Hatha Yoga - Kundalini Yoga Poses and Postures. Kriya Yoga And Breathing Exercises.which one is better

Submitted by Kevin Pederson on January 28, 2011

A question like this is difficult to answer, and indeed it has no clear answer. Instead, you must understand the true purpose of Yoga. The very word Yoga, means to ‘to unite’. It is an ancient Indian form of physical and mental exercise, and it aims to unify the body, mind and breath. Its ultimate aim should be to gain true knowledge of the body and mind, or to obtain moksha, or liberation. When you think about it this way, then it isn’t really important what kind of yoga you practice, but how well, and with how much awareness you achieve. The different forms of yoga are just like boats that different people use to cross a river. Different boats will suit different people. The same way, what kind of yoga works for you is a matter of personal choice, belief, and ability. At the same time, at some point, all of these boats will reach the shore, and will have to be left behind. When practiced in the west, Yoga is thought of mainly as an exercise to lose weight or to gain fitness. This is only a by-product of yoga, and should not be considered the ultimate aim. Under the Hindu Philosophy, the different schools of yoga include Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Hatha Yoga. Hatha yoga was founded in the fifteenth century by Yogi Swatmarama. The aim is the purification and strengthening of the body for higher stages of meditation. The word Hatha itself is a combination of ‘Sun’ and ‘Moon’. In the west, the practice of Hatha yoga poses consists mainly of Asanas. When practiced in India, though, Hatha yoga has many facets, and is a complete lifestyle choice. It starts with moral discipline including right livelihood, Asanas or poses, purification processes or shatkriyas, poses or mudras, breathing exercises or pranayam, and meditation as the final level. Kundalini Yoga is often considered a part of Hatha Yoga. It consists of a set of advances exercises, also known as Kriya Yoga. It focuses on the release of energy, which is stored at the base of the spine, through a sequence of poses and chanting. It is a very spiritual form of yoga, which aims to bring you in touch with your chakras. A lot of emphasis is given on chanting and breathing. What is not easily understood in the West is that physical strength and health is very important for higher meditative purposes. Therefore, it isn’t important which of these two forms of yoga you choose, but how well you practice them. It’s imperative that you study under a teacher with wisdom instead of knowledge. If he or she touts either one of these as better, then you’re better off with another guru! A word of warning, practicing any form of yoga wrong can have serious health implications.

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