Kinds Of Yoga
Learn more about the different Kinds Of Yoga. Throughout the past century and into the 21st, more and more people in the Eastern but also Western world have shown a growing interest in the different kinds of Yoga practice. Most of these aspects have come from different schools of philosophy; some schools focus more on the physical aspects, while others are still true to the meditation and spiritual aspects of Yoga meditation. But overall, the end result is the same for the millions of people practicing or looking into practicing Yoga on a daily basis: harmony of the mind, body and soul is the ultimate goal. Today’s Yoga practice is basically focused on five main directions: relaxation, exercise, breathing, diet, positive thinking and meditation.
If you are looking to find what kinds of Yoga are best for you, read below about a few representative forms.
1) Hatha Yoga. This is one of the best known and practice kinds of Yoga, which originated in the fifteenth century. However, for many westerners it is not the most pleasant form, since it involves a slow pace. This is focused on breathing and meditation. Basically, it aims at familiarizing beginners with classic techniques and poses. It presents a lot of benefits for health, as it can relieve stress and improve shallow breathing.
2) Vinyasa Yoga. This is also one of the basic kinds of Yoga and it also focuses on breath synchronization. This series of exercises aims at linking breath with bodily movement, helping at muscle mass building. It involves a series of elaborate movements and poses that emphasize sun salutation. The main health benefit is that it can improve high blood pressure symptoms. It can also reduce risk of diabetes.
3) Ashtanga is also called eight limbs Yoga and is one of the kinds of Yoga that are not quite for the beginners. Some call it power Yoga, because it involves intense workout made of push-ups and deep lunges. Its main benefit is improving the relationship between physical and spiritual. It is done by people who are trying to improve their strength and who have maybe practiced hatha or vinyasa kinds of Yoga before.
4) Iyengar is a type of Yoga that can be successfully be done by both beginners and intermediate practitioners. It is also highly recommendable for people with specific disabilities or medical conditions. If you are suffering from arthritis, this is the kind of Yoga you want to practice.
5) Bikram is one of the kinds of Yoga that requires a lot of space for its practice. It involves the use of 26 poses and associated movements that will allow you to loosen tight muscles and to sweat-off stress. The poses involved here will help flush bodily toxins and will enhance the natural ability of your body to heal from injuries.
Many practitioners will tell you that there are various ways to meditate in modern times, all mirroring a different Yoga lineage perpetuated through the centuries. But in general, the techniques are combined with Asanas and breathing techniques and they aim at connecting a person’s physical body with the core essence of their being, the soul.