The origins of Hatha Yoga go back to as early as 15th century. It started in India as an exercise to purify the body along with the mind. Hatha Yoga is based on a principle that a strong balance has to be achieved among mental, emotional, physical and spiritual states. Basically, it emphasizes that these states should be in harmony with sun, moon, earth and water.

The key aspects on which Hatha Yoga is based are listed below:

• Prayanamas – the focus controls the energy levels, a crucial element of Hatha Yoga.  

• Asana – is about various postures that are in a way similar to the poses of Tai Chi. 

• Chakras – are the energy centers. 

• Mudras – are symbols similar to the ones used in Tai Chi. 

• Shakti – a strong, sacred force. 

• Nadis – are the channels. 

Asanas, which are also referred to as “sun signs”, are comprised of movements that are practiced and performed, with the emphasis on focus and concentration, so the practitioner can get the most out of it. Since Hath Yoga practitioners use the asanas consistently in their practice, they tend to find a new sense of strength and a high level of physical balance.

One can derive a number of benefits from Hatha Yoga, including an improvement in the overall health and sense of being complete. When the body and the mind are at ease and balanced through the practice of Hatha Yoga, a feeling of wholeness arises from within, bringing an individual to peace with himself, resulting in lower levels of stress.

Meditation also happens to be one of the earliest forms of self-realization. Looking deep within our subconscious we can uncover vast amounts of knowledge and inspiring ideas, which are often wiped away by the conscious mind. The solution to this is to bring the mind to state of calmness and appropriately posture your body to achieve the best results. This is what Hatha Yoga preaches and teaches, and this is what forms the core of the whole exercise.

Although Yoga is very simple in itself, it does require a few accessories that you will need to buy, such as a Yoga mat. Choosing the right Yoga mat is not that complicated, but you will just need to learn about different types of Yoga mats available. Finding an appropriate Yoga mat makes a lot of difference to the kind of experience you will have during your practice, so no compromises there. Besides, the mat will be able to last you for a long time.

Starting with the most popular type is a sticky mat, which is extremely thin and does not offer much padding. These mats are basic traditional types, where not much emphasis is given to the details. This brings us to the main purpose of a Yoga mat, making you feel comfortable as well as stable when you are doing poses, and prevent you from slipping and losing balance when you are practicing.

Several Yoga mat types and the difference among them is explained below:

The Universal Yoga Mat: This is the basic mat used by a majority of people practicing yoga. It is designed to ensure the surface is sticky and the texture is light so you hands mold into the mat and do not slip. The surface is also smooth.

The Meditation Mat: This mat enhances your sitting posture, as it comes with a comfortable sitting pillow. It makes it easy for the practitioner to sit properly while giving ample support to your body.

The Deluxe Yoga Mats: These mats have heavy texture and they possess a better grip when compared to the other mats because of their foam surfaces.

For those who are just starting with their Yoga practice, a beginner Yoga mat would be sufficient for their new yoga experience. These mats are made of vinyl and have a sponge foam texture. However, if you have been practicing Yoga for a while and practice different types of yoga, as well as advanced postures you might want to consider higher quality mats, which are a little more expensive.

There are many other types of Yoga mats available in the market. Some of them are just thicker and provide more support which can be helpful during shoulder stand and headstands, and some are great at absorbing perspiration. You will need to decide what is most important for you while you are practicing.

It is also a good idea to ask a Yoga teacher which mat will be most appropriate for the kind of Yoga you are doing and the level of Yoga you are practicing.

Our lifestyle can get extremely hectic from every day challenges, jobs, relationships, families, and therefore it is very important to let go of all the stress and tension that is accumulated in the body, while working long hours, being stuck to our chairs for hours without much movement. Although Yoga is known to be very effective when it comes to expelling the physical stress that accumulates in our bodies and helps in adding a dose of healthy activity to our daily schedule, it can prove to be a lot more then just that.

If you are a beginner of this fascinating form of exercise, here is a quick explanation of 3 most popular types of Yoga that you can start with:

1) Hatha Yoga has proven to be one of the most popular and common forms of Yoga, which combines the asanas (postures) with a balanced breathing that is synchronized. It is an amazing combination of meditation, pranayama (lengthening of the breath) and relaxation, which makes it a complete method to de-stress the body and bring your mind to peace and stillness.

2) Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is an effective form of Yoga to help you build a good level of strength and power; that is why it is mostly used among athletes and people who want to get more out of their physical workout. The main focus here is not to enter a meditative trance but to build a strong stamina from within and improve health internally. Ashtanga Yoga comprises of various postures, where bandas (seals) and ujjayi (victory) are used to raise the inner heat and cleanse your body of unwanted toxins.

3) Kundalini Yoga is widely referred to as the “Yoga of Awareness” as it helps an individual awaken the unused or blocked energy. This form of Yoga is a seamless combination of meditative and physical balance, which gathers and brings the mind and body together along with the spirit. This state of deep relaxation is a result of a carefully structured exercise that is made up of asanas, mantra chanting and pranyama.

If you really want to make your Yoga experience fulfilling and have a great start to practicing it, you might want to take a week off and spend it practicing yoga at a yoga retreat center, somewhere in a peaceful location. Let the soothing calmness surrounding you seep in, as it takes you and your mind to a completely new level.

Yoga has become the new mantra in the world of fitness, an exercise many fitness fanatics are really into. The core idea of Yoga, just like any other exercise, is to help the individual practicing it achieve a healthy mind and body.

 Below are listed 5 key points, which explain the important Yoga principles:

 1) Complete Relaxation – Yoga revolves around peace and tranquility; therefore, this particular principle is about proper relaxation and helping release the tension in your muscles. The main aim of Yoga is to put the mind and the body in a state of self-realization. This rejuvenates the nervous system and shows us the effortless way to our internal peace and happiness.

 2) The Right Diet - You are what you eat. This is a very true statement. The food we eat has a major impact on our thinking, which many people would find surprising. When the body does not receive proper nutrition, it can make you mentally inefficient and slow, which, in turn,  put up roadblocks in our path to self-discovery and awareness. A balanced, healthy diet is all about nourishing both, the body and the mind.

 3) Correct Breathing - Achieving a mastery over this Yoga principle is critical, which involves a process of deep and slow breathing. When you breathe correctly, all parts of the lungs are utilized, thus increasing the intake of oxygen. Yoga teaches that we can grow and maintain our well-being through proper breathing, where every breath contains life energy.

4) Correct Movement - Our bodies were created and designed for movement and exercise. Yoga recognizes this principle and forms an important part of it. There are various stretches and postures available in yoga and generally they should be performed in a particular order. Each pose has to be challenging, but on the other hand you have to be careful not to over do it and practice at your own level. These exercises not only normalize the blood flow and regulate it but also relax the muscles and make the spine more flexible.

5) Positive Meditation – Meditation has the powerful ability to soothe and relax our mind and body. It also regulates the flow of thoughts by removing the negative ones. This gives us an edge over disturbing factors such as stress and other worries.

When you decide to practice Yoga, keep these points in mind, so that that you can stay focused on your goal of achieving a balanced mind and body.

Ashtanga Yoga is one of the most physically intense and demanding forms of Yoga, which is why it is so popular. The meaning of Ashtanga is ‘eight limbed yoga’ which was originally created and structured to take the body and the mind through a cleansing process.

 Ashtanga Yoga consists of eight spiritual practices in total, all having their own meanings:

• Asana – means posture
• Yama – means moral codes
• Niyama – means self-purification
• Pratyahara – means sense of control
• Prananyama – means breath control
• Dhyana – means meditation
• Dharana – means concentration
• Samadhi – means contemplation

 The core belief of Ashtanga Yoga is that the body has the ability to trap impure things. Therefore, before the body can get back into control again, the mind needs to be cleared. Then, what follows is the practice of vinyasa and tristhana through the above eight principles. When you control your breathing, the body experiences increased circulation, and as it perspires, the impurities are removed.

Tristhana means focusing in three different ways. These include, breathing, posture and the surroundings. To properly clear and cleanse the mind and the body, these three elements are always required. As you get used to the asanas, your posture tends to improve gradually. Breathing gains strength over time through the right balance of inhaling and exhaling.

A Yogi usually focuses on nine places in the body while practicing Yoga. These are the thumb, naval, nose, hands, feet, the area above the eyebrows, between them, on the right and left sides. Breathing is an essential element of Ashtanga Yoga and when you start practicing it, you will be shown a unique way of breathing, so you can get the most out of it.

Ashtanga Yoga is an amazing exercise to help your body stay active and motivated. However, if you want to give Ashtanga Yoga a try, make sure you visit an Ashtanga class at a yoga studio to learn how to do it properly, and so you know what to expect. Finally, if you have chosen to start practicing Yoga with Ashtanga Yoga, please remember that it does take a lot of perseverance, patience and a great amount of dedication to see some real results with this wonderful, life-changing form of meditation.