Sun and Moon

Sun and Moon

Just like the sun and moon, everything has an internal source of energy. In our bodies, the sun and moon occupy opposing halves similar to the concept of yin and yang. The moon represents the left energy channel (ida nadi) and the sun represents the right energy channel (pingala nadi). Our goal is to achieve and maintain BALANCE between both.

"As above, so below. As without, so within."

The Purpose of Sun Salutations

The Purpose of Sun Salutations
Sun salutations lengthens and strengthens, flexes and extends the main muscles of the body while creating a prana flow of energy throughout the system.  It involves a rhythmic stream of breath while reaching towards the sky in mountain pose (tadasana), falling gracefully into a forward fold (uttanasana), raising up halfway with a flat back parallel to the earth, and repeating the flow.  You should feel heat rising evenly throughout your body with an invigorating, refreshing calm.
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Hatha Yoga

• Consists of 8 limbs of practices.
• Branches that need attention and exploration.
• Hatha yoga is practiced in the West.  "Ha" meaning sun and "tha" meaning moon, thereby uniting pairs of opposites.
• Haṭhayoga is translated by the Monier-Williams dictionary as "a kind of forced Yoga or abstract meditation (forcing the mind to withdraw from external objects.
• Swatmarama introduces his system as preparatory stage of physical purification that the body practices for higher meditation or Yoga. It is based on asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques, also known as shatkarma). Hatha Yoga became popular in the west beginning in the second half of the 20th century, and is often referred to simply as "Yoga" in the context of health and physical exercise.

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