Types of Yoga

Yoga Class Etiquette and Types of Yoga:

Bring a mat, towel and water to all yoga classes. Wear comfortable clothes you can move easily in.  Don’t eat at least 1 1/2 hours before class. Arrive to class on time, take your shoes off before entering any yoga studio, don’t leave before the class is over (stay for savasana, final relaxation).

Hatha Yoga

Ha means sun, Tha means moon. Hatha Yoga is a yoga that uses postures, breathing, and gaze of the eyes to balance the body. Most Yoga’s we practice in the west are based on Hatha Yoga (Physical Yoga), there are many types of Hatha Yoga. The main ones are Iyengar based (based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar), or Ashtanga based (based on the teachings of Pattabhi Jois) & Vini-Yoga based on the teachings of Desikachar. Their teacher was Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. There are also Sivananda Yoga, Ananda Yoga and many others.  All the other’s you hear about have been created by different practitioners, but for simplicity sake, these are the two main schools of Hatha Yoga brought to the West from Indian Master’s.

Hatha Basics – This is a beginning class suitable for all levels and ages. You will learn basic breathing techniques (pranayama) and basic postures (asanas).

Hatha Flow – This is an intermediate class suitable for anyone who wants to expand their yoga practice into a deeper level. We work on connecting each posture with a Vinyasa (link) and flow from one posture to the next using the breath. Be prepared to sweat, bring a towel and water.

Kundalini Yoga

This is a class suitable for all levels. Kundalini yoga is said to be the most ancient of all yoga’s. Some research dates it back 40,000 years. It was the yoga of the Kings, and the Brahmans (upper class). Kundalini Yoga is the yoga of consciousness, the yoga of awareness. It raises the awareness of the practitioner. It uses secret, ancient mantra (sound current), asana (posture), mudras (hand gestures) and dhristi (gaze) all in one kriya (set of exercises) to catapult the practitioner to the infinite. It was brought to the west in 1969 by Mahan Tantric, Kundalini Master, Yogi Bhajan. Be prepared to fly! It is written that it takes 16 years to become enlightened practicing Hatha Yoga and 1 year practicing Kundalini!

Try all types of yoga before deciding which one best fits you, try different teachers as well, each one will bring her/his own style to the class. I have found it best to practice both Kundalini and Hatha Yoga, it’s a great balance! Sat Nam, (Truth is Your Name) Namaste (I honer the divine light in you that reflects the divine light in me).

 

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