yogasūtra 3.0 3.0: the sacred body Hatha Yoga also lends itself to a second interpretation: the literal translation of “Hatha” from the Sanskrit is “Powerful”, the reason for which it can also be translated as the “Yoga of Power”, highlighting in this way its strictly physical component, even if equally etymologically correct. The dissolution over the centuries of the complete mystical vision of Hatha Yoga therefore lies in the ambivalence of the term. In keeping with the rhythm and the priorities of modern society, Hatha Yoga is mainly practiced for the benefits that it brings to the body in the short term, adapting to the requirements of a transient era. There are many practitioners of Hatha Yoga who ignore the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali. The sacred element is in the body; the need to delve into history and philosophy, in this age, is not considered to be cool. This semantic evolution has led to a further consequence. With the assimilation of Hatha Yoga as a purely physical exercise, we now witness a proliferation of styles that embrace the Hatha base – see the Ashtanga, the Vinyasa, the Iyengar. What originally constituted the basis of the entire practice of Yoga is now perceived as one of the many existing styles, when it is not paradoxically confused with these themselves. In any case all the benefits derived from its practice remain unaltered, now as then. With Hatha Yoga you can come to experience the introductory and gentle activity of āsana4, aimed at aligning and relaxing the body, mind and spirit as a preparation for meditation. The āsana showed themselves to be powerful tools in channeling energy to various parts of the body. Through the physical force used to impose the established movements to the body, man can exceed his limitations, reaching - more or less consciously - what was originally perceived as the state of fusion with the Absolute. Breathing control continues to be an important aspect of Hatha Yoga: through the management of the Vital Breath a slow process of purification, on both a physiological and physical level is initiated. As reported by a scientific review on the psycho-physiological effects of Hatha Yoga with respect to muscular-skeletal and cardiopulmonary activity5, after six weeks of practice the parameters are significantly improved in young and healthy subjects. After four weeks, improvement in pulmonary function was also noted in patients from 48-75 years affected by chronic bronchitis. After only two weeks of practice, 53 patients showed significant improvement in the management of asthma attacks. 4. The āsana [आसन in Sanskrit] are postures particularly used in Hatha Yoga. Their function is directly connected with Indian physiology, founded on the Subtle System, according to which the practitioner is able to purify the energy channels [Nadi] through their adoption, channeling energy to specific parts of the body with a notable psycho-physical benefit. There are thousands of known āsana; each has a name derived from nature or from Hindu mythology. The āsana are often integrated with mudra (symbolic gestures of the hands), pranayama (breathing techniques) and mantra (sounds) in order to modify and strengthen their effects. 5. James A. Raub, Psychophysiologic Effects of Hatha Yoga on Musculoskeletal and Cardiopulmonary Function: A Literature Review, in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15 June 2007 – viewable on-line at www.liebertpub.com 113
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