Hatha Yoga and Its relationship To Spirituality

True spirituality lies in the realm of the omnipresent spirit.  Contrary to what a lot of practitioners think, it is not essential for a yogi to also be an adept at hatha yoga in order to reach the highest meditative states. 

In meditation the focus is on internal posture, balance and stability.  True pranayama and the ideal asana are internal constructs that can only be taken to their highest levels through continuous and ever deepening meditative practice. 

It's worth mentioning that by similar reasoning, claims by tantric practitioners of liberation through sexual ecstasy are also illogical.  It is true that there is a union of male and female characteristics on ones way to samadhi, but again these terms refer to internal constructs and were never meant to be taken literally.

It's very hard to truly comprehend the truth of these statements unless one has achieved a reasonable state of meditation.  Whilst there are intellectual metaphorical arguments, there are no absolute unequivocal proofs except through ones own practice of meditation and subsequent direct experience. 

Of course hatha yoga has tremendous benefits for the mind and body.  And it helps during meditation, if one can keep one's spine extended in its normal S-shaped curve - something which proper hatha practice encourages and makes easier to achieve.

In Kriya Meditation, there is one hatha yoga sequence which is part of the overall meditative practice.  This sequence is aimed at releasing blockages in the spine so that the ensuing meditation is as effective as possible.