In short
Hatha Yoga is the branch of yoga that works through the body and breath — postures, breathing practices, cleansing techniques and relaxation — to steady the mind. It is set out in classical texts such as the fifteenth-century Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Today, a “Hatha” class usually means a slower class with postures held for several breaths, pranayama and rest.
“Hatha” is probably the most used and least explained word in yoga. Timetables use it to mean “gentle”. Some teachers use it to mean “traditional”. Scholars use it to mean an entire body of practice written down centuries ago. All three are partly right.
I teach Hatha Yoga in the tradition I trained in, so this is a practitioner’s explanation rather than an academic one. If you are comparing Hatha with Vinyasa, Yin or aerial classes, our guide to the types of yoga class sets them side by side.
- Branch of yoga
- Works through body and breath
- Classical text
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika, 15th century
- Includes
- Asana, pranayama, mudra, cleansing, relaxation
- Aim
- A steady body and a quiet mind
- Pace in class
- Slow; postures held
- Suits
- Beginners and experienced students
Where the word comes from
There are two well-known readings of hatha, and both are useful.
- Sun and moon. Ha is often read as the sun and tha as the moon: two complementary energies — active and receptive, heating and cooling — brought into balance.
- Effort. In Sanskrit, hatha also means force or determined effort. This does not mean forcing the body. It refers to the sustained discipline of practice, and to working deliberately with breath and energy rather than waiting for stillness to arrive.
The classical texts
Hatha Yoga is not a modern invention. Its methods were written down in Sanskrit manuals centuries ago. Three are usually named as the classics:
| Text | What it is |
|---|---|
| Hatha Yoga Pradipika | A fifteenth-century manual by Svatmarama, among the most influential surviving texts on Hatha Yoga |
| Gheranda Samhita | A later manual teaching practice as a series of limbs, from cleansing to meditation |
| Shiva Samhita | A text combining Hatha techniques with philosophy |
Read today, what stands out is how little of these texts concerns postures. They are mostly about breath, energy, concentration and the mind. The postures were a means, not the destination.
What Hatha Yoga includes
| Element | What it is |
|---|---|
| Asana | Postures, held steadily and comfortably |
| Pranayama | Regulation of the breath |
| Mudra and bandha | Gestures and energetic “locks” that direct attention and energy |
| Shatkarma | Traditional cleansing practices |
| Relaxation | Deliberate rest, especially savasana |
| Meditation | The purpose the rest prepares for |
What a traditional Hatha class looks like
Our classes in Fort Kochi follow the traditional order, and it shows the logic of Hatha Yoga clearly:
- Opening relaxation. Lying in savasana to settle the body and mind and create the atmosphere for practice.
- Pranayama. Breathing practice to steady the nervous system. Our beginner’s guide to pranayama explains the techniques.
- Surya Namaskar. The Sun Salutation, to warm the whole body.
- Asanas for all levels. Postures held for several breaths, with rest between them.
- Deep relaxation. A long final savasana, where the practice settles in.
Notice that the class begins and ends lying still. That is not filler. In Hatha Yoga, stillness is where the work of the postures is absorbed.
How Hatha differs from other styles
Strictly, every physical style of yoga descends from Hatha Yoga. On a modern timetable, though, “Hatha” means slower and more traditional, in contrast with Vinyasa and power yoga, which link movements into continuous flow; Ashtanga, a fixed and demanding series; and Yin, long passive stretches. A Hatha class gives you time to learn what a posture is before you are asked to move through it quickly.
Who Hatha Yoga suits
- Complete beginners, because the pace allows postures and breathing to be learnt properly.
- Stiff or older bodies, because held postures with rest can be adapted to any level.
- Experienced practitioners who want depth, precision and breathwork rather than a workout.
- Anyone interested in meditation, because Hatha Yoga was designed as a preparation for it.
The tradition we teach in is described in Sivananda yoga in Kochi, and the philosophical framework in the eight limbs of yoga.
Practise with us in Fort Kochi
Traditional two-hour Hatha Yoga classes, mornings 7:30–9:30 am and afternoons 3:30–5:30 pm. All levels, no booking needed. Message us for the day’s schedule.
Two of the less visible parts of traditional Hatha practice are the bandhas and the mudras.
Common questions
What does Hatha mean in yoga?
Hatha is often read as ha, the sun, and tha, the moon, meaning the balance of complementary energies. The Sanskrit word also means force or determined effort, referring to the discipline of practice rather than forcing the body.
What is the difference between Hatha and Vinyasa yoga?
Hatha classes hold postures for several breaths with rest between them and include breathing practices. Vinyasa links postures into continuous flowing movement, so it feels faster and more like a workout.
Is Hatha yoga good for beginners?
Yes. Its slower pace, rest between postures and emphasis on breathing make it one of the best ways to learn yoga properly from the start, and postures can be adapted to any level.
What happens in a traditional Hatha yoga class?
At Santhi Yoga in Fort Kochi, each class opens with relaxation, then pranayama, then Surya Namaskar, then postures for all levels, and ends with deep relaxation. Classes last two hours.
What is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika?
A fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on Hatha Yoga written by Svatmarama, and one of the most influential surviving classical texts on the subject, alongside the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva Samhita.
What are the benefits of Hatha yoga?
Regular practice commonly improves flexibility, strength, balance and breathing, and many people find it calming. Gentle yoga is also among the non-drug approaches recommended for chronic low back pain.
Known to his students as Achu, Aksharanand trained in the Sivananda tradition and holds an Advanced Teacher Training Certificate. He has taught Hatha Yoga, pranayama, meditation and Vedanta philosophy in Fort Kochi for over fifteen years, across more than 5,000 group classes.