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Q: I’ve been going to yoga classes for a couple of months now, but am confused by the different definitions each teacher gives to what seem to be “core” issues. Like, what does hatha yoga mean? One teacher said ‘ha’ means sun and ‘tha’ means moon, so it’s a uniting of opposites. Another said it means vigorous or physical yoga, as opposed to more mental or meditative things. A third said it describes a mellow or traditional form of poses compared to Ashtanga or Iyengar. So, who’s right?
A: Well, let’s see. House music has been around for barely 20 years, but if you ask three different DJ’s what the essence of House is, and what the defining tracks are, you’ll probably get three pretty different answers. Hatha Yoga has been around at least a thousand years, and you expect agreement on what it means? I’d say all three definitions are true, just looking at the question from different perspectives. And yoga is all about different perspectives, why else stand on your head?
Q: What’s the difference between yoga and Pilates?
A: Pilates is a shrine to flat abs, predicated on the religion of anatomical science, yoga is a shrine to suppleness and strength, predicated on the religion of new-age self-improvement. Celebrities worship at both, so if you want to join that cult, either will do. Seriously, though, Pilates is more focused on core strength and small movements that target specific muscles. Yoga is more spiritual, with a much longer tradition, and many more branches, from music to affirmations, from meditation to dynamic physical practices. The physical aspect of yoga is more about suppleness and strength, and involves larger, often whole-body, movements. Pilates is a marvellous complement to the physical side of yoga, bringing an eye to detail to what can otherwise be a broad brushstrokes practice.