Yoga is more than exercise: it’s a lifestyle and philosophy. It encompasses connecting the body, mind, and spirit, through movements, balance, breathing, meditation, and stretching techniques. In a way, yoga unites your body and consciousness. If you are interested in starting a yoga practice, there are several different types of yoga. Still, one of the best things about yoga is that you can select the right yoga type that suits your needs.
Essential Characteristics of the Different Types of Yoga
Physical Postures (Asanas)
In yoga, physical poses are created to foster improved balance, flexibility, and strength. Physical postures are beneficial in helping to open up your energy channels to support physical health and mental relaxation.
Breathing Techniques (Pranayama)
Pranayama, or breath control, is a practice that is essential in controlling the flow of energy (prana) throughout your body. It involves controlling your breathing to impact your body’s energy flow and mental state.
Meditation (Dhyana)
Meditation, also referred to as dhyana, is an essential aspect of yoga. It emphasizes mindfulness and concentration. It is beneficial in achieving a state of mental calm and clarity, that leads to an increase in awareness and heightened inner peace.
Philosophy and Ethics
The practice of yoga is rooted in ethical philosophies. Some of the principles include non-violence (ahimsa), self-discipline (tapas), and truthfulness (satya). As such, these principles guide practitioners in adhering to a lifestyle that reflects compassion, respect, and harmony.
Different Types of Yoga: Top Benefits
Making yoga a part of your lifestyle has the potential to boost your physical and mental health, as well as your overall well-being and quality of life. Specifically, yoga can help to:
- Lower stress hormones such as cortisol, and as a result, minimize anxiety and improve relaxation.
- Decrease depression and anxiety symptoms in some people.
- Foster relaxation of your mind and body, enhancing sleep quality.
- Improve physical health and fitness by enhancing your muscle strength, endurance, cardiovascular health, and flexibility, as well as minimizing symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis.
- Lower your heart rate and blood pressure and minimize risk factors for heart diseases, such as stress.
- Boost cognitive functioning through meditation, helping to improve your concentration and memory.
4 Paths of the Different Types of Yoga
Karma Yoga: Yoga of Action
It emphasizes a path of selfless service, in which you seek to achieve spiritual freedom by serving others. Selfless actions are done for the benefit or good of others.
Bhakti Yoga: Yoga of Devotion
This path focuses on devotion and love for a personal god or the divine through devotional rituals. Such practices as chanting, praying, dancing, singing, celebration, and ceremony are aspects of this type of yoga.
Jnana Yoga: Yoga of Knowledge
This yoga path is generally viewed as the most challenging path. It encompasses seeking spiritual enlightenment or knowledge and wisdom via self-study, contemplation, and meditation.
Raja Yoga: Yoga of Meditation
Raja yoga emphasizes controlling your mind by meditating. Its foundation is in the teachings of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Additionally, it includes balancing the previous three yoga paths described – karma, bhakti, and jnana.
5 Major Types of Yoga
There are several types of yoga, each with a particular focus. Your choice of yoga may depend on factors such as physical fitness, preferences, and specific health goals. Here’s a quick look at the five major types of yoga:
Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa yoga, aka “flow yoga” or “vinyasa flow,” is a very popular type of yoga. The term “vinyasa” translates to “place specially”. Some interpret it as connecting breath and movement. Also, this type of yoga was adapted from the more strict Ashtanga practice. Words such as dynamic, slow, or mindful reflect the intensity of the vinyasa practice. Furthermore, the style of yoga for this practice involves poses that synchronize with breathing in a continuous rhythmic flow that can be meditative.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vinyasa yoga practice improves body fitness and potentially positively affects practitioners’ well-being and health. Specifically, because of the diverse intensity of practice and positions, it’s possible to tailor a vinyasa yoga practice to the practitioner’s needs. Findings revealed that it could help support cancer patients through improving stress perception, self-confidence, and sleep quality. Furthermore, all the participant’s expectations were met, including reducing sleep problems, improving vitality, stretching the body, and calming stress.
Vinyasa yoga is ideal for people just starting the yoga practice, seasoned persons, or persons who desire to have more movement from their yoga practice.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is derived from the Sanskrit words that translate sun and moon. This style of yoga is designed to balance opposing forces, and that balance might emerge from breath and the body, strength and flexibility, and physical and mental energy. Still, Hatha can also be used as a broad term for several different ‘styles’ and focus on the body as a means for self-inquiry. The word can also translate as “force,” relating to practices designed to channel vital life force in the body.
Hatha uses the physical side of yoga, and this type of yoga includes a mix of asana (poses), meditation, and pranayama (breathing exercises). It is a combination of static poses and breathing. Additionally, it can also include other types of yoga, such as Ashtanga, Bikram, or Iyengar. Hatha offers a balanced practice and supports a gentler type of yoga for interested individuals.
Ashtanga Yoga
Among the five main types of yoga, Ashtanga yoga comprises six levels of specific poses that are taught in a fixed order. You move on to each pose and each level once you master the previous one. This type of yoga is highly dynamic, physical, or athletic, and has a flow style between postures. It also has spiritual components. An article in Frontiers in Psychology suggests that Ashtanga yoga comprises an array of modern yoga styles and is a methodical practice with a philosophical underpinning.
Additionally, there is a focus on energy, breathing, mental clarity, and inner peace. With Ashtanga yoga, you move at your own pace, focusing on your breathing, and move on based on your growth point. If you like routine or a more physical practice with spiritual aspects, Ashtanga is the ideal option.
Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar yoga is a classical, alignment-based practice, which became popular in the 1970s in the United States. It’s known for its creative use of props, including benches, chairs, and walls, plus more common props such as blocks, straps, and bolsters to support proper alignment or correct posture. This is a more static form of yoga, which is ideal for older adults, because of its emphasis on detailed alignment and holding positions for longer.
Iyengar yoga is typically less intense in comparison to other types of yoga. As such, in general, it’s suitable for persons of all ages and skill levels. Also, if you have physical limitations, this is suitable for you.
Bikram Yoga
Bikram yoga is a form of hot yoga that comprises a set series of poses that you perform in the same order, and it has strict rules. Each class goes for 90 minutes, with 26 postures and two breathing exercises that you perform in a room that must be 105° Fahrenheit with 40 percent humidity. Also, instructors do not adjust for students.
Research suggests that Bikram provides several health benefits. It allows your body to stretch and tone, detoxify, relieve stress, and heal chronic pain, including arthritis, joint aches, knee injuries, and back issues. Furthermore, it allows students to get deeper into the postures and boosts circulation. Bikram yoga could be a good fit if you want yoga that makes you sweat, is more physical practice, and has a routine.
Which of the Different Types of Yoga Has The Most Benefits?
Yoga, in general, provides both physical and mental benefits. The yoga that has the most benefits depends on your needs and how well it can support those needs. In terms of a practice that seems to offer a wholesome approach, Hatha yoga may be the most all-encompassing. Regular practice of Hatha postures can help to improve your balance, flexibility, and strength. Furthermore, it helps reduce stress levels and boost your body’s relaxation levels. Still, individual preferences, fitness goals, and physical abilities are also factors that may influence which yoga is most beneficial for you.
Yoga That Focuses on Relaxing The Mind and Body and Healing Adrenal Fatigue
Restorative Yoga focuses on relaxing your mind and body. Its main goal is to relax into the poses completely. As such, it can help to promote deep relaxation and minimize anxiety. Also, this type of yoga promotes better sleep and relieves stress. It involves using props to help support your body so that you hold poses for longer periods. It’s best for adrenal fatigue.
For adrenal fatigue syndrome (AFS) sufferers, Restorative Yoga allows them to exercise with adrenal fatigue and stay fit. Adrenal Fatigue is a condition where the body is unable to keep up with long-term stress, resulting in various nonspecific symptoms such as tiredness, sleep disturbances, anxiousness, and weight gain. Chronic stress can result in an imbalance in the neuroaffect circuit. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the HPA, impedes your body’s ability to handle stress. As such, your adrenal glands and your nervous system become affected.
Restorative yoga poses can help restore nervous system health and balance, allowing your body to rest and boosting adrenal function. Specifically, Restorative Yoga boosts blood flow to the adrenals, and the nervous system switches to a mode that supports calmness and deeper healing.
Which of the Types of Yoga is Best for Sharp Memory?
Research suggests that yoga could provide cognitive benefits. Specifically, Kundalini yoga could be beneficial early on in preventing cognitive decline. Kundalini yoga (Yoga of Awareness) is a dynamic mix of postures, conscious breathing, mantra, music, meditation, physical exercises, chanting, and rhythmic motions. Meditation and breathwork help to promote relaxation and self-healing by bringing balance to your body and clarity of mind.
Further, the research found several improvements in a group practicing Kundalini yoga. These include improvements in subjective memory, prevention of brain matter decline, increased connectivity in the hippocampus, and a boost in peripheral cytokine and gene expression of anti-aging and anti-inflammatory molecules.
Types of Yoga: The Takeaway
Yoga provides both physical and mental health benefits for people of different age groups and backgrounds. There are several types of yoga that you should know about if you are interested in the practice. The best yoga type for you can be a matter of preference, health goals, fitness level, interest in spiritual aspects, and other factors. For adrenal fatigue sufferers, Restorative Yoga can help to strengthen the adrenals and help with the healing process. Meditation, restoring balance to your body, building resiliency against stress and anxiety, relaxation, and healing are all supported by the practice of yoga. Dr. Lam’s Nutritional Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Program offers a comprehensive approach to adrenal fatigue recovery, featuring Dr. Lam’s educational materials, a 30-day meal plan, 4 adrenal support supplements that have helped many recover, restorative yoga exercises, a lifestyle toolbox, and personalized nutritional consultation from Dr. Lam’s highly trained adrenal fatigue team to ensure effective recovery. If you would like to make yoga a part of your lifestyle and need to learn more, reach out to our team for more information
