Tag Archives: Hatha Yoga

Learning the Popular Styles of Yoga

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Learning the Popular Styles of Yoga

There are many styles of yoga, but teachers should be familiar with the nine main forms of yoga, from India, and their relationships to contemporary styles. The nine main styles are: Bhakti, Hatha, Jnana, Karma, Kundalini, Mantra, Raja, Tantric, and Yantra Yoga. Bhakti yoga is widely practiced in India, yet barely known by the masses outside of India.


If you’re looking to become a yoga instructor, you must be thoroughly trained and ready to cater to a variety of student needs. A competent yoga instructor should be well-versed in many aspects of yoga. Different styles emphasize varying aspects of yoga. Some may focus on the coordination of breath and movement, while others focus on the proper alignment of the body. Others use atmospheric conditions as the basis of the style.


Globally, one of the most popular styles is Hatha yoga. This is a style that focuses on slow, meditative breathing and relaxed postures. A yoga instructor will slowly guide students through poses one at a time. Many people, who attend Hatha classes, appreciate the relaxed feeling they get from the exercise aspects. Some people, who try Hatha classes, do not like the slow-pace and are searching for a higher-intensity exercise.


Vinyasa yoga, sometimes called Flow or Power yoga, contains a completely different focus, in comparison to the meditative Hatha. Vinyasa is called, Flow or Power, because of its emphasis on smooth and powerful movements. The teacher will guide students through a series of poses, changing them in rhythm with the breath.


The poses run together like a dance. Vinyasa classes can be either, high or low intensity, depending upon the yoga instructor’s emphasis. Vinyasa can be very diverse because it allows the yoga instructor to interject their personality into the routines.


Vinyasa, Flow, or Power yoga, draws sequences from Hatha or Raja yoga, depending upon the instructor’s lineage. Raja is the form of yoga, which Maharishi Pantanjali describes in the Yoga Sutras. It should be noted that Raja is sometimes called, Ashtanga, which means “eight limbs.”


Ashtanga yoga can also be an athletic style of yoga. It is based on a demanding series of pose changes, sometimes connected by jumps. Designed for flexible, and usually young, bodies, Ashtanga has gained popularity in the Western world because of its intensity. Some popular students of this style are Madonna and Sting. An advantage of this style is that it can be self-led.


Usually the yoga instructor will teach students a series of poses and lead them in the routine. After mastering the poses and changes, the students can go through the routine at their own pace. Since this is done in the company of the yoga instructor, and other students, progress can be monitored and mistakes corrected.


For a completely different experience, there is Bikram yoga. Also known as Hot yoga, Bikram is a modern style, focusing on a set series of poses performed in a heated room. The creator of the style, Bikram Choudhury, designated twenty-six poses that constitute the Bikram style. The temperature of the room is ideally set to 105 degrees.


By keeping the room at a high temperature, the muscles of the body are more flexible. This is a controversial style because of an intellectual property lawsuit by Choudhury. Only those yoga instructors, certified in his method, are permitted to teach Bikram yoga.


On the other end of the timeline is Kundalini yoga. An ancient form, that is relatively new to the West, Kundalini focuses on the spiritual aspects of yoga. The yoga instructor leads students through a series of poses, making sure that movement is linked with breath.


The idea behind this discipline is to cause dormant energy in the lower body to become free and move upwards. For students seeking an athletic workout, Kundalini is not the place to look; but it is still an important style for a yoga instructor to understand.


From the purely physical yoga, to the more spiritual forms, a yoga instructor must be well versed. If you want to be a great yoga instructor, you should understand the basics of each major style, even while you focus on your favorite style. In this way, you’ll be ready to answer any student’s question and guide them to the right style.


Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. He is an author of many books on the subject of Yoga and has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995.

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

What Is This Thing Called Yoga ?

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What Is This Thing Called Yoga ?

Yoga is a system of physical and mental practices that originates in India more than 5000 years ago. What is the purpose of yoga? The purpose of yoga is to help yourself and other people to achieve your highest potential and to experience a healthy and happy life. By using the practice of yoga you can extends your healthy and happy life for far beyond the accepted known. And more importantly improve the quality of your life.


There are different kinds yoga. The main focus of yoga is to benefit your physical and mental health. Yoga is a practice that will focus on the harmony between mind and body. Even though the philosophy of yoga comes from India, now it is practiced all the over the world.


The actual word yoga is a Sanskrit word. That means union or merger and the ultimate goal of the practice of yoga is to strike a balance between the mind and body. In order to achieve this balance between the mind and the body the practice of yoga will use movement, breath, posture, relaxation and meditation in order to establish this balance. This in order to live a healthy, lively and balanced life.


There are many types of yoga, one of the most popular forms of yoga is called Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga deals mainly with physical postures and breathing exercises. Another form of yoga is Karma Yoga which emphasizes the spiritual practices to help you unify your body mind and daily life through certain practices. The other form of yoga is called Bhakthi Yoga. Bhakti Yoga is a devotional form of yoga and generally includes chanting, reading scriptures and doing worship.


Most people have heard of the word yoga as yoga is a very popular practice that is practiced all over the world. The ancient yogis had the believe that in order for somebody to be in harmony with themselves and his environment he have to find a balance between the mind that the body and the spirit with in. Yoga was used to find a balance between those three. The yogis formulated the way to achieve this balance. And this is done through breathing techniques and meditation.


Lets look at the 5 different kinds of yoga.


Hatha yoga

Hatha yoga is a yoga of postures. Probably when you think of yoga you will be thinking of Hatha yoga. Hatha Yoga is the most popular form of yoga in the west. Hatha yoga uses physical postures or Asana and different breathing techniques and meditation. All of this is combined to achieve a better health as well as in understanding of spirituality.


Bhakthi Yoga

Bhakthi yoga is the yoga of devotion. It is yoga for the heart and devotion of the people. The practice over Bhakthi Yoga teaches a person to have devotion for his spiritual being or God and to develop this love and acceptance for all living things.


Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga is the yoga of self control. The word Raja actually means Royal. By using the practice of Raja Yoga one sees oneself as central. It means to respect oneself. To achieve this kind of self respect one has to gain control over oneself and the senses.


Jnana Yoga.

Jnana Yoga is the yoga of the mind. Jana yoga is a kind of yoga that will deal with the mind. It will focus on the persons wisdom and intellect with the aim to unify these two to surpasses limitations in life.


Karma Yoga

Karma yoga is the yoga of service. Karma yoga mainly uses the Law of Karma meaning that the present situation is based on your past actions. So by doing selfless service now you are choosing a future that is free from negativity.

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The Five Faces Of Westerner Yoga

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The Five Faces Of Westner Yoga

Yoga pertains to an entire group of spiritual and physical practices that date back as far as 3300 BC in India, an era in which anthropologists have uncovered statues depicting figures in yoga-like postures. As you can imagine, yoga’s influence on the Western world in general and here in the United States in particular, has taken place in a veritable blink-of-an-eye when you look at the whole history of yoga.

Nevertheless, there are a number of people from the past and present who have had a profound influence on the spread of yoga in the West, and probably few of greater significance than the five people listed below…

#1 Rodney Yee

Rodney’s Yoga: http://www.gaiam.com/category/yoga-studio/yoga-instructors/rodney-yee.do

Rodney Yee was once a gymnast, a ballet dancer, and a philosophy major. What do all of these things have in common? The helped him satisfy a deep hunger for knowledge and understanding of the human mind and body. This curiosity is what led him to begin learning, and eventually teaching, his own form of yoga. Rodney has appeared on several national morning shows, and daytime television talk shows like Oprah. He owns a major yoga studio in LA, and is probably THE most well known yoga personality in America, next to Bikram.

#2 Bikram Choudhury

Bikram’s Yoga: http://www.bikramyoga.com

Although he was born in India, Bikram began teaching his “hot yoga” classes in the California during the 1970s. This form of yoga, in which students perform mostly Hatha yoga poses in a heated room, may be the most popular type of yoga in the United States today.

#3 Shiva Rea

Shiva Rea’s Yoga: http://www.shivarea.com/about

Her name sounds Indian, but Shiva is actually an American-born yoga instructor, daughter of an artist/surfer. Shiva has released several award-winning yoga videos, and has traveled the world to appear at yoga retreats and international studios. Now a regular contributor for the Yoga Journal, Shiva has built a name for herself as one of the best yoga teachers in the Western world. She is widely known for her cultivation of Vinyasa yoga techniques into her own style called Prana Flow.

#4 Patricia Walden

Patricia’s Yoga: http://www.gaiam.com/category/yoga-studio/yoga-instructors/patricia-walden.do

While many Western yoga teachers are drawn to the temptation of creating their own, unique style of yoga, branding it and watching it flourish, Patricia has remained dedicated to her Iyengar yoga roots for over 25 years. She has co-authored The Women’s Book of Yoga and Health and starred in several award-winning yoga DVDs, including the best-selling Yoga for Beginners series.

#5 Seane Corn

Seane’s Yoga: http://www.gaiam.com/category/yoga-studio/yoga-instructors/seane-corn.do

The extremely beautiful, talented and charismatic Seane Corn teaches Vinyasa yoga, and is the star of the hugely popular Vinyasa Flow Yoga DVD series. She has been featured on the cover of the Yoga Journal three times, and has also appeared on the covers of Natural Health, Fit yoga, Yoga Life and Healing Retreat and Spa Magazine. Many are drawn to Seane Corn’s charisma and authentic messages of change and progress. She has worked with several political and social programs to bring changes to local and global communities, including a shelter that houses and educates adolescent prostitutes, and YouthAIDS. Born in New Jersey, Seane had her first yoga experience at the Life Cafe in the East Village area of New York.

Have we left out your favorite yoga teacher? Opinions differ widely as to who has had the most influence over modern yoga. But there is no denying that the five yoga instructors above, whether you agree with their teachings or not, are have had a major impact on the way yoga is practiced and taught here in the U.S. and around the western world.

Everett Sizemore is a freelance writer and contributor of content to health and fitness websites. He lives in Denver, CO and runs a fitness industry marketing website.

Yoga- the Extreme Satisfaction of Soul

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Yoga- the Extreme Satisfaction of Soul

Yoga, the extreme heights of peacefulness attained through the silencing of the soul.

Yoga, the oldest way of spiritual practice is one of the six schools in Hindu philosophy. Towards the end of twentieth century, yoga teachers moved to the West and travelers from the West to India led to the flourishing of Yoga in western countries. In the West, yoga gives stress on different postures associated with it. The Bhagavad Geetha, The Upanishads, The Yoga Sutras of Patajali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Rahasya and many other Hindu texts holds writings based on Yoga.

Classification:

Karma yoga- Yoga of action

Jnana Yoga- Yoga of wisdom

Bhakti Yoga-Yoga of devotion

Raja Yoga- Yoga of meditation

Yoga, the science of liberation helps its disciples to reach the extreme point of liberation. Since Yoga has a basic therapeutic healing power, is practiced together with other medications. Ashtanga Yoga and Ayurveda is simply mixed in the practice of Yoga.

Yoga lay emphasis on the body, mind and the emotional area of a person. At the final stage the Yogi (one who practice Yoga) reaches the ‘moksha’ stage where there is no interruption of thoughts occurs. Concentration and meditation are indivisible parts of Yoga that infills the meditator with the extreme pleasures of peace and joy.

According to Hinduism, yoga is practiced to attain the union with the God and Buddhism says Yoga as a practice that deepens wisdom, thought and insight. Western countries give emphasis on individualism. Yoga is a practice to spiritual awareness and insight for a normal person.

Yoga Therapy:

Yoga Therapy is an extensive healer that promotes positive health. Anxiety, hypertension, heart problems, asthma, diabetes, etc are some of the conditions in which Yoga is applicable. Yoga therapy is approved by the Medical Researchers as it is found to be effective in most of the ailments. Yoga therapy is an effective stress manager. It includes physical postures, breathing techniques and other relaxation methods.

Sri Ramakrishna Parama Hamsa, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Sivananda, Parama Hamsa Yoga Nanda, Mira Bhai from Bhakti tradition, Sankaracharya from jnana tradition, etc are some of the celebrated yogis of the ancient India.

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What is Kundalini Yoga?

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What is Kundalini Yoga?

What is Kundalini Yoga?

Taken from the book Open your heart with Kundalini Yoga, by Siri Datta

Throughout the ages, in every civilization, there has been a hidden pathway, a secret technology of discovery, which enables the individual to reach the ultimate potential. This is a technique that has the ability to elevate, inspire and awaken the individual to their own greatness. That greatness is within every one of us, and the technology that can do this is Kundalini Yoga.

As an enthusiastic teacher of Kundalini Yoga, I am always asked ‘What is it? Is it like Hatha Yoga, or Ashtanga Yoga? Is it dynamic or static? Are there meditation or breathing techniques?’ My answer is always the same: it is all of those things, and a multitude more.

Yogi Bhajan, the Master of Kundalini Yoga, now living in New Mexico, has explained that there are 22 major forms of yoga, each one expressing a facet of the whole. A good way of understanding this is that each different form of yoga is like the facet of a diamond. The diamond herself is Kundalini Yoga, the mother of all yogas.

Kundalini Yoga is the most inclusive of all yoga practices as it includes all aspects of yoga within its teachings. In this practice there are over 8.4 million kriyas (completed sequences, or sets). These kriyas are made up of asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), mantra (chanting), mudras (hand gestures), bandhs (body locks) and meditation.

The kriyas are a blend of dynamic and static postures that deliver a perfect sequence of energy, tones and feelings played upon the instrument of the body. In the ancient scriptures it is said that Kundalini Yoga is the fastest way to create the transformation that the individual is seeking. There is a certain depth, completeness and timelessness that is inherent in Kundalini Yoga.

Kundalini Yoga is a legacy. It has been practised as an exact science by masters in communication with Infinity, coming directly from the Soul. It is a practice that has been experienced and handed down through enlightened souls for many thousands of years. It is said that Christ, Buddha and Moses practised Kundalini Yoga.

In ancient times it was often taught and passed down through the line of kings. These Kundalini Yoga masters did not specifically or personally pass on the knowledge. Rather it is thought that the teachings were handed down via an authentic lineage of Raj (Royal) Yogis. Kundalini Yoga knowledge was transmitted through meditation and altered states. It was this practice that was kept within the bloodline of royalty. We understand that the very first transmission of Kundalini Yoga was passed to the Hindu god Shiva, who in turn passed the knowledge to his consort Parvarti. From the Bhagavadgita we can understand that Lord Krishna was a keeper of the teachings, which were then passed to King Janaka, who was an early Raj Yogi and master of Kundalini Yoga. This was passed on through that lineage to Guru Ram Das, a Guru of the Sikhs, via the subtle realms. Guru Ram Das was bestowed the High Throne of Raj Yoga, known as the Takhat.  The word takhat literally means ‘high throne’ and is not specific to any exclusive form of yoga; there are many other takhats. This meant that he had to pass the technology on with his blessing to anyone who came along. It was through Guru Ram Das that the teachings were passed on to Yogi Bhajan. In 1969 Yogi Bhajan took Kundalini Yoga to the United States, against the wishes of his peers. Until then, it had always been highly secret and was never practised in public.

Since Kundalini Yoga has become so popular in the United States the Kundalini Research Institute (KRI) has been developed. This was founded to verify, promote, produce and preserve the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, exactly as they had been passed down.

There is much confusion surrounding kundalini and Kundalini Yoga. Some experts say that it is the most potent and powerful way to change consciousness, while others warn against practising it, or veil the entire teaching in secrecy. Yet how can something as essential to consciousness as kundalini be feared? Some people worry about raising the kundalini energy, but teachings from Yogi Bhajan have dispelled many misrepresentations and myths surrounding kundalini and his explicit teachings have given researchers techniques that can be thoroughly tested out. Kundalini Yoga is also known as the ‘yoga of awareness’. Awareness leads to understanding and understanding gives way to acceptance. When you can accept yourself, all your limitations fade away. All your fears, insecurities, and self-belittlement cease to be. In its place are abundance, hope and the wisdom of your true worth. Kundalini Yoga is so much more than a set of physical exercises. If genuinely practised, with respect and reverence, it will change your life.

There is only one way that you can practise Kundalini Yoga. It is very specific, clearly laid out and it is practised as it was given, with no alterations. Its path can take you to many places, whether you wish to achieve enlightenment or to release parts of yourself that are out of date and do not reflect the person you wish to be. Kundalini Yoga can also offer an approach for those who have only limited time to devote to this practice, but who also deserve the rewards of this priceless gift. The practice is easily understood and accessible for complete beginners to yoga who have decided that they need a tool to help them balance out everyday pressures. This is the yoga for modern humankind. This practice is for our present-day dilemma: to feel whole and complete while maintaining our day-to-day responsibilities. Kundalini Yoga is a sacred technology that is greatly needed at the present time. It is direct, powerful and simple.

It is important to understand that Kundalini Yoga is concerned with preparing the body for the kundalini energy to rise up through the Sushmana (the energetic spinal column). The scientific aspect of Kundalini Yoga is designed to provide you with the experience of your highest consciousness through the raising of your kundalini. Kundalini is your latent spiritual potential. Through the practice of Kundalini Yoga, this psychic nerve centre is awakened; its revelation is the release of your true potential. For this energy to awaken safely, body and mind need to be strong and able to deal with this very powerful change in consciousness. The practice of Kundalini Yoga is the powerful cleansing of the whole being. Not only do the body and mind need to be cleansed but also the energetic aspects of ourselves. The chakras (energy centres) and meridians (energy pathways) need to be unblocked and activated to allow this new influx of dynamic energy to flow freely throughout the whole being.

Kundalini and chakra work are closely linked. The kundalini energy can be depicted as a serpent, coiled in three and a half turns, sleeping in the Muladhara (Base, or Root, Chakra), the densest of all the chakras. But please note that Yogi Bhajan does not support the concept of kundalini as the coiled serpent, but rather as the blueprint for the full potential of humankind. Kundalini is known as the spiritual nerve, seated in the base of the spine, waiting to be awakened. With the practice of Kundalini Yoga this nerve can be stimulated and start to become activated as it breaks through the blockage at the Muladhara, travelling upwards through the Sushmana and piercing every chakra along the way, until it reaches the Crown, where full enlightenment is attained.

You do not have to charge in with the intention of raising the kundalini to full enlightenment, although this is the goal of all forms of yoga. There is a more acceptable, more gentle, way of introducing you to the sheer potential that is within you, and showing you how this potential can be released. This method is to gently rouse or stir the kundalini energy in the Ida and Pingala channels, which interweave around the Sushmana, every time you embark on a kundalini kriya. The general pattern of a kundalini kriya is to awaken and build up the Pranic energy. This is then guided to the relevant area that you wish to work on. For example, if your digestive system needs working on, a set to help with decision-making or an emotional state that is upsetting you might be helpful. By directing the energy to a particular chakra, organ, or issue in your life, this blockage will be dissolved and once again you will be back in balance. The negative effects will harm you no more.

There are over 8.4 million kriyas, all designed to deal with the day-to-day challenges we face. There are kriyas for physical issues, such as the digestion, circulation, immune system (disease resistance), lower back problems, glandular malfunctions, menopause and sexuality problems. There are also kriyas for the mind, to clear confusion, addictions, haunting thoughts and creative blocks. Additionally, there are kriyas to balance the emotions, to bring about feelings of ecstasy, to dispel fear and paranoia, to bring about stillness and to attain the empowering ability to accept and forgive all aspects of your life.

Meditation is also a very important part of the practice. This allows the body and mind to process the journey of the kriya. The energy has travelled along a certain pathway, awakening, dispelling and moving your energetic bodies. The meditation process is a lesson in inner awareness. Sometimes the meditation will have a breathing technique to enable the mind to quieten as you turn inwards into the realm of feelings and emotions. When this happens you will be able to observe your thoughts as they come and go. This is the start of the practice known as ‘becoming the watcher’. It is through this method that you become master of the mind.

At other times there will be a mantra to accompany the meditation. A mantra is always equipped with a coded sonic vibration that cuts through the psyche and starts to balance out areas within that need attention. When there is a mantra, you may find yourself immersed in the sound. This is the most powerful part of Kundalini Yoga. The word mantra breaks down into man, which means ‘mind’ and tra, which is ‘to vibrate’. Therefore, mantra means ‘to vibrate the mind’. This miraculous technique shifts many character traits and behavioural patterns that keep us suffering. In the chapter on Mantra (see page 51), I will explain exactly how this sonic science works.

I would like to close this section by saying that you can never predict a kundalini class. It is always full of surprises, since many changes will be going on in all the various people present. There have been times in my classes when there have been outbursts of laughter, which is always good fun and I actively encourage it. Yoga is usually synonymous with seriousness, quiet and solemnity, but this is not always the case. Laughter is common in my classes. It is, after all, an explosion of happiness. This usually happens when a painful emotion or memory has been released. It is also common to find yourself so immersed in the kriya and the breathing that you surface to find tears falling down your cheeks. You may not actually be crying, but tears are falling silently. This is always a very powerful realization of the many changes that are taking place within you.

When you experience this, you will find that harmony and balance are restored to you, and you will feel within an endless supply of energy and happiness. When you experience this, even for a few brief moments, your life will not be the same again. The inner light is now switched on, shining through you, and others will not fail to be drawn towards you. You will become a beacon for humankind, a touchstone for the truth, and the living reality of who we really are.

To everyone who embarks on the path of kundalini, I wish you the greatest journey. May your path show you the many examples of Divinity that are around you at any given moment. May you realize the ultimate truth: that only Love can set you free. Be free, my friend, as it is your birthright.

Be Grateful, BE GREAT and BE FULL Yogi Bhajan

Read more from Siridatta here

Siridatta is an International Kundalini Yoga Teacher and Teacher Trainer. Author of Open Your Heart with Kundalini Yoga and the Raw Food and Yoga BIBLE, Mini Size Me.

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