Types of yoga

Today many different styles of yoga are being taught and practiced throughout the world. Even though all of them are based on the same physical poses (called asanas), each style has a distinct accent. Given below is a nippy guide to the most popular Yoga styles. It will help you figure out your needs and, accordingly, decide which one is right for you.

Ashtanga & Power Yoga In Sanskrit, Ashtanga means 8 limbs. This is a fast-paced, intense Yoga style, in which a set series of poses is performed, always in the same order. Ashtanga is also the inspiration for what is often referred to as Power Yoga. If a class is described as Ashtanga Yoga, it is sure be a flowing style.

Bikram Yoga is founded by Bikram Choudhury. His style consists of a set series of 26 poses and is also called Hot Yoga, since it is practiced in a 95-100 degree room. This facilitates relaxing of tight muscles together with copious amounts of sweating, thought to be cleansing.

Hatha Yoga is a very general term for all forms of physical Yoga. Typically, a Hatha Yoga class is slow-paced and gentle. It is said to provide a good introduction to the basic yoga asanas.

Iyengar Yoga is based on the teachings of Yogacharya B.K.S Iyengar. His style is more concerned with bodily alignment. Iyengar Yoga normally emphasizes staying in an asana for long periods as against proceeding rapidly from one to another.

In Kundalini Yoga more stress is laid on the Pranayama (breathing techniques) together with physical movement. The intention is to free the energy in one’s lower body and let it to proceed upwards. Kundalini also employs quick, recurring movements rather than staying in one pose for long.

Vinyasa Yoga means breath-synchronized movement and is a more dynamic style based on the performance of a series of asanas in which movement is synchronized with to breathing.

Benefits of Yoga and Pranayam

Benefits of Yoga

At the outset, we must understand what we can gain out of this wonderful practice At the physical level, yoga and its cleansing practices have proven to be extremely effective for various disorders. To get a sampling of how yoga benefits health disorders, please visit the Yoga Therapy section. More importantly, yoga is extremely effective in: Increasing Flexibility – yoga has positions that act upon the various joints of the body including those joints that are never really on the ‘radar screen’ let alone exercised. Increasing lubrication of the joints, ligaments and tendons – likewise, the well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body. Surprisingly it has been found that the body which may have been quite rigid starts experiencing a remarkable flexibility in even those parts which have not been consciously work upon. Why? It is here that the remarkable research behind yoga positions proves its mettle. Seemingly unrelated “non strenuous” yoga positions act upon certain parts of the body in an interrelated manner. When done together, they work in harmony to create a situation where flexibility is attained relatively easily. Massaging of ALL Organs of the Body – Yoga is perhaps the only form of activity which massages all the internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner, including those – such as the prostate - that hardly get externally stimulated during our entire lifetime. Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the various body parts. This stimulation and massage of the organs in turn benefits us by keeping away disease and providing a forewarning at the first possible instance of a likely onset of disease or disorder. One of the far-reaching benefits of yoga is the uncanny sense of awareness that it develops in the practitioner of an impending health disorder or infection. This in turn enables the person to take pre-emptive corrective action Complete Detoxification – By gently stretching muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny as well as providing nourishment up to the last point. This leads to benefits such as delayed ageing, energy and a remarkable zest for life. Excellent toning of the muscles – Muscles that have become flaccid, weak or slothy are stimulated repeatedly to shed excess flab and flaccidity. But these enormous physical benefits are just a “side effect” of this powerful practice. What yoga does is harmonize the mind with the body and this results in real quantum benefits. It is now an open secret that the will of the mind has enabled people to achieve extraordinary physical feats, which proves beyond doubtthe mind and body connection. Yoga through meditation works remarkably to achieve this harmony and helps the mind work in sync with the body. How often do we find that we are unable to perform our activities properly and in a satisfying manner because of the confusions and conflicts in our mind weigh down heavily upon us? Moreover, stress which in reality is the #1 killer affecting all parts of our physical, endocrinal and emotional systems can be corrected through the wonderful yoga practice of meditation. In fact yoga = meditation, because both work together in achieving the common goal of unity of mind, body and spirit – a state of eternal bliss. The meditative practices through yoga help in achieving an emotional balance through detachment. What it means is that meditation creates conditions, where you are not affected by the happenings around you. This in turn creates a remarkable calmness and a positive outlook, which also has tremendous benefits on the physical health of the body. These are just some of the tangible benefits that can be achieved through yoga. Having seen this, it is educative to note why the ancient yogis performed yoga and the interdependence of yoga and meditation. The ultimate goal of the yogis was “self realization” or “enlightenment”, a concept, which perhaps is quite esoteric to you and me. But what is interesting is that for this they had to meditate for extensive spells of time – days,weeks and much more. This required tremendous physical fitness, energy and the capacity to subsist on next to nothing. Yoga positions or asanas provided them the fullest fitness with the least metabolism or stress and meditation in turn provided them the strength and will to perform these asanas effectively – a virtuous cycle of cause and effect. This mutually symbiotic relationship helped them in their path. Pranayama ....Its Benefits Benefits of Pranayama Patanjali has said that one develops concentration and clarity of thought by practising Pranayama. It helps in increasing the mental and physical powers of endurance. It is the path to deeper relaxation and meditation and is a scientific method of controlling breath. It provides complete relaxation to the nervous system. It provides relief from pain caused by the compression of nerve endings. It helps in increasing oxygen supply to the brain which in turn helps controlling the mind.

Yoga Poses & Pranayam

Yoga... The Surest Way of Complete Health

The Importance of Yoga Poses:

Yoga poses have been developed over centuries of research and experience. They have been found to be extremely effective in: Increasing flexibility of the body and freeing all the energy blocks. Besides increasing flexibility, this leads to a healthier body. Helping to lose excess flab and weight - another cause of ill health. Massaging the internal organs of the body and the rarely stimulated parts such as the thyroid gland. Helping to treat several health disorders - from common ones such as backaches and arthritis to 'seemingly' unrelated disorders such as stammering. It is recommended to include some form of yoga positions and preferably a yoga routine in your life. What is the right yoga routine for me? Yoga routines will vary depending on the purpose for which you seek to do yoga - it may be for better fitness or for specific ailments. Pranayama & Yogic Breathing The Power of Effective Breathing Pranayama forms a vital step in the path to ascendancy through Yoga. Pranayama is derived from 2 Sanskrit words - Prana (life force) and Ayama (control). Therefore, in its broadest description, Prananyama would mean the control of the flow of life force. One of the initiation techniques into Prananyama is through the practice of Yogic Breathing or Yoga Breathing. Yogic Breathing helps us break down and understand our breathing better as being composed of diaphragmatic and thoracic breathing. Although this breathing technique forms a basis to advanced Pranayama techniques, it leads to important benefits of its own and provides us a glimpse of what we are capable of reaching through Pranayama. Breathing Components that form the basis of Pranayama During breathing for Pranayama inhalation (puraka) stimulates the system and fills the lungs with fresh air; retention (kumbhaka) raises the internal temperature and plays an important part in increasing the absorption of oxygen; exhalation (rechak) causes the diaphragm to return to the original position and air full of toxins and impurities is forced out by the contraction of inter-costal muscles. These are the main components leading to Pranayama which massage the abdominal muscles and tone up the working of various organs of the body. Due to the proper functions of these organs , vital energy flows to all the systems. The success of Pranayama depends on proper ratios being maintained between inhalation, exhalation and retention.