Hatha yoga physical essence of life that was constantly dripping down from the head and being lost. These techniques sought to either physically reverse this process (by inverted postures like the "viparītakaraṇī") or to use the breath to force bindu upwards through the central channel. Other texts like the "Vivekamārtaṇḍa", "Goraksaśataka", and "Khecarīvidyā" also teach the raising of kuṇḍalinī. The aims of these practices were siddhis (supranormal powers such as levitation) and mukti (liberation). The only other texts older than the Hathapradīpikā to teach Hatha Yoga ̣mudrās are the "Shiva Samhita", "Yogabīja", "Amaraughaprabodha", and "Śārṅgadharapaddhati". The "Hatha Yoga Pradīpika" is one of
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga and never taught by Sharath. However most of his teachers who claim to have been taught by him will teach the above methods, exercises, & postures, even though none of what they teach is part of the Ashtanga method of instruction under Sharath. Pattabhi Jois also did not require students to independently drop back and come up from back bending before progressing to the 2nd series. Sharath changed the requirements, and has now made this mandatory. However, it is important to note that Pattabhi Jois was the founder of the system, and taught each of his original students differently, instructing