The health giving benefits of Hatha Yoga include:

• removal of toxicity from body and mind.
• strengthening and steadying of the body and mind, especially the nervous system,
musculo-skeletal system, and endocrine system.
• increased physical and mental flexibility.
• pain relief.
• stress reduction.
• balancing of the metabolism to regulate weight and heart rate.
• improved mental concentration and alertness.
• better sleeping patterns.
• increased vitality and sense of well-being.
• slowing down of the ageing process.
• building up and steadying of our vital lifeforce energy known as “prana”.
This is the fundamental purpose and benefit of Hatha Yoga from which all the
other benefits listed above arise.

All imbalances in health of body and mind can be said to create or be created by an imbalance in our energy system, that is, in our prana. When prana is low the body cannot expel toxins sufficiently: we feel stagnant, heavy, lethargic, depressed and may experience constipation, headaches, poor circulation. When prana is unsteady we experience anxiety, insomnia, irritability, irregular heartbeat.
The body, mind and prana are constantly acting upon one another. Imbalances in the mind create imbalances in the prana, which in turn affect the functioning of the body systems such as digestive, respiratory, hormonal and cardiovascular systems. Shock, worry, betrayal, loss, bereavement create imbalances in the prana which can lead to poor health if prolonged. Likewise, over-stimulation through excessive consumption of coffee, alcohol, processed foods, creates imbalances in the prana, disturbing the mind and again leading to poor health if carried out over a long period of time. When our bodies’ immune systems are fighting a virus, much of our prana is used and we can easily start to feel hopeless and depressed.

Hatha Yoga is working very precisely with prana to bring body and mind into balance, creating greater physical and mental strength, optimum well-being and vitality, positivity, clarity and an enhanced sense of wholeness and completeness.