Hatha yoga- the way to cure mind and body

Roland Withanage

The main function of yoga exercises is to heal the body and soul. In sanskrit 'Ha' means the sun and 'Tha' is the moon. Bringing together the sun and moon is combining the mind with the body and hatha yoga is the ideal way to heal the body and your mind, says yoga guru Roland Withanage says.

Engaging in yoga exercises daily in the early morning or evening may help curing nearly 80 percent of ailments affecting the body and mind. According to studies conducted in the US and Europe yoga plays a vital part in healing mental conditions like stress and depression.

The Hatha yoga which boasts of a 5,000 year- old history consists of asana pranayama mudra and bhavana. There are no gender, age or other barriers to practice yoga, he said. However, it is advisable to practice yoga under a seasoned instructor if you are suffering from a serious illness as certain yoga postures are not agreeable with some diseases, Withanage said.

A well-shaped body, a longer life, personality development and a better concentration power can be achieved through yoga, he added. A series of articles on different yoga postures will appear on this page in the coming weeks.