Are you tired of the thoughts and conversations that happen in your mind all the time? Have you ever shouted to it to STOP? Then you know what it means to achieve peace from the stillness of the mind.
Yoga is not just what we see, the asanas or meditations or medicinal plants. Yoga is a set of physical, mental, and spiritual routines or disciplines that formed in ancient India and aims to control and still the mind.
Yoga developed as a methodical study and practice during the fifth and sixth centuries BCE in ancient India. To the western world, Yoga means a modern form of Hatha yoga, that is, a posture-based bodily fitness, stress-relief, and relaxation technique that contain mostly asanas. Traditional Yoga originated in India is more than that. True yoga focuses on meditation and liberation from worldly passions. It was introduced by great gurus from India after Swami Vivekananda transformed yoga without asanas in the later 19th and early 20th centuries. Vivekananda was the one who familiarized Yoga with the West.
As mentioned earlier achievement of yoga is when one can still his/her mind to gain insights and Moksha (liberation) from Samsaara and Dukha. Yoga is a process of uniting one's divine with one's self.
Both Yoga and Ayurveda are closely interconnected and have grown in pairs with each other since ancient times. They have divided in modern times, over the last hundred years, particularly due to the influence from the outside. But the good news is that the reconnection of yoga and ayurveda is back on track slowly.
Hatha yoga is gentler, this is recommended for those who need balanced practice. It is mainly meant for beginners. Hatha yoga emanates its term from the Sanskrit words sun and moon, and it’s created to balance conflicting forces. Hatha yoga balances physical and mental energy, strength and flexibility, or breath and the body.
Learning the mechanical functioning of the body, forming a certain atmosphere, and then using the body or body postures to guide your energy in precise directions is what Hatha Yoga is about.Ashtanga yoga is a physical, flow-style yoga with spiritual elements in it. Ashtanga yoga includes six series of distinct poses trained in order. Each pose is taught and moved to the next only when the previous one is thorough by the student. In this yoga type, each practitioner moves at their own pace of breath and comfort. There will be no music or bhajans involved in ashtanga classes.
Since the late 1990s, Ashtanga has been regarded as one of the most popular forms of yoga. Ashtanga yoga is considered a vigorous physical practice linked together with the breath to form a continuous sequence. The practice requires an extreme level of physical strength, flexibility, and constancy, which explains why many people see it as a strict and tough workout. If you are looking for something new and challenging Ashtanga yoga is for you.
Yin yoga is comparatively a more unhurried style of yoga in which poses are maintained for a minute and sometimes up to five minutes or more eventually. From the name itself, you can identify that it incorporates principles of traditional Chinese medicine, with Indian yoga postures. It also has its roots in martial arts.
Yin yoga is conceived to improve circulation in the joints and enhance flexibility. The practice concentrates on the lower back, hips, and thighs and uses gears like blocks, bolsters, and blankets to allow gravity to do the work, helping to calm. Yin yoga mainly targets the body’s connective tissues.
Yin yoga is a type of recovery workout. Holding poses for longer time interval benefits the mind as well as the body. This practice that honours stillness is very calming.Iyengar yoga is named after its founder, B.K.S. Iyengar, who created his classical, alignment-based exercise in India. This yoga became popular in the country as well as in foreign countries like the US in the 1970s. Iyengar yoga requires high-level training for its teachers, and it makes use of props. Props include the things which are available on the premises for instance, chairs, walls, benches, and a few other props like straps, blocks, and bolsters.
Even though it asks for its teacher’s good training, it is usually less intense than other types of yoga, although that can vary based on the teacher or class. But in general, it is appropriate for people of all ages and skill levels. Bikram yoga is named after its founder Bikram Choudhary. This type of yoga comprises a set series of poses performed in the same order, and the practice has stringent rules. Each class lasts 90 minutes, with 26 postures and two breathing drills, and the room must be 105° Fahrenheit in temperature with 40% humidity.
This is the reason why this type of yoga is sometimes called hot yoga. The instructors follow rules strictly they do not adjust the class according to the students. It is said that the heated environment lets students get deeper into postures, enhances circulation, and aids in detoxifying the body. This yoga is recommended to those who can tolerate the heat and those who like to sweat.Power yoga is recommended to people who like Ashtanga yoga but want it less rigid. And also, to those who want a good workout without much spirituality involved. Power yoga like Vinyasa yoga has roots in ashtanga yoga.
Power yoga reinforces the muscles while also improving flexibility. The series of different sequences keep the brain engaged and focused. Power yoga can be made into a fusion by adding temperature to the environment like in hot yoga.The emphasis is more on spirituality than on physical exercise in this yoga. Sivananda yoga is a type of hatha yoga based on the instructions of Hindu spiritual teacher Swami Sivananda. This Yoga class generally starts by relaxing with savasana which is usually the final step of other yoga practices Sivananda starts with savasana, then proceeds into breathing exercises sun salutations, and then 12 fundamental asanas
This yoga is considered the transitional type where beginners can move into more complex training after this. Sivananda yoga is suitable for all levels and ages.This yoga is recommended to everyone who needs to destress or is dealing with pain. The asanas are extremely relaxing that someone may doubt falling asleep. The goal is to fully relax into poses, which are held for at least five minutes but often extended. This means that you might only do a few of the poses in a class, and it’s perfectly expected to glide into sleep during them.
This form of yoga utilizes props to support the body. Though all other types of yoga can help with stress relief and brain sharpening, Restorative yoga places its emphasis on downregulating the nervous system to attain calmness of mind. This type of yoga can be used as part of one’s rest-day self-care while participating in other yoga on other days.This is a yoga for moms-to-be and new moms who want to incorporate gentle exercises in their daily routine. It often concentrates on relieving pains associated with gestation, such as painful hips or an uncomfortable low back.
Prenatal yoga helps to relieve pre- or post-delivery anxiety. The breathing exercises, light squats, and pelvic floor workouts, etc. practiced during sessions will prepare mothers for easy delivery. As this is a yoga form meant for mothers whose bodies are delicate the poses are gentle and safe. Aerial yoga may sound like an adventure. This is recommended to those who want a non-traditional yoga experience. This yoga involves inversion postures. Aerial yoga is sometimes called anti-gravity yoga. It is relatively a new practice. It comprises traditional yoga poses with the additional aid of a strong, silky hammock that swings from the ceiling.
The hammock is used as a supporting prop in Pigeon or Downward dog poses and allows the participant to easily perform inverted poses that might be beyond his/her mastery or comfort levels. For some people, this is very relaxing yoga and for some this is challenging. Hanging upside down inverts the blood flow in the body and de-stress the spine providing relief and an elated feeling. Acro yoga is practiced along with a partner mostly under the supervision of an instructor. This is recommended to couples who enjoy workouts together. Acro yoga helps to improve intimacy and trust between the couple. The point to note is that it involves a little adventure like an upside-down pose. One partner act as the “base” on the ground, while the other will be the “flyer” who turns themselves on the soles of the base’s feet. A supervisor called a spotter will always be involved for safety.
Acro yoga doesn’t involve the confinement of the rectangular yoga mat. This type of yoga helps partners playfully explore their mind-body connection and helps to develop effective communication. If you work as a base, it strengthens the lower body and core. Serving as a flyer demands flexibility and stability.
Every type of yoga has its unique advantages, and you might experience a combination of many types of yoga in the same class.