Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline which originated in India. In Vedic Sanskrit, yoga means “to add”, “to join”, “to unite”, or “to attach” in its most common literal sense. There is a broad variety of types of yoga and school, practices, and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
Yoga gurus from India later introduced yoga to the west, following the success of Swami Vivekananda in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the 1980s, yoga became popular as a system of physical exercise across the Western world. Yoga in Indian traditions, however, is more than physical exercise, it has a meditative and spiritual core.
The science of Yoga imbibe itself the complete essence of the way of Life, including – Gyan Yoga or philosophy, Bhakti Yoga or path of devotional bliss, Karma Yoga or path of blissful action, and Raja Yoga or path of mind control.
Yoga has five principal meanings:
- Yoga as a disciplined method for attaining a goal.
- Yoga as techniques of controlling the body and the mind.
- Yoga as a name of one of the school or system of philosophy.
- Yoga in connection with other words, such as “hatha-, mantra-, and laya-,” referring to traditions specialising in particular techniques of yoga.
- Yoga as the goal of Yoga practice.
Ayurveda is the world’s most sophisticated and powerful mind-body health system. More than a mere system of treating illness, Ayurveda is a science of life! It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vibrant and healthy while realising their full human potential. It uses the inherent principles of nature, to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual’s body, mind and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature here are types of yogasana.
Different types of yoga
Ananda Yoga
Ananda Yoga classes focus on gentle postures designed to move the energy up to the brain and prepare the body for meditation. Classes also focus on proper body alignment and controlled breathing.
Bikram Yoga
It is the method of yoga that is a comprehensive workout that includes all the components of fitness: muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular flexibility and weight. This is the only yoga style that specialises in using the heated environment.
Anusara Yoga
It is a relatively new form of yoga (1997) among types of yoga, which pairs strict principles of alignment with a playful spirit. Postures can be challenging, but the real message of Anusara is to open your heart and strive to connect with the divine in yourself and others.
Ashtanga Yoga
This style of yoga is physically demanding as it involves synchronising breathing with progressive and continuous series of postures-a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, flexibility, stamina, a light and strong body, and a calm mind. Ashtanga is an athletic yoga practice and is not for beginners.
Hatha Yoga
It is an easy-to-learn basic form of yoga that has become very popular in the United States. Hatha Yoga is the foundation of all types of Yoga styles. It incorporates Asanas (postures), Pranayama (regulated breathing), meditation (Dharana & Dhyana) and kundalini (Laya Yoga) into a complete system that can be used to achieve enlightenment or self- realisation.
Integral Yoga
This traditional type of yoga combines postures, breathing exercises, selfless service, meditation, chanting, prayer, and self-inquiry.
Iyengar Yoga
It promotes strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance through coordinated breathing and poses that require precise body alignment. The poses are generally held longer than in other types of yoga.
Kripalu
It is called the yoga of consciousness. This gentle, introspective practice urges practitioners to hold poses to explore and release emotional and spiritual blockages.
Kundalini
It is practiced to concentrates on awakening the energy at the base of the spine and drawing it upward. In addition to postures, a typical class will also include chanting, meditation, and breathing exercises.
Power Yoga
It is essentially yoga with brawn. It’s the American interpretation of ashtanga yoga, a discipline that combines stretching, strength training, and meditative breathing. But power yoga takes ashtanga one step further. Many of the poses (also called postures or their Sanskrit name, asanas) resemble basic calisthenics — push-ups and handstands, toe touches and side bends — but the key to power yoga’s sweat-producing, muscle-building power is the pace among types of yoga.
Restorative Yoga
In a restorative yoga class you’ll spend long periods of time lying on blocks, blankets and yoga bolsters – passively allowing muscles to relax.
Sivananda Yoga
Like Integral Yoga, this traditional type of yoga combines postures, breathing, dietary restrictions, chanting, scriptural study, and meditation.
Viniyoga
This is commonly used as a therapeutic practice for people who have suffered injuries or are recovering from surgery. It is a gentle, healing practice that is tailored to each person’s body type and needs as they grow and change.
Vinyasa
Focuses on coordination of breath and movement and it is a very physically active form of yoga.
White Lotus Yoga
A modified Ashtanga practice developed by Ganga White which is combined with breath work and meditation.
Yin Yoga
Sometimes referred to as yoga for the joints, not the muscles, it directs the stimulation normally created by the asana into areas deeper than the superficial or muscular tissues. Yin Yoga works the connective tissues of the ligaments, fascia, joints and bones.
