The fact that yoga dramatically changes a person, no longer needs to be proved - more and more people are joining the ranks of "yoga addicts." But those who are just planning to do yoga and choose a yoga center (studio, gym) for themselves, are faced with a huge number of different areas of yoga, and their differences seem very vague. This article will briefly outline the essence of each style and help you choose the most appropriate option.
Four main branches of development
The whole yoga teaching is divided into four ways by which one can achieve enlightenment of consciousness (maximum) or improve the quality of life at least.
- Karma: yoga of action, covers the widest range from the development of the physical body to the quality fulfillment of one's destiny in life. It is to this branch that hatha yoga belongs, which most of humanity is engaged in.
- Raja - this type is called spiritual yoga, because it includes not only meditation, singing mantras, but also total control over your mind through following the ten specific commandments: Yama and Niyama.
- Bhakti: Yoga of selfless service to the world and God as the highest being. The simplest example is Vaishnavas, who, thanks to their unique relationship with God (the Universe, the Absolute, the cosmic mind), achieve expanded consciousness.
- Jyana (jyana) - this branch is often called the yoga of knowledge, since its scope is the scriptures and the constant comprehension and rethinking of the worldview of each individual. Understanding the nature of the body and mind, the separation of these concepts and their interaction is also jyan yoga.
In the vast majority of cases, when it comes to the types and directions of yoga, hatha is meant, that is, based on work with the physical body of a person.
Hatha yoga
Often you can hear from people who are not familiar with the intricacies of yogic practice, that they distinguish hatha yoga in a separate style or direction. This is a fairly common phenomenon, but fundamentally wrong, since any yoga that involves performing poses, and therefore using the physical body, is hatha yoga, which in turn has numerous branches of styles, techniques, directions and options for presenting practice. Therefore, it is important to understand that all areas, styles and types of yoga, implying an impact on consciousness through an instrument - the body, are called hatha yoga and it is unprofessional to single it out into a separate meaning.
Ashtanga Yoga
Among all types and directions of yoga, this style is distinguished by strict discipline, devotion to traditions and a special teaching methodology, which includes such nuances:
- All poses are collected in fixed sequences (six in total), in each of which there are about forty asanas.
- The main uniqueness of the style is the use of vinyasas, which combine poses in a single coherent stream. Vinyasa is the movement of the body, combined with a special kind of breathing of Ujjayi, which resembles a quiet hissing sound due to the fact that air is passed through a slightly compressed throat.
- Another important point of Ashtanga Yoga is Tristan: the three aspects on which the high-quality and deep yoga practice is based. Pose, proper breathing and a special line of sight (drishti) form the triangular foundation of this powerful yoga style.
- Training is conducted according to a special method called the Mysore class. The name comes from the city of Mysore, which houses the main center of Ashtanga Yoga. The method implies individual practice, but in a group, under the supervision of a teacher.
Ashtanga yoga is not for the faint of heart, according to yogis, since the practice should be performed six times a week, regardless of life circumstances. There is even a joke among ashtangists: "You can skip the practice of yoga for only one reason - you are dead." According to the reviews of numerous fans of this style, it can be understood that it is it that makes it possible to lose weight in the shortest possible time and strengthen the muscles of the hands and the press thanks to the numerous vinyasas.
Vinyasa Flow and Vini Yoga
These two areas of yoga are very similar to each other and are based on the basis of ashtanga yoga with a small difference: they do not have clear sequences of poses, as in the Sh.P. system Joyce. Today it may be one series of asanas, and tomorrow it will be completely different, which many practitioners really like. Moreover, vinyl yoga is considered very similar to yoga therapy, as it is very soft, smooth, without strict restrictions. Its founder is the son of the famous Krishnamacharya, the greatest yoga guru of the twentieth century.
Vinyasa flow (from the English Flow), or yoga in a stream, is also very similar to Ashtanga Yoga, but does not have a rigid framework, but rather is a creative style in which many bundles of movements are built intuitively. Usually these are dynamic smooth movements, sometimes separated by the static positions of the body in space. Reviews about it are only enthusiastic, especially for those who are bored of repeating the same poses every lesson. Moreover, this practice allows you to experiment with the order of poses, which is also very popular with creative people who often choose this particular style.
Jivamukti
This is another free ashtanga yoga option founded by David Life and his wife Sharon. The difference between this direction of yoga and the main style is that jivamukti (jiva translated from Sanskrit - soul) in its classes combines not only asanas and vinyasas, but also music, singing mantras, as well as reading sacred texts about the knowledge of the soul.
The founders of this school also insist on vegetarian nutrition, which, in their opinion, cleanses the mind, making it open to subtle vibrations. Despite all this, the style is considered quite powerful, as practitioners say, “seven sweats will come off”, despite the fact that the jivamukti is often called singing or dancing yoga, because from the outside it really looks like some kind of performance. In fact, this is a deep spiritual practice, which significantly changes a person at all levels of life.
Iyengar Yoga
This style also belongs to the main areas of yoga, since its founder, B.K. S. Iyengar, was a student of Krishnamacharya (however, like Pattabhi Jois). Moreover, this direction is fundamentally different from all the previously described styles: here the emphasis is not on the continuity of the flow associated with breathing, but on the ideal detuning of the posture. Therefore, sometimes Iyengar yoga is called "furniture yoga" because it uses a lot of different accessories: belts, rollers, props, boards for deflection, a special design of chairs and so on.
All these tools help the inflexible student to properly position the body in space and relatively relax in it. This static style is ideal for the elderly, as well as those weakened by illnesses, since each asana is given a lot of time in explaining, which is something that enthusiasts respond to with enthusiasm.
Yoga 23
What does this unusual name hide in itself? This style from the Ukrainian master Andrey Sidersky belongs to the modern areas of yoga: he is about fifteen years old, but during this time the system has shown itself so powerfully that there is no doubt about its effectiveness. The name, unusual at first glance, is explained by the fact that the technique is based on 23 sequences of poses, divided into five levels by the principle “from simple to complex”. A few more features of yoga-23:
- Classes are almost always held under the metronome, which sets a certain rhythm of breathing.
- The style is rather static and does not have smooth, natural transitions between poses.
- Poses are selected taking into account the European lifestyle of a person who leaves a special imprint on the body.
- There are no religious aspects.
According to the reviews of some people who are well acquainted with the style, it is believed that this technique has incorporated the best of yoga, martial arts, the teachings of Castaneda and, oddly enough, the modern areas of fitness yoga, and is also ideal for busy and purposeful people who in a short time I want to get the maximum result. There is only one caveat: this result is primarily manifested on a mental level.
Sivananda Yoga
Among the varieties of trends in yoga, this style is considered as close as possible to what is said about this teaching in fundamental treatises. Many Sivananda Yoga is called the classic yoga of Patanjali (although this is an erroneous opinion). The style includes compulsory singing of mantras, vegetarian food, selfless service to the world, as well as meditation. There are only twelve basic asanas, not counting the traditional "Salutation to the Sun", which is mandatory in almost all main areas of yoga.
Universal yoga
Another branch of the integral doctrine that originates from Ashtanga Yoga: its ancestor is the Ukrainian Andrei Lappa, who in Soviet times, along with Sidersky, was the instigator of the yoga movement on the territory of this community of countries. According to experts, the universal yoga system is based on extracts from the teachings of Iyengar, Joyce, Krishnamacharya, as well as Tibetan practices. A mixture of different styles into one gave the author’s approach, which has no clear boundaries, is constantly changing and suits a wide range of practitioners. That is why there are no unambiguous reviews about this direction, since it is difficult to distinguish it from the general background of various styles.
Yoga sound
For those who are of little interest to the physical aspect, one can offer mantra yoga, in which there is no need to perform numerous and difficult poses, the purification of consciousness is achieved through repeated repetition of mantras.
Everyone who at least once attended a mantra yoga class responds with enthusiasm about it:
- The tension of the mind, stresses and internal conflicts go away, mental relaxation sets in and, as a result, the clamps in the body go away.
- A predetermined certain rhythm of sound, and hence the way of breathing, significantly increases the immunity and overall stability of the body and consciousness.
- Sounds of different tonality and length in a special way affect not only the endocrine glands, but also the chakras, which are the main suppliers of human vitality.
Yoga Nidra
This direction refers to Raja Yoga, as it is based on meditation, and the simplest for human consciousness. In the process of deep relaxation of the physical body, lying on its back with closed eyes, a borderline state of mind is reached between sleep and activity. In the process of practice, the teacher voices a certain text, with the help of which the practitioner reaches the deepest levels of his consciousness and subconsciousness, working through various children's fears, injuries, etc. Usually, such an activity lasts an hour, after which the reviews are almost identical: “how I was born again”, “I feel happy”. At first glance, this type of yoga seems very simple, but it’s actually quite difficult to keep your mind so that it is not distracted or falling into sleep, therefore yoga nidra is very loved by all spiritual teachers and advanced practitioners.
Which direction to choose?
Yoga, as it turned out, can be multifaceted even in a limited physical aspect. So what style should you choose for yourself? If we briefly summarize all of the above, then we can draw the following conclusion:
- To increase strength, whether muscle or spiritual, are ideal: ashtanga, yoga-23, jivamukti. This also includes any modern areas that are often called fitness yoga or power yoga.
- For the development of internal balance, whether it be the body or thoughts - vinyasa flow, jivamukti and ashtanga yoga.
- As yoga therapy, you can use Vini Yoga, Iyengar, as well as Sivananda and universal yoga.
- To relieve stress, Iyengar yoga, shivananda and meditative techniques in the form of mantra yoga and nidra are good. It will also be very useful to attend the Ashtanga Yoga class - after it, all everyday life will seem like a mere trifle.
Using this short scheme, you can easily decide which direction of yoga to choose for yourself. It is worth emphasizing that each methodology has different levels in its arsenal: from beginner, basic to advanced, which over time will lead to a true understanding of things and a desire not to limit oneself only to the body and move further into the depths of consciousness.