[[[What other forms of yoga do you practice?]]]
There are many Yogas like Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga etc. All these Yogas have in common the idea, at least in a rough sense, that it is possible to yoke the human mind to that of God. The word Yoga means to yoke.
Usually all these Yogas are carried out in a 8-fold framework known as Astanga Yoga of Patanjali. The 8 steps are:
Yama, Niyama, Asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and Samadhi.
Yama and Niyama are moral principles. Yoga will not succeed with out strictly following these moral principles.
Asana is usually interpreted by commentators as the poses of Hatha Yoga. In reality Asana is just a means to keep the body still so that one can think about God without any disturbance.
Pranayama is breadth control which is used to calm the mind.
Pratyahara means restraining the organs so that the mind can be brought under control.
Dharana means fixing the mind.
Dhyana means meditation.
Samadhi means concentration.
The poses of Hatha Yoga are simply the Asanas of Ashtanga Yoga. These poses are a means to get control of the body so that one can then fix one's mind. Hatha Yoga is not simply the poses taught in America. Even Hatha Yoga is much more than the physical poses as pointed out by Maya. The authoritative text on Hatha Yoga is "Hatha Yoga Pradipika".
