Interesting Facts About Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is an attempt to balance the yin and the yang. The meaning of "ha" is sun while "tha" means moon. Hatha means to bring these opposites, symbols for day and night, together. Breathing is an important part of Hatha yoga. Practitioners aim to control both the mind and body.

  1. History

    • Yogic sage Yogi Swatmarama, who lived in India during the 15th century, is credited with introducing Hatha yoga. Later, in the 19th century, T. Krishnamacharya promoted it throughout south India.

    Features

    • Hatha yoga features a number of different postures with exotic names. Some of the names for standing postures include "downward-facing dog" and "humble warrior" while standing postures include "baby cradle." The positions, or asanas, are divided into groups of animals, plants, birds and structures.

    Fun Fact

    • Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr studied Hatha yoga for ten years. Other celebrities known to favor the practice include actresses Jennifer Aniston and Camilla Belle.