Does classical hatha yoga not contain a spiritual dimension?
AD: It has a spiritual dimension. Classical hatha yoga is actually an integral part of ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga means eight-limbed yoga. Patanjali called it eight-limbed yoga; he didn’t call it eight-step yoga. In other words, this yoga is not supposed to be practiced one step at a time. Even though one limb may be predominant, all other limbs are in harmony with it. If you want to walk this path, you have to walk with all the limbs. Any practice of yoga must have all of the components simultaneously present-you cannot do hatha yoga with the body and ignore what the mind is doing and still call it yoga-concentration is very much an integral part of yoga. When you have an emotional reaction while you are doing hatha yoga, when you have doubt or are rejecting or judging yourself while you’re doing yoga, you are practicing conflict-on a yoga mat and calling it yoga! That’s not yoga. That’s practice of conflict in the name of yoga. This practice I have developed is an integration of all eig
