Hatha Yoga is one of the oldest branches of yoga, but its deep roots go back long before its formal development in the Middle Ages. The word "Hatha" in Sanskrit means "strength" or "effort," but in the context of yoga, it also represents the union of two polarities: "Ha" (the sun) and "Tha" (the moon) . This duality symbolizes the balance between masculine (active) and feminine (receptive) energy, a central aspect of Hatha Yoga, which seeks to harmonize these opposing forces to promote spiritual awakening.

The history of Hatha Yoga begins in the Vedas (circa 1500 BC), the oldest sacred texts of India, where references to sitting postures and breathing techniques are mentioned as part of spiritual practices. However, the practice of Hatha Yoga only became truly formalized centuries later, in a context influenced by Tantric teachings. Tantra , a spiritual movement that emerged in India around the 6th century, played a key role in the emergence of Hatha Yoga by incorporating the idea that the body is a vehicle for spiritual transformation, and that its purification and strengthening are essential for awakening.

The first codifications of Hatha Yoga appear in ancient texts such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th century) written by Swami Swatmarama . This text is considered one of the founding manuals of Hatha Yoga and brings together the teachings of both tantric and ascetic schools. It describes in detail the asanas (postures), pranayamas (breathing techniques), mudras (symbolic gestures) and bandhas (energy locks) that aim to purify the physical and subtle body. The Shiva Samhita and the Gheranda Samhita (17th century) are other essential Hatha Yoga texts that delve into these techniques and the internal purification practices, known as Shatkarma . These texts also emphasize the mastery of life force energy, or prana , to awaken kundalini , a spiritual energy dormant at the base of the spine.

Hatha Yoga developed as a rigorous and spiritual discipline, intended to prepare the body for more advanced meditative practices. Ascetics , sadhus , and yogis practiced Hatha Yoga with the goal of transcending physical and mental limitations and achieving enlightenment (samadhi) . Controlling the body through postures (asanas) and breathing (pranayama) purified the energy channels (nadis) and released blockages, thus facilitating the flow of prana.

The importance of kundalini in Hatha Yoga should not be underestimated. Awakening this serpentine energy through intense practices aimed to awaken the major energy centers (chakras) and lead the practitioner to higher states of consciousness. In this regard, Hatha Yoga is distinguished by its bodily approach to the spiritual, using the body as a tool for transformation and elevation.

In the 20th century, masters such as Tirumalai Krishnamacharya , BKS Iyengar , and Swami Sivananda modernized and popularized Hatha Yoga in India and around the world. BKS Iyengar , a disciple of Krishnamacharya, developed a style of Hatha Yoga focused on precise alignment of postures and the use of supports (blocks, straps) to make the practice accessible to all, regardless of physical level. Swami Sivananda , on the other hand, propagated a Hatha Yoga integrating meditation and devotion, with a particular emphasis on respecting the moral principles of yoga (yamas and niyamas) and on the overall health of the practitioner.

Today, Hatha Yoga is practiced around the world not only as a form of physical fitness, but also as a spiritual practice that harmonizes the body, breath, and mind. While it forms the basis of many modern styles of yoga, such as Iyengar Yoga , Bikram Yoga , and Vinyasa Yoga , traditional Hatha Yoga remains true to its roots, emphasizing slowness, precision, and internal focus.