Types of Yoga

There are many types of yoga and these fall basically into two types, the divisions of classical yoga techniques and the many modern styles of yoga so these are dealt with below under these sub headings

Classical Yoga Techniques

These all date back almost to the origins of yoga, they allow people to follow the type of yoga that is best suited to their temperament and life styles. All of these paths alone can lead the participant to enlightenment but in practice it is normal for there to be considerable overlap and parts of each discipline can be brought into your favoured path.

Bhakti Yoga

This is the yoga of devotion, worship and focused love. Traditionally the focus could be on a deity or on ones personal Guru. Westerners who have strong religious backgrounds would feel comfortable with this branch of Yoga as it would fit in with worship in whatever form.

Hatha Yoga

This is the form of yoga most familiar in the west, it is the main stay of the majority of yoga classes in the UK. The word Hatha is made up of "ha" meaning Sun and "tha" meaning Moon representing the positive and negative energy flows in the body. Hatha yoga regulates and balances these energy flows. Hatha Yoga involves the physical posture work, the breath control (Pranayam) and prepares the body for meditation.

Jnana Yoga

This is the path of spiritual knowledge and wisdom and would suit someone who had an intellectual temperament.

Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga is the path of selfless service, of working or performing actions without seeking any reward. Most yoga ashrams have periods of "Karma Yoga" when those staying at the ashram can help with daily tasks.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga aims to awaken the potential energies at the base of the spine (Symbolised as a coiled snake) and direct this energy upwards through the spine and the Chakras thus bringing about increasing degrees of enlightenment. When the energy reaches the head (Sahasrara Chakra) then intuitive enlightenment is triggered.

Mantra Yoga

Mantra Yoga involves the practice of chanting words or phrases repeatedly either aloud or internally thus influencing the consciousness. The rhythmic repetition of mantras is called Japa.

Raja Yoga

Raja yoga means Royal yoga and is associated with the yoga of Patanjali who promulgated the Yoga Sutras, here he lists the eightfold path or the eight limbs of yoga. These are :-
Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi.
Yama (Abstentions) are:-
Non Violence, Truthfulness, Non Stealing, Purity, Avoidance of Greed.
Niyama (Observances) are :-
Cleanliness, Contentment, Austerity, Study or Wisdom, Devotion to the Divine.
Asana (Postures):-
The physical posture work familiar in most yoga classes.
Pranayama (Breath Control):-
Control of breath and direction of Prana (Life Force Energy) within the body.
Pratyahara (sense withdrawal):-
Detaching the mind from the 5 senses
Dharana (Concentration):-
Holding the mind on a particular object or thought, Single pointed awareness.
Dhyana (Meditation):-
Prolonged concentration to the point where it becomes effortless.
Samadhi Contemplation, Union, Bliss:-
This has to be experienced to be understood, it is beyond words.

Tantric Yoga

Tantric Yoga breaks into two distinct variations the Left hand and Right hand paths.

The Left hand path is the Tantra that most people have heard about, it is a yoga found mainly in Northern India and Tibet and involves the union of male and female either actually or in the imagination.

The Right hand path is epitomised by the Bihar Yoga and Mandala Ashram below and encourages Fidelity and Celibacy. Here the emphasis is on Kriya Yoga which comes under the general heading of Tantra. see below.

Kriya Yoga

Kriya Yoga is a very systemised form of yoga from the Tantras, There are about 70 Kriyas or actions of which only about 20 are in common usage. Kriya yoga increases concentration and leads to meditation and ultimately to enlightenment but this is done more through awareness than pure concentration. Again this system is taught at Mandala Ashram. (See Below)

Yantra Yoga

Similar to Mantra yoga but involving sight and form. Yantras are colourful geometric mandalas or designs which are used for concentration ether on the Mandala itself or during the preparation of the Mandala.

Modern Styles of Yoga

BWY-Accredited Yoga Organisations

Bihar School of Yoga

Bihar (Now called Satyananda Yoga Centre) incorporates virtually all of the classical yoga techniques.
Satyananda Yoga Centre

Mandala Yoga Ashram

A Yoga Ashram in Wales teaching in the style of Bihar as above, a wonderful place for a yoga retreat or for in depth yoga training. Mandala

Heart Yoga

Heart Yoga (Formally Yoga of the Heart) takes the classical asanas together with the philosophy and spiritual aspects of yoga and teaches them in a way that can transform the body, mind and emotions - touching the heart of our being. Heart Yoga

Viniyoga

Viniyoga (now called The Association for Yoga Studies ) involves all aspects of yoga with posture work building towards particular posture and then returning towards stillness. It involves chanting, breath control and meditation practices.

Other Yoga Organisations

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

This is a strong sequence of postures currently made popular by Madonna involving breath control and bandhas that generates a lot of heat in the body during it's practice. It is this heat that assists in attaining some of the more strenuous or challenging stages of the practice. The practice is based on the popular "Salute to the Sun" sequence but this is extended to produce a flow, or vinyasa, incorporating virtually all of the classical postures.

Dru Yoga

Dru yoga originates from the Life Foundation in the West Midlands and in Snowdonia, it is a form of yoga where emphasis is placed on the subtle energies in the body during flowing posture sequences that enhance the quality of this energy in the body.

Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar Yoga is specialises in strong and precise posture work using belts, blocks and other aids in order to help the student attain the final posture.
www.iyengaryoga.org.uk

Kripalu Yoga

This form of yoga is based on the teachings of Yoga Amrit Desai from Lennox in USA, and is based on posture flows which become a moving meditation. www.kripalu.org

If you are teaching any of the above styles of yoga or are teaching a different style that you would like us to add please e-mail the details and if possible it will be included on this page.