erickatheicon What Type Of Yoga Is Right For You? What Type of Yoga is Right for You?

Shannon Brophy, Yoga.com Staff 7/23/2002 You may ha e hear! a"out the hea#ing an! spiritua# "enefits of yoga$ an! perhaps you %ant to try it& 'o% !o you get starte!? ( first thing you might !o is to #et frien!s kno% that you are seeking a yoga c#ass an! see %hat you fin! out ia %or! of mouth& )ee our Yoga&com Teacher !irectory %ith a #ink in the *)tu!io+ section at the top of our pages& Or consi!er a starter package %ith e erything you nee! to get going ,)ee the )hop )ection of the Yoga&com We"site-& What style of yoga should I choose? .e#o% is a #ist of some !ifferent types of yoga you may !isco er in your community& Fin!ing a teacher %ith e/perience$ an! one you fee# a connection %ith is a p#ace to "egin& Often$ you can try out a c#ass the first time for free& If you are %anting to start ery s#o%#y$ go for an easy$ gent#e$ or restorati e c#ass& ) aroopa Yoga an! Iyengar Yoga are sty#e to seek if you are %orrie! a"out some physica# pro"#em& Fin! a ery e/perience! teacher %ho has !ea#t %ith stu!ents %ith your pro"#em$ such as a "a! "ack& (shtanga an! 0o%er Yoga ha e "een curati e for ath#etes$ runners an! peop#e %ith other in1uries& 0racticing po%er yoga has he#pe! my computer %rist pain go a%ay& 2o yoga ery min!fu##y to make sure you !on3t make any pro"#em %orse& If you %ant a igorous practice %ith an intense %orkout$ try .ikram$ ashtanga$ or po%er yoga& You %i## mo e from pose to pose continuous#y an! are #ike#y to fee# great after%ar!$ if this is the sty#e you seek& ( certifie! Iyengar teacher %i## gui!e you into the !etai#s of poses$ pro"a"#y starting %ith stan!ing poses %hich are consi!ere! the foun!ation of a yoga practice& The c#ass is a #earning e/perience an! not as much of a %orkout$ though it can "e ery cha##enging to !o Iyengar Yoga& 4ats are use! in a#most a## yoga c#asses to pre ent s#ipping$ "ut Iyengar )ty#e uses many other props #ike straps an! "#ocks to assist the stu!ent& ( goo! teacher %i## a!apt poses to a## "o!ies in the c#ass so that each fee#s #ike they are ha ing in!i i!ua# attention& 5ook for a responsi e teacher %ho #ooks at "o!ies an! makes he#pfu# suggestions a"out %hich %ay to mo e& 2on3t e er fee# you nee! to "e !oing the perfect pose an! that there is 1u!gement if your pose is correcte!& Take it hum"#y as #earning$ an! kno% that each "o!y is !ifferent %ith some fo#ks ha ing ease at some poses an! !ifficu#ty %ith others& 6ach person has some things they are "etter at& Yoga is ne er a competition$ "ut a time for going in%ar! to #earn %hat the "o!y is saying& If you #ike chanting$ try 7un!a#ini or )i anan!a Yoga& 7un!a#ini has a focus on the "reath$ an! is a mo ing$ some%hat energetic practice& )ome yoga c#asses may ha e a me!itation perio! at the en!& Yoga %as origina##y !esigne! as a means to ca#m the "o!y an! prepare for me!itation& 4any teachers #ike to ha e a time at the

en! of the c#ass for e eryone to !o sa asana or corpse pose& You %i## #ie on your "ack an! "reath min!fu##y in a tota##y re#a/e! "ut a%are state an! fee# the %on!erfu# effects of !oing yoga& 8o ahea! an! e/periment$ an! go to !ifferent c#asses an! try !ifferent yoga i!eos to get the f#a or of sty#es you might %ant to try& Regu#ar#y practicing %i## make you fa## in #o e %ith yoga an! the "enefits on your "o!y$ min!$ an! spirit& Ashtanga or astanga yoga as taught "y 7& 0atta"hi 9ois is "ecoming more popu#ar$ as are other types of yoga& 6/pect the teacher to mo e the stu!ents through a se:uence of poses %hich are fo##o%e! in !ai#y practice$ %ith the same series unti# it is mastere! to some !egree& Then the stu!ent mo es on to practice another series of poses %hich are more !ifficu#t& The series of poses ,asanas- is ca##e! a inyasa& ( inyasa in o# es %ea ing in a com"ination of stan!ing$ seate!$ "ack"en!s$ in ersions$ "a#ancing$ an! t%isting poses into sun sa#utation poses %hich inc#u!e a stan!ing for%ar! "en!$ up%ar! !og$ !o%n%ar! !og$ an! other poses& There is a focus on "reath an! foca# point of the eyes as one !oes a specific prescri"e! series of poses$ mo ing one to another& )ometimes a room is heate! as one !oes ashtanga$ %hich causes the musc#es to "e ery f#e/i"#e& After ashtanga I feel strong and because of the breath-posture link, the class has a quicker flo !than Bikram Yoga."# Bikram Yoga originates from .ikram ;hou!hury& 'is system has 2< postures$ %hich are practice! in a regu#ar se:uence in a heate! room& .ikram Yoga re:uires certain#e e# of fitness an! is igorous& The .ikram series is %arms an! stretches musc#es$ #igaments an! ten!ons in the or!er in %hich they shou#! "e stretche!& This yoga has "een he#pfu# in remo ing symptoms of !isease an! chronic pain in the "o!y$ %hich seems to %ork if the practitioner keeps up a regu#ar practice& I think after a Bikram class i feel $lighter% and it%s a slo er practice than the ashtanga classes I ha&e attended.# Integral Yoga inc#u!es postures$ "reathing techni:ues$ !eep re#a/ation$ an! me!itation as the core of the practice& The purpose of yoga is to "e to "e easefu#$ peacefu# an! usefu#& Integra# Yoga is the system uti#i=e! "y 2r& 2ean Ornish$ 42$ in his program for re ersing heart !isease& In a typica# c#ass$ you gent#y perform ,%ithout strain- a series of postures ,asanas-$ "reathing practices$ !eep re#a/ation an! me!itation& Iyengar Yoga is me!itation in action & .enefits inc#u!e toning musc#es$ re!ucing tension$ easing chronic pain& When %e strengthen %eak areas of ourse# es an! open an! stretch tight ones$ our "o!y comes to a greater "a#ance an! free!om& Iyengar is the most %i!e#y recogni=e! approach to 'atha Yoga$ %as create! "y .& 7& )& Iyengar& Iyengar yoga is characteri=e! "y attention to !etai# %ithin poses an! the ai! of arious props$ such as cushions$ "enches$ %oo! "#ocks$ straps$ an! e en san! "ags& The props assist a## sorts of peop#e in !oing yoga$ an! !isa"#e! peop#e ha e "een he#pe! "y yoga %ith the genious of 4r& Iyengar& There are therapuetic app#ications to Iyengar Yoga& )tu!ying Iyengar Yoga %i## gi e you a goo! kno%#e!ge of c#assic yoga poses so that %hate er other sty#e you stu!y$ you %i## ha e the "ackgroun! !etai#s of ho% to !o each posture& The teacher focuses on a#ignment an! inner a%areness& (%areness starts %ith the "o!y an! e/pan!s to other parts of the se#f as one practices&

Because you hold the pose for a long time you can feel your body ad'ust into the pose. (he class is a slo pace ith focus on correct positioning. After the class, you ill feel feel stronger and stretched and more centered.# Kripalu Yoga starts %ith the first stage$ postura# a#ignment an! coor!ination of "reath an! mo ement are emphasi=e!$ an! the postures are he#! a short time& The stu!ent progresses to the secon! stage %ith me!itation inc#u!e! an! postures he#! for #onger perio!s& Fina##y$ the practice of asanas "ecomes a spontaneous *me!itation in motion$+ sort of a !i ine !ance& 2ynamic$ yet gent#e yoga postures an! conscious "reathing you %i## touch the peace an! tran:ui#ity that #ies %ithin& The essence of 7ripa#u Yoga is e/perience! through a me!itati e continuous f#o% of postures fo gent#e yet !ynamic yoga& ( typica# c#ass inc#u!es me!itation an! centering$ "reathing$ %arm up mo ements to heat up an! prepare for poses$ yoga postures$ gui!e! posture f#o%s an! re#a/ation& Kundalini Yoga is !one to a%aken the kun!a#ini energy in the spine "y %ith poses$ "reath contro#$ chanting$ an! me!itation& There is a focus on the "reath of fire$ an! mo ement %ithin the prescri"es sets of poses ,ca##e! 7riyas-& 7un!a#ini Yoga has "een successfu# in he#ping peop#e !ea# %ith a!!iction$ an! many fin! it a natura# %ay of getting high 1ust "y "reathing an! !oing the poses& 7un!a#ini Yoga !oes not re#y on !ifficu#t poses& (s taught "y Yogi .ha1an$ it consists of postures ,(sanas- com"ine! %ith specia# "reathing ,0ranayama-$ han! an! finger gestures ,4u!ras-$ "o!y #ocks ,.han!as-$ chanting ,4antras- an! 4e!itation& In a typica# c#ass$ e/pect precise mo ements$ postures$ soun!s an! "reathing that acti ate !ifferent parts of the "o!y an! "rain to pro!uce specific resu#ts& Power Yoga means ashtanga to some teachers such as .ery# .en!er .irch$ an! others ha e com"ine! e#ements of >iniyoga ,a!apting to one3s persona# nee!s-$ Iyengar ,precise a#ignment-$ .ikram ,hot room$ c#assica# poses in a certain se:uence-$ an! ashtanga , inyasa f#o% yoga-& In practice$ po%er yoga often seems #ike ashtanga "ut %ithout the specia# se:uence that is fo##o%e! e ery time& ( teacher makes up a se:uence$ %ea ing up !og an! !o%n !og p#us sun sa#utation asanas %ith other types of poses& The practice of 0o%er Yoga is igorous$ an! one is #ike#y to %ork up a s%eat& )ometimes 0o%er Yoga is !one in a heate! room %hich makes for soft$ f#e/i"#e musc#es an! he#ps pre ent in1ury& Sivananda Yoga has a series of ?2 poses$ %ith the )un )a#utation$ "reathing e/ercises$ re#a/ation$ an! mantra chanting as the "asis& These are the e#ements in a typica# c#ass@ ?& Initia# Re#a/ation 2& 4antras an! 0rayers 3& .reathing an! 0ranayama A& )un )a#utation B& 5eg #ifts <& 'ea!stan! 7& )hou#!erstan! C& 0#ough

D& Fish ?0& For%ar! .en! an! Inc#ine! p#ane ??& ;o"ra ?2& 5ocust ?3& .o% ?A& )pina# t%ist ?B& .a#ancing posture %hich is usua##y the peacock pose ?<& )tan!ing for%ar! "en! ?7& Triang#e ?C& 4antras an! Eni ersa# 0rayer ?D& Fina# Re#a/ation Svaroopa Yoga supports you in ) aroopaF Yoga poses %hich promote hea#ing$ %hi#e you re#a/ into a !eep#y peacefu# state of min!& 4uch hea#ing can occur %hen you are supporte! in a yoga pose more comforta"#y than you cou#! create for yourse#f& )pecia#i=e! a!1ustments are app#ie! in this therapeutic form of yoga %hich mo es s#o%#y an! gent#y %ith great a%areness& Yoga 9ourna# says *This is a consciousnessGoriente! yoga that a#so promotes hea#ing an! transformationH Ie% stu!ents fin! this a ery approacha"#e sty#e$ often "eginning in chair asanas that are comforta"#e an! ha e a !eep hea#ing effect&+ Viniyoga a!!resses the specific nee!s of those present& >iniyoga mo es at the pace chosen "y the in!i i!ua#s %ith a focus on "reathing in con1unction %ith poses& >iniyoga is use! to a!apt the poses to the "o!y an! is usefu# for pregnant %omen& >iniyoga encourages stu!ents to practice each asana accor!ing to their in!i i!ua# nee!s an! capa"i#ities& 4e!itation$ chanting$ prayer$ an! ritua# may "e inc#u!e! in the practice of >iniyoga& There are other forms of yoga$ often ca##e! hatha yoga %hich is the physica# posture !oing kin! of yoga& (po#ogies for not mentioning a## that you might come across& )ee our other pages on other %on!erfu# forms of yoga& 6n1oy the 1ourney of transformation %hich "egins on the mat as you mo e into your first yoga posturesJ
TANTRA

Yoni Worship The origin of the phenomenon !escri"e! a"o e #ies in actua# %orship of the fema#e se/ organ& ( young$ hea#thy an! "eautifu# %oman$ proper#y "e1e%e##e!$ profuse#y perfume!$ an! consecrate! through me!itation an! yoga$ "ecame herse#f an o"1ect of %orship$ %ith her yoni , u# a- sym"o#i=ing the ;osmic Wom"& ( state of infinite "#iss %as achie e! through a gra!ua##y intensifie! #o e$ focuse! at first on a human #o er in physica# #o e$ an! then transferre! to the transcen!enta# state$ of %hich human #o e is 1ust a ref#ection& (ny sym"o# is

mere#y a sym"o# for something e#se$ an! that *something e#se+ is the Innermost Rea#ity& ( sym"o# or an image is create! to "e use! as one of the means in the process of e/periencing that Rea#ity& Through in ocation++ an! me!itation$ #ife is infuse! into the sym"o#& The yogi in his sa!hana goes "eyon! soun! ,mantra- an! sight ,yantra- an! !isso# es himse#f as %e## as the sym"o# to em"race an! "ecome "#iss& The sym"o# is thus #eft "ehin! an! "ecomes a museum piece& The in ocator an! the in oke! merge into one consciousness$ #ea ing "ehin! a re#ic& These re#ics are foun! in ancient cu#tures other than the 'in!u an! .u!!hist$ %here the fema#e princip#e %as represente! as a go!!ess& To make the fema#e go! mora##y accepta"#e$ she %as ca##e! mother go!!ess or 4other 6arth& Intuition an! Instinct The yogini is instincti e#y !ynamic$ a master in the art of yoga$ "oth the e/oteric , the "o!y$ senses$ an! menta#ity- as %e## as esoteric , the consciousness-& )he possesses the po%er to initiate$ en#ighten an! #i"erate others& It is common#y kno%n that as a ru#e$ %omen are more intuiti e than men& 0sycho#ogists confirm that the %oman is more intuiti e$ an! "ase it on the fact that a mother must "e capa"#e of protecting her chi#!& Fema#e Instinct ( frien! of mine$ a meteoro#ogist in 5os (nge#es$ ;a#ifornia$ once to#! me an interesting account of his o"ser ations& 'e sai! that no seismograph can pinGpoint the e/act time of an earth:uake3s occurence "eforehan!& .ut through the years it ha! "een his e/perience that %omen cou#! fee# the !anger of an oncoming earth:uake 1ust "efore it took p#ace& )he may not e en rea#i=e it herse#f$ "ut a %oman !oes intuiti e#y react "efore a man %ou#!& 4y o%n e/perience an! o"ser ations su"stantiate this ie%$ going e en further to the e/tent that fema#es of other species$ #ike cats an! !ogs$ react intuiti e#y to forthcoming e ents an! e entua# !angers "y a fraction of a moment "efore ma#es !o& Within yoga a para##e# can easi#y "e !ra%n "y re#ating the fact that the A'na )hakra is more i"rant an! more easi#y manipu#ate! in %omen than it is in men& It has a#so "een o"ser e! that a %oman can take more physica# pain than a man& This is "ecause "y nature she is "ui#t for carrying a chi#! an! for going through the pains of chi#!"irth& To a certain e/tent$ she has a "ui#tGin resistance to the effects of these "irth pains %hich ensure that she is a#so a"#e to en!ure more in re#ation to other kin!s of physica# suffering& 5onge ity is another point in support of the a"o e mentione! trait& The a erage %oman #i es B to 7 years #onger than the a erage man$ gi en simi#ar con!itions& 2i ine 5i"i!o (## energy is "asica##y the same$ primor!ia# energy& We e/perience it in its arious manifestations$ from se/ua# to psychic energy& Wi#he#m Reich ca##e! it orgone energy$ an! in occu#tism it is kno%n as O!ic energy& Freu! ca##e! it 5i"i!o$ an energy "oth acti e an! reacti e& It is an energetic tension foun! in a## acti ity at a## #e e#s& ( physicist must ha e t%o po#es in or!er to confirm the presence of an energy f#o% or energy fie#!& In tantric physics it is ca##e! Shakti$ or fema#e energy$ %hich is !ynamic$ an! is the opposite of Shi&a$ ma#e energy$ %hich is static& The f#o% of Shakti ,prana or #ife energy-$ is the cause as %e## as the effect of a## creation$ inc#u!ing its "eginning$ its continuity$ an! its !isso#ution& Yogini$ *e&dasi$ Shodasi$ *omini an! *uti are the arious names she goes "y in the ritua# ,fema#e yogi$ a go!3s spouse$ a ?< year o#! %oman or ?< ariations of !esire ,+ama-$ an untoucha"#e %oman$

a fema#e messenger-& These represent a## the primor!ia# energy that can "e e/perience!$ "oth se/ua##y an! psychic#y$ "y the acti e participant in *%hat is+$ in that of becoming an! being&
GLOSSARY OF YOGIC TERMS Akasa: infinite, omnipresent material of the universe. Anima: power to assimilate oneself with an atom. Asana: a posture; a Yoga exercise. Ashram: Yoga retreat. Avyakta: that which is unperceived, indiscrete. Bandha: a mystic reathing exercise. Brahmacarya: continence; chastity; a stinence from sexual indulgence. Chakra: a nerve center. Dharana: mental effort involved in selecting one o !ect out of many for concentration. Dhyana: contemplation; ga"ing. Garima: power to e as heavy as anything. Guna: a thing of sense. Guru: Yoga teacher or leader. Hatha Yoga: system of Yoga for care of the ody; physical Yoga. Ida: left nostril. Isvata: power to create. Jna: that which #nows or discriminates. Joytis: light. Kaivalya: state of oneness. Kanda: point elow the navel from which $%,&&& nadis issue. Karma: cosmic operation of a form of retri utive !ustice, under which a person's status in life is determined y his owns deeds in a previous incarnation. Karma-nadi: a nerve in which the vital air is supposed to reside. Kumbhaka: retention or suspension of the reath. Kundalini: sleeping goddess within the internal organs. Laghima: power to e as light as cotton or any similar thing. ahavid!ha: condition in which #nowledge of every description is within easy reach of the ascetic and o taina le without effort. ahima: power to expand oneself into space. itahara: moderation in diet. oksha: state of liss. rnalakomalava"u: slimness of a lotus stal#; one of the goals of (atha Yoga. udra: one of the higher practices of Yoga; a psycho)physiological practice or exercise. uladhara: navel. ukti: salvation; deliverance; emancipation from re irth. #adi: a nerve. #iyama: cleanliness, contentment, mortification, study and self)surrender to good. *adma: a nerve center. $ingala: right nostril; also, anything conducting a positive electrical current in

the human ody. $rakamya: power of having all wishes, of whatever description, reali"ed. $rana: life; vitality; reath; infinite, omnipresent power of the universe. $ranayama: regulation of the respiratory movements as a means of control of the vital forces. $ra"ti: power of reaching anywhere, even to the moon. *rati ha: intuition. $ratyahara: restraining or withholding the senses; introspection. $uraka: inhalation. $urusa: soul. %a&a Yoga: system of Yoga which leads to spiritual growth; mental Yoga. %!chaka: exhalation. 'ahasradala: rain +literally, ,the thousand)petaled lotus-.. 'amadhi: a trance; state of suspended sensation; superconsciousness; perfect relaxation. 'amatva: freedom from emotion. 'amyama: contemplation, a sorption, trance; a way to several occult powers which conducts the Yogi to conscious samadhi. 'ankya Yoga: Yoga of the mind. 'iddha: a master of Yoga. 'iddhi: one of several miraculous powers. 'tilhi: state in which the mind is at a standstill. 'unyaka: suspension of the reath. 'usumna: spinal cord. 'utras: writings of a sage. (asvita: power to command all. (yakta: that which is perceived, sensi le, discrete. Yama: non)#illing, truthfulness, non)stealing, continence and non)receiving of any gifts. Yogin: a practitioner of Yoga.