About Yoga

Hatha yoga is a mind/body practice consisting of physical poses (asanas in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated), control of the breath (pranayama), and relaxation. The word yoga means "union" in Sanskrit - union between mind, body, and spirit. The physical poses (asanas) of hatha yoga are what we commonly think of as yoga, however hatha is only one of the eight limbs of Raja (Sanskrit for "royal") yoga. More on where hatha fits into the eight limbs of yoga can be found here.

In yoga, all movement is coordinated with the breath. The breath is the thread connecting body, mind, and spirit, and we emphasize awareness on the breath in our hatha practice.

Yoga practice may be used as a gateway to meditative/spiritual practices.

Physical benefits of yoga include:

• Strength and flexibility
• Pain prevention (especially back pain)
• Muscle tone
• Better breathing

• Mental calmness
• Stress relief
• Concentration
• Body awareness

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