A question for all of you out there.

[Guest guest]

it seems that any answer to your question can

only be a mix of limited evidence, speculation and

prejudice. here is the current state of mine. <br>hathayoga

is a pranayamabased practice given to extensive use

of mudras and bandhas. it is a fast track practice

based on the manipulation of the breath and the energy

body to bring about the desired result. it gives

little emphasis to asana. it requires initiation by and

the ongoing guidance of the guru.

<br><br>ashtangayoga, is an eight limbed practice designed to invite

the possibility of surrender to the divine within. it

is a more subtle practice that is not based on time,

skill or any other quantifiable, dualistic notion. it

is based on the practice of asana, upon which and

within which the last five limbs depend and occur.

<br><br>hathayoga is about power or shakti. ashtangayoga is about

surrender. both use asana and pranayama, but in different

ways. hathayoga uses them as a means to create a

perfect "adamantine" body immune to disease, age and

death and to develop supernatural powers. ashtangayoga

uses them to express the infinite nature of the body

and free us from our karma so that we may live

happily ever after, disease, old age, death and the other

inconveniences of life notwithstanding.<br><br>this is of course

not the way everyone sees it. <br><br>but in the end

it doesnt matter. the practice itself is what

delivers. but be wary of thinking that yoga is 100%

practice. the 1% theory that it requires is the salt that

makes water the ocean. without knowing where you are

going, and what the sidetracks and pitfalls can be, you

will go down them, and that can be costly. yoga is no

toy. it is a practice of immense power. as they say

where i come from, dont play with fire or it will play

with you. while yoga can blow up the ego, and

therefore be dangerous, it does not do so if you practice

asana within the context of yama and niyama. that means

to be sensitive (ahimsa) honest (satya) open

(asteya) prudent (bhramacharya) generous (aparigraha)

present (sauca) content (samtosa) selfaware (svadhyaya)

and devoted (pranidanah). (thats the 1% or most if it

anyway, the rest of it is that the bandhas must be

resonated holographically throughout the whole body and

this is what transforms the body into a nondual

expression of the infinite). <br><br>yoga practice is a

dynamic mirror with a built in amplifier. whatever you

bring to it it will intensify. aggression or

sensitivity, fear or openness, hope or faith. that makes it

possible for you to see and free yourself from your

attachments, prejudices, preconceptions and other neuroses

that you use to pretend that you are not ok, that you

are not the infinite made flesh. <br><br>if you are

not looking deeply at yourself this amplification

process can cause havoc. otherwise the ongoing presence

of the guru is required that his/her grace may

protect you from your foolishness.