Difference Between Ashtanga Yoga And Hatha Yoga
It was quite a long time-in fact few centuries ago that yoga originated and prospered as a lifestyle. People in many parts of India have practiced yoga for a long time. It is nothing but a combination of physical and mental exercises that enables you to gain control over your own body entirely. A person who practices yoga regularly is called yogi. Yoga is formed of five subdivisions and it is a part of the six preliminary schools that can be found in the Hindu mythology. Hatha yoga and asthanga yoga are two of these subdivisions of yoga and are quite different from each other. The following information will enlighten those who are seeking knowledge about these yoga forms.
It is said that the ancient text of Yoga Korunta was the origin of Asthanga yoga. This form of yoga turns its attention towards the vinyasa technique of yoga. Unlike the other forms of yoga, this form of yoga is very particular about the time span between the changing of positions. Generally it is the person’s breath which controls the time between the positions and also the changing of the positions. In case of Asthanga yoga there are six particular positions that need to be maintained in strict order and the breathing pattern is also pre-decided and fixed. The motive of the vinyasa is to produce heat in the human body so that sweating and better circulation can be achieved. It leads to stronger tendons and tissues. These habits go a long way to minimize accidents when one practices higher and difficult levels of yoga. Including the vinyasa, asthanga yoga consists of difficult levels like Drishtis, Bandhas and Mantras etc.
As far as Hatha yoga is concerned it is the most popular and most practiced form of yoga in the present scenario. It was Swami Awatmarma who introduced this form of yoga in the his collection ‘Hatha Yoga Pradipika’in the 15th century A.D. Hatha yoga is the stepping stone for the bodies’ physical refinement that trains the student for even higher meditation levels. Apart from Raja yoga, Hatha yoga attend to the physical trainings. It is a means to strike a balance between the mind and the body through physical positions (asans), physical and mental repose, meditation and purification of the body. Asans have a huge contribution in increasing the strength of both the body and the mind.