Raja Yoga

The "royal yoga", the "king among yogas", aims at controlling our always restless mind in order to have an intimate communion with the self. There are eight aspects in the practice of Raja: yama (code of conduct), niyama (study and devotion), asana (integration of mind and body through physical activity), pranayama (regulation of breath), pratyajara (abstraction of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (liberation).

Hatha Yoga is part of the practice of Raja Yoga focusing mainly in those asanas that prepare the body for prolonged periods of meditation.

The word Hatha is a compound of the words ha (sun) and tha (moon); Yoga means to yoke, or to join two things together, hence hatha yoga is meant to join together the sun (masculine, active) energy with the moon (feminine, receptive) energy, thus producing balance and power in an individual. In the western world hatha yoga is what most people associate with the word "yoga" and it's commonly used as a tool for achieving physical and mental health.