Article by Diana Castaldini from Whole Body Magazine

Yoga Style Guide

Whether you’re into sweating, chanting, or just lying back and relaxing, use this glossary of 11 common forms of yoga, some ancient, some modern, to find just the right class for you.

ANUSARA: A traditional style rooted in the Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness. After a chant, heart-opening postures emphasize proper alignment to harmonize inner and outer worlds.  See John Friend’s Revolution Mat.

ASHTANGA: Means “eight limbs,” referring to the tenets outlined in Yoga Sutras. Traditional but high-energy and known for fast-paced poses. Recommended mat for Ashtanga Practice: Mysore Practice Rugs.

BAPTISTE: This vigorous form of power yoga swaps chanting for intense movement. Its goal is to renew inner and outer personal strength.

BIKRAM: In this “hot yoga” style, studio temps reach 105 degrees to facilitate deeper stretching, build stamina, and rid the body of toxins.

HATHA: A classical style, popular in the West, that focuses on physicality but may include chanting and meditation. Postures are often basic, slow, and relaxing. Good for beginners.

IYENGAR: Commonly practiced in the West, this school focuses on precise alignment and holding postures often for several minutes at a time. See firm Foam Blocks and Practice Straps.

JIVAMUKTI: This style, which originated in New York City, combines spirituality and an intense aerobic workout. Incorporates chanting, music, breathing practices, and ancient scripture.

KUNDALINI: A practice that stimulates and releases energy believed to sit dormant at the base of the spine. Includes deep, fast, rhythmic breathing and chanting.

POWER: Derived from Ashtanga with a wider variety of postures, this fitness focused style is prevalent in gyms.

RESTORATIVE: A modern form that includes deeply supported poses held for minutes at a time so the practitioner can experience total relaxation.

VINYASA: A continuous flow of breath-synchronized movement that incorporates postures from various styles, though it evolved from Ashtanga.

Posted under Styles of Yoga

“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.”  ~B.K.S. Iyengar

Iyengar is one of many styles of yoga practiced around the world today. It was developed by Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar who was born in Karnataka, India in 1918. Having practiced yoga for most of his life,  Iyengar is certainly one of the most renowned teachers of our time. He has written a handful of books, including “Light on Life“, “Light on Yoga“, and “The Tree of Yoga“. There are also many books about Iyengar’s style of yoga; “Yoga the Iyengar Way” by Silva, Mira & Shyam Mehta is a popular one that’s endorsed by the yogi himself. His daughter, Geeta Iyengar, has also written a book about the style that is specific for women called “Yoga: A Gem for Women“.

The Iyengar style is rooted in the eight limbs of yoga, which are described at length in the “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali“.  It’s a form of Hatha Yoga that puts focus on strength, endurance, balance, and alignment. The style also stresses the benefits of concentration and meditation in body, mind and spirit. A series of asanas and pranayama, Iyengar yoga involves several standing poses and the use of multiple props to assist in achieving correct alignment in postures. Commonly used Iyengar props are hard Foam Blocks, Practice Straps, and Yoga Blankets.

One may experience far more adjustments in Iyengar yoga than in other styles, since Iyengar highly stresses that anatomical correctness is essential to balancing all aspects of our being. Sequencing of the asanas varies from practice to practice, in order to challenge the body. Also, a decent amount of time is spent in each asana to allow time for the fine adjustments and to fully benefit from the posture. Iyengar yoga really delves into the mind and spirit aspect – it is not merely a physical practice.

Though Iyengar himself teaches at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune, India, there are hundreds of Iyengar certified instructors in the United States and around the world. The Iyengar Yoga: National Association of the United States is a great resource for Iyengar teachers and studios across the country.

Namaste!

Posted under Styles of Yoga