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→What is Hathayoga?
...Hathayoga is, in its own way, a system of knowledge; but while the proper Yoga of knowledge is a philosophy of being put into spiritual practice, a psychological system, this is a science of being, a psycho-physical system... It must not be forgotten, however, that both do arrive at the same end. Hathayoga, also, is a path, though by a long, difficult and meticulous movement, ''duḥkham āptum'', to the Supreme.
All Yoga proceeds in its method by three principles of practice; first, purification,...secondly, concentration,...thirdly, liberation...The enjoyment of our liberated being which brings us into unity or union with the Supreme, is the consummation; it is that for which Yoga is done. Three indispensable steps and the high, open and infinite levels to which they mount; and in all its practice Hathayoga keeps these in view.
The two main members of its physical discipline, to which the others are mere accessories, are ''āsana'', the habituating of the body to certain attitudes of immobility, and "''prāṇāyāma"'', the regulated direction and arrestation by exercises of breathing of the vital currents of energy in the body. ... it does mainly by these two methods, complex and cumbrous in action, but simple in principle and effective.
The Hathayogic system of Asana has at its basis two profound ideas which bring with them many effective implications. The first is that of control by physical immobility, as the power of mental immobility in yoga of knowledge the second is that of power by immobility.
It is the sign of a constant inability of the body to hold even the limited life energy that enters into or is generated in it...the first necessity of a greater status or action is to get rid of this disordered restlessness, to still the activity and to regulate it. The Hathayogin has to bring about an abnormal poise of status and action of the body and the life energy, abnormal not in the direction of greater disorder, but of superiority and self-mastery.
The first object of the immobility of the Asana is to get rid of the restlessness imposed on the body and to force it to hold the "''Pranic" '' energy instead of dissipating and squandering it... —just as the restless active mind seems to seize on and use irregularly and imperfectly whatever spiritual force comes into it, but the tranquilised mind is held, possessed and used by the spiritual force.
The body, thus liberated from itself, purified from many of its disorders and irregularities, becomes, partly by Asana, completely by combined Asana and
"Pranayama", a perfected instrument. ...The lightening of the heavy hold of the latter, of which the overcoming of fatigue is the first sign and the phenomenon of "utthāpana" or partial levitation the last, is one result. ...the Hathayogic siddhis or extraordinary powers of "''garimā, mahimā, aṇimā" '' and "''laghimā"''. Moreover, the life ceases to be entirely dependent on the action of the physical organs and functionings, such as the heart-beats and the breathing.
All this, however, the result in its perfection of Asana and Pranayama, is only a basic physical power and freedom. The higher use of Hathayoga depends more intimately on Pranayama. ...but the principal gain is that by this purification the vital energy can be directed anywhere, to any part of the body and in any way or with any rhythm of its movement.
The Prana has according to Yogic science a fivefold movement pervading all the nervous system and the whole material body and determining all its functionings. The Hathayogin seizes on the outward movement of respiration as a sort of key which opens to him the control of all these five powers of the "''Prana"''. …a complete mastery of the body and the life and a free and effective use of them established upon a purification of their workings is founded as a basis for the higher aims of Hathayoga.
...this depends on the connection between the body and the mind and spirit and between the gross and the subtle body on which the system of Hathayoga takes its stand. Here it comes into line with Rajayoga, and a point is reached at which a transition from the one to the other can be made.
<ref>https://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/hathayoga</ref>
Asana is used by the Rajayoga only in its easiest and most natural position, ...Coupled with the use of the mantra it brings the divine energy into the body and prepares for and facilitates that concentration in Samadhi. <ref>
http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/rajayoga#p7
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...the way made clear for the ascent through the greater psychic being to the union with the superconscient Purusha. This can be done by Pranayama.<ref>
httphttp://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/rajayoga#p6</ref>
===Limitations of Hathayoga===
The results of Hathayoga are thus striking to the eye and impose easily on the vulgar or physical mind. And yet at the end we may ask what we have gained at the end of all this stupendous labour. The object of physical Nature, the preservation of the mere physical life, its highest perfection, ...On the other hand the physical results, increased vitality, prolonged youth, health, longevity are of small avail if they must be held by us as misers of ourselves, apart from the common life, for their own sake, not utilised, not thrown into the common sum of the world's activities. Hathayoga attains large results, but at an exorbitant price and to very little purpose.
<ref>
http://incarnateword.in/cwsa/23/the-systems-of-yoga#p10
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