That is my point, if the Sun = Surya, how can Sun=Ha?
Everything has been explained above.
Surya means sun or solar deity
Hatha means by force or forcibly
Yoga means yoke or joining
Ha is a seed syllable that can stand for sun or pingala
Tha (Sa) is a seed syllable that can stand for moon or ida
So hatha yoga can mean “joining by force”. And this means joining ida and pingala to awaken kundalini. And hatha yoga can also mean “yoga of the force”, where the force means kundalini.
With thanks to Asuri, Marina, Siva, Core, Yoga Bija, Suryadada, Yoga&Unity. Exactly what point is not clear?
Thank you, Willem, for putting it all together.
[QUOTE=Asuri;31291]I don’t know a lot specifically about Hatha. In Vedic literature, I’ve seen the syllables Ha and Tha (or Sa) used in a few different places to represent sun and moon. These ultimately symbolize Purusa (spirit, or male (father) principle) and Prakriti (material nature or female (mother) principle). People tend to imply lots of other meanings from sun and moon.
In Tibetan Buddhism, there is a Yantra Yoga called “Union of Sun and Moon Yantra”, which contains many poses similar to Hatha Yoga. This was introduced into Tibet around the eight century, which is much earlier than the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. I think it’s fair to say that the Union of Sun and Moon Yantra and Hatha Yoga Pradipika probably come from the same roots, which go back a long way.[/QUOTE]
Thank you Asuri.I like the knowledge you have shared with me. Thanks again.
Here is a new one!
Swami Muktibodhananda says that
“HA and THA is a combination of two beeja(?) mantras…HA represents prana and THA represents mind”
IMHO, one should look at what they are trying to name before naming it. If we make a big assumption that the ancients did that before naming Hatha Yoga, Hatha, perhaps we if look at what they were naming, we can arrive at the meaning of what they chose.
I believe the asanas are designed to promote and enhance the flow of prana in our bodies. In Chakra theory, when a Chakra opens, the Ida and Pingala criss-cross and flow on opposite sides of the body. This coincides (perhaps causes) the Sushumna to rise to that Chakra.
Therefore, the Ida or Moon channel joins with the Pingala or Sun Channel when the Chakra opens and the Kundalini starts to rise up.
This is what I believe the asanas are designed to help us with; and, so the meaning of Hatha Yoga is clear to me.
It is the Union of the Sun and Moon (Nadiis).
Hello again everyone,
Is this a sincere question, or just a challenge? I continue to read this thread and still don’t know why there is doubt. Nevertheless, Gajendranathan, you are very close in your interpretations, however I offer you just a couple adjustments in thought to consider.
The ida and pingala do not criss-cross, they forever live on either side of the body, ha and tha, but rather it is the flow of prana that alternates between them until it is unified with apana in said chakra and is held there (emphasizing held), thereby becoming centralized in sushumna. In other words, the sushumna does not itself “rise” through the chakras because it’s always there, but rather it’s prana that does. You could say sushmna is vacant until it receives that pranic flow.
[quote=Gajendranathan;32631]This is what I believe the asanas are designed to help us with; and, so the meaning of Hatha Yoga is clear to me.
It is the Union of the Sun and Moon (Nadiis).[/quote]
This is also very clear and correct. I don’t understand what’s missing? CityMonk, are you searching for yet a higher authority, do you doubt the integrity of what has been offered here thus far, or do you simply not understand? I am only curious.
peace,
siva
Pranams, Siva.
Thank you for your insightful reply/corrections and additions.
I think it raises a very interesting question which I do not have the exact answers to.
- If we agree that the Sun and Moon energies do cross over at an open Chakra, then either the Sun energy flows through the Ida and the Moon energy flows through the Pingala or perhaps we can say that the characteristics of a nadi must depend upon the characteristics of the energy flowing through it. In which case the Ida and Pingala would alternately assume each others characteristics at each open Chakra.
Gajendranathan,
This is very interesting and I partly understand what you’re trying to say, but it’s also slightly convoluted. Let’s back up a step.
An individual sun-energy and moon-energy, as you say, are misconceived. There are no two energies, rather there are a sun-body, a moon-body and prana alternating between them: one energy having two directions, ascending or descending in which state it is called apana.
What would be true to say is not that ida and pingala assume each other’s charateristics, which they don’t, but that prana and apana do when unified between them in sushmna or anywhere else in the body. However, to say they crossover in a chakra or are “unified” in sushmna is redundant since they intersect.
Let’s not forget that sushumna is also a nadi, and if one were to say that the quality of that pranic energy, tamasic, rajasic or sattwic, would influence the “character” of a nadi, I would say yes. However, having tamasic or rajasic prana enter into sushmna would not be a likely or favorable outcome. Even after prana and apana are unified in sushmna, ida and pingala will still carry out their individual functions, alternately heating and cooling. In other words, the moon can never be the sun.
I know that’s not the whole answer. You’re on a good track.
peace and love,
siva
The hatha yoga system is an intergral approach to accomplish different things.
One of the main things is the joining of ida and pingala nadi flow near the bottom. When they flow into each other the middle channel will then flow and meditation will be nice.
How do you know when they unite? You will see the signs during the raja yoga phase (pratyahar, dharana, dhyana, and so on…