Hatha Yoga

Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning "union with God."
The type of yoga we are most familiar with in the West is undoubtedly Hatha Yoga: 'Ha' is Sanskrit for sun and 'tha' is moon. Hatha therefore is the bringing together of all existence into a wholeness and unity.

Hatha yoga begins with physical postures--asanas--designed to strengthen the physical body and nervous system. The spine is strengthened and all internal organs and functions are enhanced. Once these postures, or 'asanas,' are mastered (and this can easily require years of daily, regular practice), we begin the practice of pranayama.
 
Pranayama is the practice of regulating one's breathing. The mind is affected by our breathing and our breathing is affected by our mind. When we are fearful or nervous we take shallow, short breaths. When we are calm and relaxed, we breathe deeply and fully. By recognizing this interconnection we can devise ways to make our minds calm and peaceful by slowing down our breathing patterns. This is the essence of pranayama. The breathing process is lengthened and slowed by a conscious filling of the lungs as fully as possible.

This involves a conscious contraction of the stomach muscles, a lengthening of the spine and diaphram, and a determined effort to opening the lungs to as much air as possible which involves the muscles of the ribs, shoulders and spine.
Once pranayama is mastered, the seeker has gained immense awareness of the wonderous powers within the human frame.

The seeker comes to know the universe by knowing the individual's universe: the body. The same force which guides the galaxies courses through the human frame.
As we breathe in we can feel all of existence coursing through our veins.
It is now that the seeker awakens the potentiality of existence, consciousness and delight-bliss lying in unmanifested seed form in the base of the spine.
This energy embodies creation, preservation and transformation and is the essence of all. As this energy rises through the spinal column the psychic energy centers awaken and the human being awakens from finite consciousness into infinite consciousness.

There are other paths of yoga that lead to the same result though through different means. All yogas must present a means whereby the mind is transformed from its current level of awareness and made fit to provide a channel whereby the human consciousness can receive purer and more unified perceptions. In Hatha yoga the mind is stilled by regulating the physical organism.