Hatha Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga: Which Yoga form is right for you?

 
Yoga
Yoga
Are you bit confused between and  yoga styles and have no idea what is the right form for you? This often happens with any beginner, so first of all, you need to understand that yoga comprises of many disciplines that concentrates on healing the body and mind. It simply enhances the yoga practitioner physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There are many forms of yoga that are being practised by the yoga experts, however, for any beginner, it is quite difficult to figure out what will be the right yoga form. When checking out yoga studios online or looking at a yoga class schedule, it is not easy for a yoga novice to figure out the right style of yoga, since everything is new to him.

Since  there are many yoga styles, many of yoga beginners get confused with many different yoga styles. Hatha yoga and ashtanga yoga are two yoga styles that most of the beginners get wrong as they both are one in the same style, yet both styles mean different from each other in an actual yoga practice. Here is a brief explanation on how both yoga forms, Hatha yoga and Ashtanga Yoga, are different from each other.

Intensity of yoga style

Hatha Yoga, literally means willful or forceful yoga. It refers to a set of  (postures), and sequences of that are designed to align your muscles and bones. Hatha Yoga is a general term that includes all styles of yoga, which includes the practice of (postures) and (breathing practice) that brings a yoga practitioner peace of mind and prepares the body for meditation. Hatha yoga is typically a slow, gentle, right style of yoga for the beginners who prefer to have more relaxed poses to hold for longer.

Whereas, Ashtanga word comes from word which translates “eight-limbed. Ashta (eight) and anga (limb), which revolves around the idea of taking a practitioner through eight steps of yoga to get a path for purification and self-realisation. These eight posture includes Yama (moral codes), Niyama (self-purification), Asanas (postures), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), Pranayama (breathing exercise), Samadhi (equilibrium) and Pratyahara (withdrawing sensory perceptions) that are performed for internal cleansing and they are quite difficult for beginners to perform all eight yoga styles of Ashtanga.

Flow

The most common difference between Hatha and Ashtanga yoga is (flow). Vinyasa is a sanskrit word, which translates to “breath-synchronized movement” and when it comes to moving from posture to posture without a halt, Ashtanga yoga is one yoga style that goes into postures, whereas Hatha yoga goes into a posture, holds it and simply comes out of posture, so there is no transition between postures as in Ashtanga practice.

Key purpose of Ashtanga yoga

Ashtanga yoga is practiced strictly works on eight limbs, which helps in internal cleaning and improves blood circulation which leads to a healthy and calm mind. As mentioned above, the eight limbs are performed to improve overall health and provide flexibility to the yoga practitioner. Apart from all these, ashtanga yoga also builds stamina, which is highly ignored in other forms of yoga.

Key purpose of Hatha yoga

Hatha yoga is practiced solely concentrating on perfecting the and in order to boost the flow of (breath) through the If briefly explained, are channels all over the body through which the prana flows. is the pure act of controlling and directing the breath of yoga practitioner through breathing exercises. This way, hatha yoga increases the flow of energy, although, asanas and pranayams are also part of Ashtanga yoga, yet they are just two of eight limbs.

Conclusion

This blog will clear the cloud of doubt and you would be able to see the right way of yoga that will be beneficial to you. Before, you start on with any yoga style, it is really important to approach Ashtanga yoga teacher training in Goa, that will help you in doing your yoga forms for beginners in right way.

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