a healthy, normal, natural body. These mendicants are akin to the class of fanatics in India who assume the title "Yogi," and who refuse to wash the body for religious reasons; or who sit with uplifted arm until it is withered; or who allow their finger nails to grow until they pierce their hands ”

“ But the Yogi knows that the highest degree of responsiveness on the part of the body may be obtained only when it, the body, is properly cared for, nourished and developed. The highly trained body must, first of all, be a strong healthy body. For these reasons the Yogi pays such great attention and care to the physical side of his nature, and, for the same reason, the Oriental system of Physical Culture forms a part of the Yogi science of Hatha Yoga. ”

“ None the less, you may have some results, and in the two famous Indian systems for developing the powers of the consciousness, and for unfolding the consciousness itself, you have this [13] recognised, and you read of Râja Yoga and of Hatha Yoga, of the Kingly Yoga and of the Yoga of Effort. The Yoga of Effort is Hatha Yoga, and is practised by physical means and followed by physical effects. The eye is stimulated in certain ways, and the effect of straining the physical eye is to bring about a certain limited kind of clairvoyance. ”

“ The physical methods and spiritual exercises recommended by theosophists are those inculcated in the systems known in Hindu philosophy as Râja Yoga in contradistinction to the Hatha Yoga system, which is most commonly to be met with in India, and in which the material aspects are given greater prominence. The Path has an active and a passive side. Fresh knowledge, new forces and faculties, have to be acquired by positive and strenuous efforts, while, on the other hand, delusions and superstitions are to be abandoned by an attitude of conscious neglect ”

“ The Yogi or Yogini should practice Hatha Yoga in a small room, situated in a solitary place, being 4 cubits square, and free from stones, fire, water, disturbances of all kinds, and in a country where justice is properly administered, where good people live, and food can be obtained easily and plentifully. ”

“ Ignatius Loyola's spiritual exercises must have produced this result in innumerable devotees. But the most venerable ascetic system, and the one whose results have the most voluminous experimental corroboration is undoubtedly the Yoga system in Hindostan. [sic] From time immemorial, by Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, or whatever code of practise it might be, Hindu aspirants to perfection have trained themselves, month in and out, for years. The result claimed, and certainly in many cases accorded by impartial judges, is strength of character, personal power, unshakability of soul. ”

“ For in the exoteric Yoga Philosophy, and the Hatha Yoga practice, Âkâsha Tattva is placed in the head (or physical brain) of man; Tejas Tattva in the shoulders; Vâyu Tattva in the navel (the seat of all the phallic Gods, “creators” of the universe and man) ; Âpas Tattva in the knees; and Prithivî Tattva in the feet. Hence the two higher Tattvas and their correspondences are ignored and excluded; and, as these are the chief factors in Râja Yoga, no spiritual or intellectual phenomena of a high nature can take place. The best results obtainable will be physical phenomena and no more. ”

“ To many of the Western people, the ideal Yogi is a lean, lank, scrawny, half-starved, emaciated being, who thinks so little of food that he goes for days without eating—one who considers food to be too "material" for his "spiritual nature." Nothing can be further from the truth. The Yogis, at least those who are well-grounded in Hatha Yoga, regard Nourishment as his first duty towards his body, and he is always careful to keep that body properly nourished, and to see that the supply of new, fresh material is always at least equal to the worn-out and discarded matter. ”

“ It is not a "doctor book," and contains nothing about medicine, and practically nothing about the cure of diseases, except where we indicate what one should do in order to get back to a natural state. Its keynote is the Healthy Man—its main purpose to help people to conform to the standard of the normal man. But we believe that that which keeps a healthy man healthy will make an unhealthy man healthy, if he follows it Hatha Yoga preaches a sane, natural, normal manner of living and life, which, if followed will benefit any one. ”

“ Hatha Yoga deals entirely with the physical body. It describes the methods by which the internal or- Hatha Yoga. gans can be purifed and perfect health can be acquired. It teaches how to con- quer the various powers of Prana and the mus- cles, organs and nerves of the body. But in Hatha Yoga the mind must always be concen- trated on the physical body. A Hatha Yogi possesses many powers, such as the power of levitation; but all these powers are only the manifestations of physical Prana. ”

“ In the practice of Kevala Pranayama when it can be performed successfully without Rechaka and Puraka, then it is called Kevala Kumbhaka. There is nothing in the three worlds which may be difficult to obtain for him or her who is able to keep the air confined according to pleasure, by means of Kevala Kumbhaka. He or she obtains the position of Raja Yoga undoubtedly. Kundalini awakens by Kumbhaka, and by its awakening, Susumna becomes free from impurities. No success in Raja Yoga without Hatha Yoga, and no success in Hatha Yoga without Raja Yoga. ”

“ In other chapters, we tell you why the Yogis take care of the body, and also the underlying principle of the Hatha Yoga—that belief in the Intelligence behind all Life—that trust in the great Life Principle to carry on its work properly—that belief that if we will but rely on that great principle, and will allow it to work in and through us all will be well with our bod­ies. ”

“ The room should have a small door, be free from holes, hollows, neither too high nor too low, well plastered with cow-dung and free from dirt, filth and insects. On its outside there should be bowers, raised platform (chabootrā) , a well, and a compound. These characteristics of a room for Hatha Yogis and Hatha Yoginis have been described by adepts in the practice of Hatha. Having seated in such a room and free from all anxieties, one should practice Yoga, as instructed by his or her gurû . ”

“ The Western Physical Culture enthusiast develops his body for his body's sake, often believing that the body is He. The Yogi develops the body knowing it to be but an instrument for the use of the real part of himself, and solely that he may perfect the instrument to the end that it be used in the work of Soul growth. The Physical Culturist contents himself with mere mechanical movements and exercises for developing the muscles. The Yogi throws Mind into the task, and develops not only the muscle but every organ, cell, and part of his body as well. ”

“ The Hatha Yogi gains control over the bodily organs with which the waking consciousness no longer concerns itself, having relinquished them to its lower part, the " subconsciousness', This is often useful as regards the prevention of disease, but serves no higher purpose. When he begins to work on the brain centres connected with ordinary consciousness, and still more when he touches those connected with the super-consciousness, he enters a dangerous region, and is more likely to paralyse than to evolve. ”

“ Asanas Being the first accessory of Hatha Yoga, āsana is described first. It should be practiced for gaining steady posture, health and lightness of body. I am going to describe certain âsanas which have been adopted by Munis like Vasistha, etc., and Yogis and Yoginis like Matsyendra, etc. Swastika-āsana Having kept both the hands under both the thighs, with the body straight, when one sits calmly in this posture, it is called Swastika. Gomukha-āsana Placing the right ankle on the left side and the left ankle on the right side, makes Gomukha-āsana, having the appearance of a cow. ”

“ The rays of the sun reach us; the rain descends upon us, in obedience to the same law. All growth is but an exhibition of this law. All motion is a manifestation of the law of rhythm.
Our bodies are as much subject to rhythmic laws as is the planet in its revolution around the sun. Much of the esoteric side of the Yogi Science of Breath is based upon this known principle of nature. By falling in with the rhythm of the body, the Yogi manages to absorb a great amount of Prana, which he disposes of to bring about results desired by him. ”

“ Water plays a most important part in the everyday life of the Hatha Yoga. He uses it internally and externally. He uses it to keep healthy, and he teaches its value to bring about healthy conditions, where disease has impaired the natural functioning of the body. ”

“ We have dwelt upon the matter of the friendliness of the Vital Force, for the reason that it is a matter usually overlooked by those who have not made a study of it. It forms a part of the Yogi Philosophy of Hatha Yoga, and the Yogis take it largely into consideration in their lives. ”