ABOUT THE BOOK : Hatha yoga is not just asanas and pranayama, hatha yoga is raja yoga in a scientific and detailed study. All the practical techniques in raja yoga point to hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is the practical aspect of raja yoga, and raja yoga is the creative aspect of hatha yoga. They are like the obverse and reverse of the same coin. In the hatha yoga system, to control the mind, your must learn to control the prana. Because the waves in the lake are caused by the wind. If there is no wind, there will be no waves and the mind will be very calm. If you want to keep the mind calm, you must know how to control the prana. To control the prana, you must know how to control the physical breath.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR : Swami Vishnudevananda (1927-1993) was a pioneer of bringing the message and practice of Yoga beyond the shores of India. For over thirty years he travelled far and wide to teach an integrated approach to the main paths of yoga.Swami Vishnudevananda founded the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres with many branches both in the West and in India