Yoga is a spiritual practice originating in ancient India, with physical exercise being just one aspect. The Bhagavad Gita mentions four branches of yoga: karma, jnana, raja, and bhakti. Different styles include Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Kundalini, Iyengar, and Bikram.
In its most basic form, yoga is a set of spiritual practices originating in ancient India. While most people in the Western world consider it a form of physical exercise, it actually encompasses much more. However, even taking into account the physical aspect, there are many different styles, from traditional to Bikram.
The Bhagavad Gita, a text dating from the first centuries BC that is considered the definitive source of Hindu philosophy, mentions four branches of yoga: karma, jnana, raja, and bhakti. Karma refers to one’s action in the world, jnana is the development of knowledge and mind, bhakti is the worship of a deity, and raja is meditation. The style most familiar to those in the Western world, which involves the practice of asanas, or poses, to achieve a meditative state, is a medieval development of the Raja practice known as Hatha yoga.
The most common styles of this practice are:
Vinyasa links breath with movement and consists of a series of flowing postures using the practitioner’s natural breathing as a guide. The movement is continuous and the focus is on aligning the movement with the breath rather than perfecting each pose. The sun salutation is a well-known vinyasa series.
Ashtanga or power yoga is fast paced and physically challenging. Like vinyasa, it is performed in a flowing style, with attention paid both to the graceful transition between poses and to the poses themselves.
Kudalini yoga is practiced with the aim of awakening the energy stored in the pelvic area. While asanas are involved in kundalini, the focus is more on breathing and chanting. When kundalini energy is released, it is said to flow up the spine through energy centers called chakras.
Iyengar yoga is named after its creator, BKS Iyengar. The focus of this style is proper physical alignment, and the poses are often held for long periods of time to perfect the posture. Accessories such as straps or bricks are commonly used in this style as they can be used to help the practitioner achieve and maintain proper alignment.
Bikram yoga is also named after its pioneer, Bikram Choudhury. This style is practiced in a heated room to allow the body to stretch and relax more. It uses a series of 26 asanas, always performed in the same order and designed to open the body gradually throughout the practice. Hot yoga is also practiced in a heated room, but the poses may vary from the Bikram method.
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