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Top Yoga Techniques For A Healthy Life
There are many different types of yoga, and it may be hard for the beginner to know which yoga types or the types of yoga that he or she wants to do. This article will show you the different types of yoga and the differences between yoga types. So if you've ever asked what types of yoga are there, this article will help answer your question.
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti yoga involves devotion, attachment and love for God. Bhakti yoga history stretches back to before the origin of hatha yogi. It is not known exactly when it started, but it has been around since before the fifth century BC.
There are nine forms of Bhakti yoga:
- Sravana (hearing about God);
- Kirtana (singing of the glory of God);
- Smarana (remembering God's name and presence);
- Padasevana (service of God):
- Archana (worship of God);
- Vandana (prostration);
- Dasya (cultivating the Bhava of a servant);
- Sakhya (cultivation of the friend-Bhava);
- Atmanivedana (surrender of the self).
Karma Yoga
Karma means action or deed, and the result of that action. By practicing karma, people try to do those actions that bring the most amounts of good and the least amount of evil. Karma yoga dedicates actions to God. It is the performance of actions in union with the Divine. It also involves selfless service. The history of karma yoga dates back to before 800 BC, when yoga referred more to life disciplines and paths.
Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga started around 5000 years BC, and was began by Patanjali Yoga Sutra. So what is ashtanga yoga? It is the eight limbs or eight fold path formulated by Patanjali. The ashtanga yoga basics include paying attention to each of the eight limbs, which are:
- Yama (principles or moral code);
- Niyama (personal disciplines);
- Asana (ashtanga yoga postures)
- Pranayama (yoga breathing);
- Prayahara (withdrawal of senses);
- Dharana (concentration on objects);
- Dhyan (meditation);
- Samadhi (salvation).
Jnana Yoga
Jnana yoga is yoga that focuses on knowledge. There are seven stages to Jnana, involving study, self-realization, desire, protection of the mind, developing indifference to objects, letting the world appear like a dream, non-attachment to the world, bliss and knowledge of truth.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is one of the most popular forms of yoga in the western world. It is the use of yoga postures or asana. Many people practice hatha yoga solely for its physical benefit. However, the aim of hatha yoga is meant to be to condition the body, so that the mind can be prepared for its spiritual path. It is thought that when the body is in good physical condition, then the mind is freer to concentrate on spiritual matters.
Raja Yoga, or The Highest Form of Yoga
"Raja" means "royal". and Raja yoga is the royal path to Self-Realization by way of meditation.
Raja Yoga starts with the mind. Its goal is complete stilling of the mind, so that the light of the indwelling spirit may shine out. It makes use of asana and pranayama, and it is also considered by some as a name for Ashtanga Yoga. Raja Yoga meditation is the process whereby the practitioner concentrates upon one point in order to integrate discontinuous, diffused attention, thus holding his attention steady. All distractions are thus effectively closed out, and meditation proceeds.
Mantra Yoga
Mantra yoga means "union by voice or sound". This form includes the rhythmic repetitions of specific sounds, or mantras. The practitioner repeats the syllable, word or phrase continually; sometimes for weeks, months or years on end. Certain syllables are believed to posses healing potential for specific purposes.
Tantra Yoga, or Kundalini yoga
A celibate approach to spiritual growth is quite common in many of the world's religious traditions. Many yoga practices suggest that sexual involvement is a detriment to a greater development of self and hence should be avoided if possible. However, tantric yoga suggests that sexuality can be a very powerful force which can be harnessed for increased self-awareness.
Tantric yoga is unusual, in that it not only allows sexual feelings and contact, but uses sexual experience as a means to enlightenment. The Tantrics maintain that there is an enormous energy locked into sexuality, which, if released from the lower end of the spine, can flow up the spinal column to bring divine illumination to the brain.
They believe that within the interior of the spine, in a hollow region called the canalis centralis, there is an energy conduit called "sushumna". Along this conduit, from the base of the perineum to the top of the head, flows the most powerful of all psychic energies, the Kundalini energy. On each side of the canal are two additional energy channels, one called "Ida" corresponding to the male, and the other the "Pingala" corresponding to the female. Ida begins at the right of the base of the spine and the Pingala begins at the left. These two psychic currents are said to coil upward like snakes around the spine, crossing the chakras (energy wheel centers of consciousness).
The Kundalini yogi's lifelong tasks is to bring the focus of the Kundalini energy upward from the root chakra at the base of his spine to the crown chakra at the top of his head.
Once the yogi has achieved mastery of self , he is ready to join with a partner whose energies and spirit complement his own in such a way that together they form a "whole".
The partners must first achieve a highly developed awareness within their being before they are ready to engage in tantric embrace. In the tantric lovemaking experience, known as "maithuna", the lovers undergo a variety of meditations and rituals before they actually make physical contact. They maintain the spiritual link or bond throughout the lovemaking process. They visualize the flow of currents between them. In tantric yoga, the lovers do not try to achieve orgasm. In fact, they work hard not to have one.
They attempt to draw the forces of Kundalini energy upward through their bodies, thus releasing the power of the various chakras. This force transforms the yogi psychologically, changing his personality as the Kundalini reaches each succeeding chakra. The emphasis is not on the sexual release as an end in itself, but rather on sex as a channel through which the evolution of self may proceed. The goal of Tantra is the union of dynamic and static aspects of personality (shakti and shiva). It is quite different from practices that dwell on renunciation.
Purna Yoga, or Integral Yoga
This yoga attempts to integrate all aspects of action, wisdom, and peace into one yoga. It aims at an integration on three levels: Psychic integration, of the various facets of the self; Cosmic integration, of the aspects of the universe; and Existential integration, which comes when one fully realizes that the self and the universe are one.
Viniyoga
These types of yoga links breathe and movement in flowing exercises that are adapted to each individual. These are often a good form of yoga for those with back problems or neck injuries because it can be easily adapted by anyone
Ashtanga Yoga
These types of yoga are commonly called “power yoga” because it is focused on a powerful flowing movement.
Such movements include pushups and lunges, which deals with strength and stamina. These types of yoga are best for people who have successfully overcome back injuries and are looking for more challenging practice.
People who are already athletic such as runners, gymnasts and cyclists who want to add more balance and concentration to their routines are also utilizing these types of yoga.
Bikram Yoga
These types of yoga are also known as the “hot yoga” for this is done in a very warm room. These types of yoga are excellent tools for increasing flexibility because the heat helps tissue to stretch.
But keep in mind that these types of yoga are not applicable to those that have developed cardio vascular diseases due to the strain placed on the body when vigorously exercising in the heat.
Iyengar Yoga
These types of yoga are solely focused on the alignment and precise movements. Yoga props such as blocks and straps are usually used as part of this type of yoga for those beginners who are not as flexible as the experts as to compensate for injuries.
These Yoga props help assist all sorts of people to be able to do the poses comfortably.
Because of its attention to details and the flexible modification of poses, these types of yoga is often a good form of exercise for people with back pain or neck pain, as they are likely to benefit from the random alteration to the poses.
Practicing these types of yoga will give you a good knowledge on the classics in yoga poses so that whatever other style you practice, you will have the basic fundamentals on how to do each position.
In Iyengar yoga the teacher focuses more on alignment and inner awareness. This awareness starts with the body and expands to other parts of the self as one continues with the regularity of practice. |
