Hatha yoga Yoga. Hatha yoga practice has many elements, both behavioral and of practice. The Hatha yoga texts state that a successful yogi has certain characteristics. Section 1.16 of the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika", for example, states these characteristics to be "utsaha" (enthusiasm, fortitude), "sahasa" (courage), "dhairya" (patience), "jnana tattva" (essence for knowledge), "nishcaya" (resolve, determination) and "tyaga" (solitude, renunciation). In the Western culture, Hatha yoga is typically understood as "asanas" and it can be practiced as such. In the Indian and Tibetan traditions, Hatha yoga is much more. It extends well beyond being a sophisticated physical exercise system and integrates ideas of
Vedas and "Know your Ātman" their thematic focus. The Upanishads are the foundation of Hindu philosophical thought and its diverse traditions. Of the Vedic corpus, they alone are widely known, and the central ideas of the Upanishads have influenced the diverse traditions of Hinduism. "Aranyakas" are sometimes identified as "karma-kanda" (ritualistic section), while the Upanishads are identified as "jnana-kanda" (spirituality section). In an alternate classification, the early part of Vedas are called Samhitas and the commentary are called the Brahmanas which together are identified as the ceremonial "karma-kanda", while "Aranyakas" and "Upanishads" are referred to as the "jnana-kanda". The Vedangas developed