Hatha-yoga-pradipika

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, or “Light on Hatha Yoga”, is one of the most complete remaining treatises dedicated to this ancient science. It is attributed to a famous yogi who is though to have popularised it throughout the Indian sub-continent. According to Hindu tradition, those who practise it, with a practical and forceful approach (hatha = force), attain the spiritual liberation sought by all Indian pathways. This discipline relies on the principle, recognised since Vedic antiquity, of the connection between the universe and the body. It involves a certain number of techniques, the most famous of which are the “postures” (asana), the “control of breath” (pranayana) and the seals (mudra) which enables mastery of the energy of body and mind. The translation of this treatise follows a study by Tara Michaël which shows the importance of different forms of yoga in Shivaite and Tantric traditions.