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 the practice have been made since its conception. Nancy Gilgoff, an early student, describes many differences in the way she was taught ashtanga to the way it is taught now. According to her experiences, some of the differences include: Pattabhi Jois originally left out seven postures in the standing sequence, but later assigned Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana and Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana before the Intermediate Series was given; Utkatasana, Virabhadrasana A and B, Parivritta Trikonasana, and Parivritta Parsvakonasana were not in the series at this point; and Jois did not give her vinyasa between sides of the body poses or between variations