Yoga

Yoga has become a global phenomenon over the last several decades. What started out thousands of years ago in India as a meditative practice.

What is yoga?

Yoga is a Sanskrit word translated asunion.It means to draw together, to bind together; or to unite. Its aim is to yoke or create a union of the body, mind, soul, and universal consciousness. This process of uniting the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of ourselves is what allows yogis to experience deep states of freedom, peace and self-realization.

What Yoga means is to move towards an experiential reality where one knows the ultimate nature of the existence, the way it is made. It is a complete path by itself.

Repetitive cycles of compulsiveness are happening because there are various types of memories in the system. There is a huge volume of memory – genetic memory, evolutionary memory, elemental memory, atomic memory, karmic memory, inarticulate memory, and articulate memory. If this memory was not there, ones body would not even take a form.Yoga means to liberate yourself from that information which determines who he is right now. That information which determines the color of your skin and the shape of ones body should not determine how he think, feel, and experience your life. If that information does not determine howone is right now, then he is moving into Yoga.

The Yoga Sutras is one of the most famous text on the fundamentals of yoga and was written by Patanjali around 200 BCE. Patanjali describes eight limbs or steps to reach the goal of the practice. Each limb is a spiritual, mental, or physical practice that builds upon one another. The limbs of the eightfold path are:

1. Yama – The moral codes of conduct

2. Niyama – The physical observances and internal practices

3. Asana – The proper posture

4. Pranayama – The proper breathing exercises

5. Pratyahara – The withdrawal of senses from external distractions

6. Dharana – The mental concentration and focusing the mind

7. Dhyana – The meditation and focus on a single point

8. Samadhi – The cessation of all mental activity to attain a state of oneness

4 types of yoga for 4 aspects

These are the only four realities in your life: body, mind, emotion, and energy. Whatever you wish to do, is possible through these four aspects. If you use your emotions and try to reach the ultimate, we call this bhakti yoga.

That means the path of devotion. If you use your intelligence and try to reach the ultimate, we call this gnana yoga. That means the path of intelligence.

If you use your body, or physical action to reach the ultimate, we call this karma yoga. That means the path of action.

If you transform your energies and try to reach the ultimate, we call this kriya yoga. That means internal action.

Types of Yoga

Ashtanga yoga

Ashtanga applies the same poses and sequences that rapidly link every movement to breath.

Bikram yoga

People practice Bikram yoga, also known as hot yoga, in artificially heated rooms at a temperature of nearly 105oF and 40% humidity. It consists of 26 poses and a sequence of two breathing exercises.

Hatha yoga

classes usually serve as a gentle introduction to the basic poses of yoga.

Iyengar yoga

This type of yoga practice focuses on finding the correct alignment in each pose with the help of a range of props, such as blocks, blankets, straps, chairs, and bolsters.

Kripalu yoga

This type teaches practitioners to know, accept, and learn from the body.

The classes usually begin with breathing exercises and gentle stretches, followed by a series of individual poses and final relaxation.

Kundalini yoga

A Kundalini yoga class typically begins with chanting and ends with singing. In between, it features asana, pranayama, and meditation that aim to create a specific outcome.

Power yoga

This yoga is based on the traditional Ashtanga system.

Sivananda

This system uses a five point philosophy as its foundation.

This philosophy maintains that proper breathing, relaxation, diet, exercise, and positive thinking work together to create a healthy yogic lifestyle.

People practicing Sivananda use 12 basic asanas, which they precede with Sun Salutations and follow with Savasana.

Viniyoga

Viniyoga focuses on form over function, breath and adaptation, repetition and holding, and the art and science of sequencing.

Yin yoga

This style of yoga targets deep tissues, ligaments, joints, bones, and fascia.

Prenatal yoga

Prenatal yoga uses poses that practitioners have created with pregnant people in mind. This yoga style can help people get back into shape after giving birth, and support health during pregnancy.

Restorative yoga

This is a relaxing method of yoga.

Chakras

Asanas are the many physical poses in Hatha yoga. People who practice yoga use asanas to free energy and stimulate an imbalanced chakra.

There are seven major chakras, each with its own focus:

• Sahasrara: The crown chakra, which is at the crown of the head, symbolizes spiritual connection.
• Ajna: Located between the eyebrows, the third eye chakra has to do with intuition.
• Vishuddha: The throat chakra corresponds to immunity and verbal communication.
• Anahata: The heart chakra, which is in the center of the chest, influences professional and personal relationships. Any imbalances in this chakra will affect oxygen, hormones, tissue, and organ control.
• Manipura: The solar plexus chakra is in the stomach area. It corresponds to self-confidence, wisdom, and self-discipline.
• Svadhishthana: The sacral chakra, which is beneath the belly button, connects pleasure, well-being, and vitality.
• Muladhara: The root chakra, which is at the base of the spine, connects the mind and body to the earth to keep a person grounded. It controls the sciatic nerves and the parasympathetic nervous system.

Modern yoga in the West

In the West, the word “yoga” has come to mean a particular style called hatha yoga. This branch emphasizes postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), stress relief, relaxation, physical fitness and wellness. The focus is primarily on the physical body which differs from traditional yoga, where the focus is more inward and spiritual. There are many schools of hatha, each with its own unique style and philosophy.