The Science of Hatha Yoga Using the Body to Change the Mind

[@keenonyoga]

by the way; the Tantric teacher (and book) I was recommending was the podcast guest Christopher Wallis. I just had a temporary memory lapse! 🙏😂

[@SharkandJase]

Excellent! Thank you for sharing!

[@keenonyoga]

thanks! i’m glad you liked it!

[@artgrigorianmusicartyoga5491]

Adam, I really enjoyed this podcast. Very valid points. Totally dug it.

[@keenonyoga]

thanks for listening and glad to hear ! 😊🙏

[@laughinggnome81]

thank you for the information about the diaphragm and the two types of diaphragmatic breathing

[@keenonyoga]

glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@soynomadayoga]

Thank you it was a really good reminder of why i started practicing yoga few years ago in the first place, and to continue just observing the changes through the body, mind, spirit.

[@keenonyoga]

yes, it’s easy to lose sight of this so easily to the postures .. It’s funny, because intentions can be the purest when we first start, but, over time.m, they can easily become confused!

[@shishira_yoga]

Agree with you on the intentionality part Adam. I have seen many go through the whole practice in a very physical sense and achieve many postures but without any single ounce of revelation about themselves. Many don't even want to change to begin with nowadays or are so severely disconnected from the body that it takes decades/lifetime to reach to this point. Also, I love how the concepts of hatha yoga and vipassana techniques are so similar where they teach how to use breath and awareness on the body to make substantial changes in the behavioral patterns/psyche. My early exposure to Vipassana has helped me to do this kind of work in yoga. My former teacher had shared once that there was a cultural exchange between the 2 traditions in the past but that's up for more research I suppose. Would love to hear more on finishing sequence some day. Thank you for sharing so much already ! 🙏🙌

[@keenonyoga]

that there is a constant interpolation between buddhism and hatha yoga has been well established now. In fact, the early tantric practices were first found in Buddhist texts. Re reading Patanjali more recently, I see it all there too - just cryptically. i’ll do an episode on the closing series next - thanks for the inspiration! and thanks for listening.

[@dannymeske3821]

Ying & Yang!

[@Babassecretchannel]

To be exact it is the astral body which is the blueprint of the physical body that potentially changes through asana-prana practice. The main problem in most hatha styles incl ashtanga is that the subtle body is flirted about by discussing prana, nadi and so on but not properly which would be necessary to really affect a change in the mind, trauma and emotions, and most importantly to use postures as a way to access and cultivate the higher angas of the eight angas. I’ve discussed these things for years but not that many people have the common sense to understand any of it, and the irony of it is that Krishnamacharya knew all this which he taught in Yoga Makaranda. Jois, based on the limited things he learned, didn’t really understand much about the yogic process and yet he’s the one who people believe has authority.

[@keenonyoga]

yes, I would probably agree with all of the above to a greater degree. But, I also believe it’s about intentionality; if there is an interest to use yoga at a deeper level, the adjustments are fairly minor and the techniques simple and practical - it’s still totally possible for the average practitioner who has got their hands on Krishnamacharya’s Makaranaga and wants more out of their practice.

[@Babassecretchannel]

@@keenonyoga That I don’t agree at all 😊 Yes the subtle bodies are available like an open secret but without the whole esoteric /tantric side of things with empowerments and gurus, even with great commitment and efforts people remain pretty clueless about these things. Yoga is an art of enlightenment and if we wish to get to enlightenment there is no other option except to open and activate all parts of both energetic bodies, astral and causal. Very few traditions actually have that. For lesser results, less is fine. 👍

[@jake4713]

Interesting stuff Adam! Thanks for a great podcast, been listening daily for a few weeks 😊. Do you have any good recommendations on books or other resources regarding the topics you discuss in this episode? 🙏

[@keenonyoga]

i think Christopher Wallis’ book on Tantra is good, as well as The Bihar school of yogas’ books on Kundalini and swara yoga… thanks for listening 🙏😊

[@jake4713]

@@keenonyoga awesome! Thanks., I’ll check them out 😊

[@username-bn8jm]

😊This was a good listen, what's your view on Aryuveda in relation to Hatha Yoga?

[@keenonyoga]

i think a very good idea. My understanding is that Ayurveda was always used to balance the effects of Hatha yoga; which , true to its name (ha=forceful) , would inevitably be over stimulating often for the individual.