"Hatha Yoga is not the ultimate goal. Hatha Yoga makes us aware that the body with its inestimable qualities is everything that we have in life; for we enter this world naked and leave this world naked. For that reason we must get the best out of our body. The more we strive to unfold the perfection's of the body, the more quickly our mental capacities unfold: power of concentration, memory, will-power and resolution. The blessing of Hatha Yoga is threefold; health, well-being and long life."

The physical techniques of Yoga are the stepping stones to meditation. According to Patanjali, Yoga is the cessation of the modifications of the mind.

In the beginning the primary prerequisite to peace of mind is posture. yoga poses are practiced to gain steady posture, health and lightness in the body. All yoga poses are intended to directly or indirectly quiet the mind. The majority of Asana have been devised to build up different parts of the body and to develop the strength required by the more advanced physical disciplines. The purpose of the yoga poses  is to recondition the system, both mind and body, and to develop the nervous and glandular systems.

Yoga is a method that aims to achieve the maximum results with the minimum expenditure of energy. The different yoga poses  have been devised to bring a rich supply of blood to the brain and to the various parts of the spinal column. The yoga asana work by stretching, bending and twisting the spinal column in different directions to promote the health of the nerves.

When the body is purified, Prana (vital energy) can be conserved and the individual becomes healthy and conscious.

Endurance is of the utmost importance in all of the Asana work.

All excess moisture needs to be eliminated from the body, especially from the joints. The less moisture present, the easier the postures become and the body is subjected to less pain.

Regularity in yoga asana practice is an absolute necessity if one wishes to realise the full potential of the Yoga process. If the foundations of a building are not correctly laid, the superstructure will fall down. So too, if a student of Yoga has not gained a certain degree of mastery over the yoga poses  he/she can not successfully proceed to the advanced disciplines.

Yoga is a direct experience of the vast interrelatedness of all life and of all things. You will feel at peace at the end of a yoga asana class because there is a natural realignment of your body which leads to a natural realignment of your perception of life and of who you are.

There is no competition in Yoga, everyone is different.

Rod has undertaken teacher training at the Australian Institute of Yoga Therapy (CAE) and is a member of the Yoga Teachers Association of Australia (YTAA).

Rod Hutchings offers both corporate  and private yoga lessons throughout Melbourne, Victoria.  Rod’s day job is internet development/consulting and web hosting work.  Rod is keen to help other Yoga teachers with limited budgets share their story/ promote their teaching online.