Classical Hatha Yoga in the Modern Age | Part 1
What is hatha and what is classical?
In the global renaissance of yoga, the popular impression is that yoga equals asanas. When asked what type of yoga they do, many practitioners pause before saying (a little hesitantly) “hatha yoga”. Yet most yoga brands and schools teach a very limited version of hatha yoga and the teacher may not have a clear understanding of what “hatha” means. This is a shame, because hatha yoga is a brilliant holistic system of self-care, both physical and mental. And self-care equals social care. A healthy society is made up of healthy individuals. Hatha yoga, correctly understood and taught, is good for us individually and as a society.
Widespread misconceptions about hatha yoga include that it is all about the body, a purely physical yoga. Conversely, others include guided relaxation and meditation in “hatha” classes. As a yoga purist, I disagree with both these assumptions. Another confusion is between vinyasa and hatha, or yin and hatha. At this point, we plunge into the heady maelstrom where a plethora of modern yoga brands are re-inventing and commercializing something mysterious, complex and extremely old, called “yoga”.
It’s worth getting this straight before going further — vinyasa, yin, power, hot and other asana-based yoga brands are modern forms of hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is a branch of yoga, not a brand. It’s the all-encompassing system of body-based practices used to balance the energies in order to harmonize the mind. In the final analysis, yoga is always about the mind. Reduce it to an exercise session, and the yoga disappears.
What is classical hatha?
Winding back from modernity, what is meant by classical hatha yoga? When something is said to be ‘classical’ it represents the high point in the development and practice of that something. It becomes the standard, the model, the guide, having established rules and methods for the best practice of that particular discipline. Classical periods include great masters whose innovation and genius inspire others, crossing the barriers of time and space, unaffected by fashions and fads. Their work lives on, preserved by those who follow, as its value is timeless.
The classical period for hatha yoga was the Middle Ages, from around AD 700–1600. Hatha yoga existed before then — practices are described in much earlier texts such as Yoga Vasishtha, Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras and the Upanishads, while ancient art depicts yogis practicing asana, pranayama, mudra and bandha. It was in medieval times, however, that the hatha yoga sects flourished and the greatest of the hatha yoga gurus systematized the practices and recorded their systems in texts such as Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Hatharatnavali and Gheranda Samhita. Each of these texts opened with an acknowledgement of the yogis and gurus who came before them. Each text also justified its existence by saying that hatha yoga was needed to help people accomplish raja yoga — meaning the psychological branch of yoga, chiefly concerned with perfecting mind management.
What then, did the practice of classical hatha yoga consist of? Most importantly, hatha yoga was understood as a system for the management of prana, the subtle energy that is key to yoga. The word “hatha” carries this meaning within its two syllables, which are mantras referring to twin energies, or pranas, flowing in the human body. “Ha” is a mantra denoting the solar energy, called pingala. “Tha” is a mantra denoting the lunar energy, called ida. The purpose of hatha was to manage these pranas for the purpose of mind management. Hence, hatha yoga, according to the classic Sanskrit texts, was to be practiced as preparation for raja yoga — because raja yoga is all about mind management.
There were a number of elements identified as necessary to attain this goal: 1. do the practices — cleansing techniques, asana, pranayama, mudra and bandha; 2. follow a specific dedicated lifestyle which supports progress; 3. observe a sequence and system to be followed in relation to practice; 4. follow the guidance of a guru.
During the classical period, such practice was largely restricted to dedicated groups whose life pursuit was self-realization. They took on all four of the elements I’ve just listed. In modern times, however, hatha yoga has been made available to everyone. It was purposefully disseminated by a number of important yoga gurus to ‘householders’. For most of history, yogis did not evangelize. To the contrary, their systems were kept secret, passed on to initiates by word of mouth. The teachings of a few masters were written down, most likely by disciples. Of these, even fewer have survived to become the classic texts of the tradition. There may be several manuscripts of the same text, with variations in detail causing headaches for modern scholars wanting the authentic version. In truth, there is no single gospel. And that’s not a problem unless you make it one. Dropping the idea that there should be a ‘correct’, ‘authentic’ version is liberating. Try it and find out for yourself.
In the twentieth century, the age of mass communication and globalization, the yogis decided to share their knowledge. For example, one twentieth century master, Swami Satyananda Saraswati, stated that his mission was to ‘spread yoga from shore to shore and from door to door.’ This mission was given to him by his guru, Swami Sivananda Saraswati, who also instructed other powerful disciples to spread the teachings around the world. The guru-disciple principle was fundamental to the mission. To accomplish this mission the various yogis worked with the classical system to make it appropriate and accessible to everyday people in the modern world.
As the uptake of yoga gathered pace it was taken up globally, its universal appeal transcending barriers of culture, class and creed. In the dynamic melting pot of globalization, classical hatha yoga evolved and continues to evolve, morphing into a dizzying array of styles, brands and blends. Big name hatha yoga brands from the first wave include Sivananda Yoga, Iyengar Yoga and Satyananda Yoga, also called Bihar Yoga. As teachers were trained around the world, yoga moved ever further from its roots. Teachers created their own brands, physiotherapists suggested modifications, dancers, perhaps suffering injuries from their trade, blended elements of dance as they discovered that yoga healed. As a critical mass of teachers and practitioners was reached, commercialization kicked in. In the West, yoga brands were franchised, patented and allied with clothing and gear retailers. Classical hatha yoga was bent for business and in the process lost much subtlety, variety of practices and depth of meaning.
The modern yoga renaissance became a yoga revolution. Revolution means change, dramatic change. As the revolution settles into a new normal, the inevitable drift from yoga’s origins begs a number of questions. When is yoga no longer yoga? What is “authentic” yoga? Does it matter?
This series of articles delves into these questions, seeking an authentic representation of classical hatha yoga in the modern age. Part 2 explores classical asanas in the modern context. Coming soon!
** The photo is taken by me.