Hata Yoga, while not a separate approach, is the practice of preparing the body through various studied postures also called Asanas to free oneself of limitations and to realize the higher potential.
For every mental or emotional situation, the body naturally tends to take certain postures. The converse of this is the science of Asanas. If you consciously get your body into various postures, you can elevate your consciousness. [v]
III. HATA YOGA- BASIS AND BENEFITS
This paper focuses on Hata Yoga or the practice involving the body and its effect on balancing the system so as to be aware of one’s potential.
Many therapeutic modalities have focused on the human body as the locus of transformation. Hatha Yoga is the most ancient of these.
(Flaherty, Coaching, 2010)
A. The Mind-Emotion-Body Interrelationship
‘Ha means “the sun, heat, light, energy, creativity, activity, passion, positive” and “tha” means “the moon, cool, receptive, reflective, negative”. The goal of Yoga is to be in the centre and Hata Yoga achieves this by working on these polarities.’[vi]
Very early in time, the sages reasoned that by engaging in a specific physical posture, one cultivates the mental state associated with the posture and vice versa. As we become more conscious of the posture, our consciousness of the mental state deepens which cultivates a deepening awareness of the self.
‘In due time, one becomes aware that the practice of Hata Yoga is not limited to the physical. It begins there because human awareness is in the beginning physical. All yoga postures tend to affect the different organs as well as the nervous system and thus the mind. The practice of yoga will lead to increasing self mastery and it will become obvious that this is a formidable power.’[vii]
Alex Korb, a scientific consultant and a researcher at UCLA says that calming the mind or breathing slowly during the ‘stressful’ positions in yoga affects the activity in the brain and changes its chemical composition. This neurobiological training to the brain to relax during stress changes the wiring in the brain so that it is now able to respond without the usual stress responses.
In Hata yoga, we confront our fears as well as our potential by balancing attention between the body and mind. When one is consciously aware of the relatedness between mind, body and emotion, the mind can function as its own therapist by shifting focus with the intention of shifting perspective[viii]. Hata Yoga practiced with reflection teaches us to bring attention not only to our body but also to our thoughts, intuition and memories and to understand the stresses in our system.
Swami Lalitananda says, ‘As move into an asana, it becomes clear when we are holding tension, when we are protecting ourselves and when we are open. Starting from an attitude of acceptance, we can encourage movement and bring in curiosity.’
The various postures or Asanas symbolize animals, birds, insects or things, each characterized by key attributes. Hata Yoga when practised with the consciousness of the symbol it represents helps you to explore how the attributes apply to yourself as you are in the posture, what strengths you draw from the posture and what constrains you. The body is the instrument through which we act out our desires and exercise our will. Bringing the body under control through the discipline of Hata Yoga and reflections on the symbolic meaning of the asanas will help to bring the mind and emotions under control.[ix]
Swami Kuvalayananda, author of Yoga Therapy, suggests that it is important to pay attention to the pattern of developing into the posture and to observe the physical stresses in the process of coming into the position since these indicate limitations in the mental and emotional plane.
The polarities are part of human nature. It is up to us to develop the awareness to experience life from a more positive, empowering perspective. Just as the coaching process is about bringing awareness to the cognitive aspects of a person’s behavior, Hata yoga functions best when the individual brings focus and attention to the qualities embodied in an asana.
It really transforms the person, giving her / him inner clarity and stability, self-assurance, ease in action, better health and inner joy,
says Frans Moors, teacher from the Krishamachary Healing and Yoga Foundation.
B. The Science behind Hata Yoga
The energy body is governed by a system of nadis or energy channels that are pathways for the life energies to travel. There are 114 major chakras or gateways, which are meeting points for the nadis. Of these, seven are most important in determining the qualities of an individual based on how dominant or deficient the energy is in each of these chakras. An individual’s proclivity to security, pleasures, action, creativity, power and peace and the corresponding behaviors are determined by the (im) balance of energies in these points. The practice of Asanas serves to facilitate the flow of energies through these chakras and to clear up the blocks that could be causing the imbalances.
Breath plays an important role in mirroring the emotional state of the individual. Agitation of the mind produces the same variations in the breath as the increased level of physical activity. Ancient yogis have correctly observed that the fluctuations of the mind influence the energy of the breath.[x] The Asanas by focusing on the breath effect a change in the emotional and the mental state of the individual.
IV. THE COMMON PLATFORM BETWEEN YOGA AND COACHING
Coaching starts at a place of ‘not knowing’ or ‘not doing’ for the individual. The process leans on the individual’s willingness and readiness to explore his range of thoughts and beliefs arising from his experiences so that a more empowering choice can be made in order to move forward to a point which is better, more fulfilling. In yoga, the individual starts with “I will never be able to do this” and gradually moves to “ I am now comfortably settled and yet aware in this position.” The individual keeps working at the Asana while making a discovery of the physical rigidities encountered. The practice of yoga builds in the individual the will to live, the eagerness to improve and attain perfection. Hata Yoga combined with constant reflection on the Asanas themselves and the symbolism in the asanas will bring transcendence of the recognized personality aspects. Yoga can frequently be a useful adjunct for coaching programs, especially for clients who are experientially distant from their body and emotions. (Flaherty, Coaching, 2010)
This paper illustrates concepts in life design that are important for coaches and clients through the medium of an Asana or posture practised consciously, by reflecting on the associated symbol and the associated language in the level of the body and the mind. By thus doing, the posture produces the intended awareness for the person. The language used to explore the mind is akin to the language in coaching. The concepts taken up in this paper address states that we intend for ourselves as coaches as well as for our clients based on their needs. It is not the intent of this paper to teach the Asanas since these are best practised under the guidance of a trained teacher.
1. Goal orientation:
The purpose is to become aware of one’s goals, impediments to goals and to gain an understanding of values and beliefs.
Asana: TAdAsana or the Mountain pose
Description: The person stands still, with weight distributed equally, hands by the sides, back erect, legs rooted, chest open, looking straight ahead
Symbolism: Mountain, its majesty and stillness
[xi]
| Language of the Body | Language of the Mind |
| Standing still, awareness of being steady,stillness, swaying, being pulled, pushed,balancing, resisting movement, resisting thecompulsion to move |
|