Over the last few decades, yoga has been gaining in popularity. Yoga studios are popping up in almost every town. Once thought of as for the rich and already fit, yoga is becoming the go-to exercise for busy people who want a break from everyday life.

The purpose of modern yoga is to bring about relaxation through quieting the mind. Strengthening and toning the body can be accomplished through proper breathing, position and balance while holding predetermined poses. When performed properly, these movements increase flexibility and range of motion.

Doctors are beginning to realize the benefits of yoga for many of their patients. Yoga can help with recovery from physical injuries, as well as provide relief for those suffering with arthritis. Yoga has been used as a starting place for the obese to begin gentle but challenging exercises that increases strength and eases depression. It is also effective for building strength in someone who is recovering from an illness, as well as increasing strength and balance in the elderly. Lowering your stress level lowers your risk for all disease, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and cognitive decline.

There really does seem to be a form of yoga to fit every body and every personality. Many are offered by certified yoga instructors (yogis) in a studio, but yoga can also be performed in your home with a guided yoga session on DVD.

Whether in a yoga studio or at home, the session is usually performed on a non-slip mat. Being barefoot is recommended, but you can buy non-slip socks, if you prefer. Other common props include a foam block and a cotton strap. These can be used to help you achieve proper position.

There are specialized programs for individuals with arthritis, and for those who need to sit in a chair while performing modified poses.

Traditional yoga, as was practiced in India for the last 5,000 years, was a spiritual practice to bring peace and unity to one’s self. The very first things that were taught were the different body positions or poses, and breathing techniques. Each pose was used to calm or invigorate an organ system or area of the body. Breathing techniques enhanced the effectiveness of the poses. This improved health and allowed the individual to focus on identifying thoughts and emotions that separated them from their pure essence in nature.

Ultimately, the goal is building a bridge between the conscious and subconscious mind to identify and eliminate destructive “chatter” which causes distraction (quieting the mind), eliminate negative thoughts and emotions, and to fit perfectly into the universe, i.e. connecting with your higher self (they did not believe in God). Perfection would result in being purely love and in harmony with the universe. As you can imagine, this would be a lifelong pursuit.

Modern yoga lacks the spiritual component of traditional yoga but the health benefits of improved muscle tone and flexibility, better organ function, and reducing stress are well worth the practice. Whether you are looking for something relaxing, aerobic, gentle, or complex there is a form that will suit your needs.

To help you decide where to start exploring the benefits of yoga, I have loosely categorized the most common forms of modern styles of yoga.

Relaxing

Hatha—Includes basic yoga postures to really stretch out your muscles.

Integral—a form of hatha which often includes breathing exercises, chanting and meditation.

Kripalu—a form of hatha which facilitates the individual to better themselves both physically and spiritually.

Sivananda—another form of hatha that begins with warm-up exercises, then progresses into 12 basic poses, including headstand, and shoulderstand.

Restorative—a very gentle yoga which uses bolsters, blocks, and blankets to achieve a pose without strain.

Yin—a quiet, meditative yoga which focuses on lengthening connective tissues.

Hot Yoga

Ashtanga—a progressive form of yoga which has 6 levels/series with each series becoming more challenging. Poses flow rapidly from one into another, and you will work up a sweat. The sequence of poses is always the same.

Bikram—this one is performed in a sauna-like room. Two sets of 26 poses which flow from one into another in a set order.

Moksha/Modo—also performed in a sauna-like room. One set of 40 exercises that begins and ends with savasana (a pose to allow for personal reflection).

Recovery from an Injury and Arthritis Suffers

Iyengar—a challenging yoga which focuses on precise execution of the poses. Props such as blocks, bolsters, chairs, blankets, and straps are often used. Appropriate for someone recovering from an injury because great care is given to help achieve the proper position.

Viniyoga—highly individualized to meet each person’s needs and physical abilities. There is a strong focus on alignment, and poses are held for a consistent number of breaths with rest in between.

Prenatal

Prenatal—poses specially designed for the expectant mother that helps stretch and soothe sore back, shoulders, and legs. Learn breathing exercises that help you relax, and meditation to help you connect with your baby.

Spiritual

Anusara—lighthearted, positive, and fun yet challenging with poses that flow from one to another in a way that encourages students to open their hearts, experience grace, and let their inner goodness shine.

Forrest—this form of yoga is aimed at healing deep emotional wounds. It is intensely physical and designed to sweat out toxins and release emotions stored in the body.

Jivamukti—physically intense, incorporating chanting, meditation, and music while philosophizing how yoga principles relate to modern life.

Kundalini—the focus of this yoga is to release the energy at the base of your spine and work it up through all of your chakras. There is a lot of movement, and breathing exercises. Sometimes you close your eyes, so this one is not for you if you get motion sick.

Free Form

Vinyasa—much the same as Ashtanga but lacking the same sequence of poses in each session. The pace of the movement many vary according to the instructor (yogi) but is generally athletic in nature as the poses flow from one into another.

Getting started with yoga can seem a bit overwhelming, but the cost of exploring whether or not yoga is for you is mostly a cost in time. Most yoga studios provide all the props that you will need for that class, including the mat. If you are new to practicing yoga, look for classes that are geared for beginners. This will allow you to learn the poses at a slower pace. Once you have the poses down, you can look for a more challenging class. As with any new exercise, it is wise to consult your doctor before you start.

To find a local studio, you can look in the telephone directory or the newspaper, ask your local health food store or YMCA/YWCA, or look on-line. A couple of websites that may help you are: www.yogafinder.com and www.everythingyoga.com/studios.aspx .

You can also purchase DVDs of different styles of yoga to work with at home. These can really give you a good sense of what each style is like. Prices vary for a yoga mat, from $22 to well over $100. (I am perfectly happy with my $22 mat from Gaiam.) Guided yoga DVDs are convenient since you can practice yoga on your own schedule, and they are a great way to get the entire family involved. You will find a large selection of DVDs for kids, and also DVDs that are specifically designed for: strengthening your back, core, athletes, detox, weight loss, etc.

One of the things that makes yoga so rewarding for me is that I can practice it on my own terms. I choose the form of yoga I think will benefit me most on that particular day. The hardest part of it all is learning the poses; but it is rewarding at the same time. When done properly, a great sense of relaxation is felt, even if you are doing one of the more aerobic styles. At the end, when you are slowly stretching, when your mind is quiet, is a great calm; when you embrace this calm you will be at peace. With today’s busy lifestyle, that feeling is worth more than gold. Go ahead, give it a try. It may be just what you are looking for.

References

Hanley, K. (n.d.). A Beginner’s Guide to 8 Major Styles of Yoga. Retrieved from Gaiam Life: www.life.gaiam.com/article/beginners-guide-8-major-styles-yoga

Pizer, A. (2014, September 07). What’s Your Yoga Type? Retrieved from About Health: yoga.about.com/od/typesofyoga/a/whatsyourtype.htm

Pizer, A. (2015, March 26). Types of Yoga. Retrieved from About Health: yoga.about.com/od/typesofyoga/a/yogatypes.htm

Prabhu, B. (n.d.). The Meaning and Purpose of Yoga. Retrieved from SwamiJ.com: www.swamiJ.com/yoga-meaning.htm

Ward, B. (2013, April 20). 14 Styles of Yoga Explained Simply. Retrieved from Mind Body Green: www.mindbodygreen.com/0-8622/14-styles-of-yoga-explained-simply.html