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yoga defined| types of yoga| links| resources |
Originating in India, yoga is a psycho-physical discipline with roots going back about 5,000 years. Today, most yoga practices in the West focuses on the physical postures called "asanas," breathing exercises called "pranayama," and meditation.However, there's more to it than that, and the deeper you go the richer and more diverse the tradition becomes.
The word "yoga" means union. Linguistically, it is related to the Old English "yoke." Traditionally, the goal of yoga is union with the Absolute, known as Brahman, or with Atman, the true self. These days the the focus is often on the more down-to-earth benefits of yoga, including improved physical fitness, mental clarity, greater self-understanding, stress control and general well-being.
Spirituality, however, is a strong underlying theme to most practices. The beauty of yoga is in its versatility, allowing practitioners to focus on the physical, psychological or spiritual, or a combination of all three.
from yogasite.com
This is not an all inclusive list, mearly the most popular forms of Yoga
Bhakti yoga is the path of love and devotion. Traditionally, this has involved the use of external props and external relationships. Rites, rituals and ceremonies comprise the props, and adoration of gurus and an external Supreme Being are the focus of the relationships. The beauty of bhakti yoga is that it is so accessible to anyone, regardless of spiritual development, because the aspirant is free to establish a relationship with God in any form that he finds attractive. In addition, it satisfies the primal craving inherent in the soul of all beings — the desire for love. Bhakti yoga satisfies this urge within a spiritual context, permitting love and devotion to be cultivated and directed in a healthy manner.
Hatha yoga is a forceful path. This branch of yoga requires the aspirant to devote time to physical processes, such as pranayama (breath and energy exercises), and asanas (physical exercises). Hatha yoga attempts to purify the nervous system and strengthen the body to such a degree that the hatha yogi attains a state of freedom from heat or cold, pain and pleasure, even hunger and thirst.
Jnana yoga is the way of discriminating wisdom, a path oriented towards realizing the eternal in its transcendent aspect. The emphasis of jnana yoga is on the discernment of pure awareness from nature and all temporal phenomenon. The jnana yogi seeks to uncover his true Self, the atman, in its state separate from body or mind
Karma yoga is the yoga of service to others and to God. It is a suitable orientation for those of an active nature, those who wish to work for the manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. The main thrust of the practice is the renunciation of fruits of action. That is, activities are undertaken for their own sake, the results being left to God. Activities are assumed for the benefit of the greater good, without concern for personal benefit.
Mantra Yoga The path of Potent Sound, aiming at liberation through the recitation (aloud or mental) of empowered sounds (such as om, hum, ram, hare krishna, etc.)
Raja yoga, literally "kingly yoga," is that branch of yoga which focuses primarily on meditation. The goal of raja yoga is the attainment of samadhi, a state of God awareness accessible to the still, contemplating practitioner. The raja yogi seeks to quiet all aspects of his body and mind, and enter into a transcendent state beyond nature.
Tantra Yoga is the “Continuity Yoga” aiming at liberation through ritual, visualization, subtle energy work ,and the perception of the identity (or continuity) of the ordinary world and the transcendental Reality
Types of Hatha Yoga
Iyengar Yoga which is the most widely recognized approach to Hatha Yoga, was created by B. K. S. Iyengar, the son-in-law of Shri Krishnamacharya. This style is characterized by precision performance and the aid of various props, such as cushions, benches, wood blocks, straps, and even sand bags. Poses are typically held for some time.
Ashtanga Yoga (also sometimes known as Power Yoga) originated with K. Pattabhi Jois. He was a principal disciple of Shri Krishnamacharya who, apparently, instructed him to teach the sequences known as Ashtanga or Power Yoga. This is by far the most athletic style of Hatha Yoga. By the way, this Ashtanga Yoga differs from Patanjali's eightfold path, though it is theoretically grounded in it. Ashtanga Yoga is characterized by a set routine of postures, begining with sun salutations, usually done with the heat turned up. It is a flowing sequence which has led to several types of yogas such as Power and Vinyasa Yoga
Viniyoga is the approach developed by Shri Krishnamacharya and continued by his son T. K. V. . As the teacher of well-known Yoga masters B. K. S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois, and Indra Devi, Shri Krishnamacharya has done much to introduce the west to Hatha Yoga., Viniyoga works with what is called "sequential process," or vinyasa-krama. The emphasis ist on practicing a posture according to one's individual needs and capacity. Regulated breathing is an important aspect of Viniyoga, and the breath is carefully coordinated with the postural movements.
Kripalu Yoga Iinspired by Kripalvananda and developed by his disciple Yogi Amrit Desai, is a three-stage Yoga tailored for the needs of Western students. In the first stage, postural alignment and coordination of breath and movement are emphasized, and the postures are held for a short duration only. In the second stage, meditation is included into the practice and postures are held for prolonged periods. In the final stage, the practice of postures becomes a spontaneous "meditation in motion."
Integral Yoga was developed by Swami Satchidananda, a student of the famous Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, India. This style aims to integrate the various aspects of the body-mind through a combination of postures, breathing techniques, deep relaxation, and meditation. Function is given preeminence over form.
Sivananda Yoga is the creation of the late Swami Vishnudevananda, also a disciple of Swami Sivananda. This style includes a series of twelve postures, the Sun Salutation sequence, breathing exercises, relaxation, and mantra chanting.
Ananda Yoga is anchored in the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda and was developed by Swami Kriyananda, one of his disciples. This is a gentle style designed to prepare the student for meditation, and its distinguishing feature are the affirmations associated with postures. It includes Yogananda's unique energization exercises, which involve consciously directing the body's energy (life force) to different organs and limbs.
Bikram Yoga is the style taught by Bikram Choudhury. This is a system of 26 postures, which are performed in a standard sequence in a room heated to 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit. This approach is fairly vigorous and requires a certain fitness on the part of students.
Kundalini Yoga originated by the Sikh master Yogi Bhajan. Its purpose is to awaken the serpent power (kundalinî) by means of postures, breath control, chanting, and meditation.
Anusara Yoga developed by John Friend, emphasizing gentleness and compassion along with Iyengar-like detail.
Other styles include
Tri Yoga (developed by Kali Ray)
White Lotus Yoga (developed by Ganga White and Tracey Rich)
Jivamukti (developed by Sharon Gannon and David Life)
Ishta Yoga (developed by Mani Finger and made popular in the United states by his son Alan, creator of YogaZone).
Flow Yoga (linking the breath with the pose in a smooth, easy manner...practiced by Stephanie Keach, Erich Schiffman, Shiva Rae and others.)
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