Popular Forms of Yoga Practice
As Yoga grows increasing popular in the West, we are seeing an a wide variety Yoga disciplines made available.  In this article we will offer a brief explanation of the different types of Yoga.

Call 963.7313 to arrange a private or small group yoga class. 

Gentle or Restorative Hatha Yoga - in Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India) “Ha” means “sun” and “tha” means “moon”. This type of Yoga is relatively slow paced, gentle type of Yoga and is a good place to start if you are completely new to Yoga and don't know any of the asanas (poses). Like all types of Yoga, Hatha Yoga aims to unite the mind, body and spirit.

Sampoorna Yoga - is the yoga of fullness that intelligently integrates Hatha Yoga  , Raja, Karma, Bhakti, Jnana and Nada Yoga to purify and harmonize all aspects of an individuals person so that person shines forth with joy and beauty.  Deep, simple and practical, Sampoorna Yoga helps people from every background and faith to live richer, happier lives based on lasting yogic values. The basic teaching of Sampoorna Yoga is that health, peace and joy are already within you, and are your birthright. The purpose of Sampoorna Yoga is to help you uncover these blessings.

Ashtanga Yoga - this is the type of Yoga that I practice on a regular basis and means “eight limbs” in Sanskrit. It's a fast moving, intense style of Yoga practice and is based on a progressive set sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. Ashtanga Yoga can be quite physically demanding as you constantly move from one yoga posture in the sequence to the next, so you'll find that it will improve your stamina as well as your flexibility and strength.

Power Yoga - this is a western interpretation of Hatha Yoga  and is based on Ashtanga Yoga. A Power Yoga class may not necessarily stick to the exact sequence of yoga posture  like Ashtanga Yoga does, but it does involve practicing a series of yoga postures without stopping and starting.

Iyengar Yoga - This type of Hatha Yoga  is based on teachings by B.K.S Igengar and concentrates on the correct alignment and form of the body. Unlike Ashtanga Yoga, there is an emphasis on holding each yoga pose for a long period of time rather than moving constantly from one  yoga posture to the next. Iyengar Yoga uses props such as blocks and straps to help align the body into the different yoga poses.

Vinyasa Yoga - Vinyasa means breath synchronized movement and is another fast paced type of Hatha Yoga , with an emphasis on breathing. A practice typically starts with sun salutations and moves on to more intense stretching. Throughout the practice each yoga posture is balanced with a counter yoga pose.

Bikram Yoga - otherwise known as “Hot Yoga”, is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, with a humidity of around 40%. Generally a sequence of 26 different poses is practiced during a Bikram Yoga class and the hot temperature helps to loosen muscles. Due to the high temperature most people sweat a lot during the yoga class and this helps to cleanse the body of toxins.

Raja Yoga - also called the royal path of Yoga, where centralized thought combined with spiritual reflection allows the withdrawal from sensory perceptions, leading to deep meditation (dhyana) and samadhi. It is the yoga of Patanjali.

Kundalini Yoga  - Yoga is an ancient, dynamic form of yoga that awakens awareness. It uses sets of yoga postures and movements (asanas) with meditative focus, breath work (pranayama), and chanting (mantra). In addition to strengthening the health and well-being of the physical body, it is very useful for emotional balance, mental clarity, stress relief, and personal transformation.

Kundalini Yoga - is the original and most powerful system of yoga by some yoga practioners. It can be practiced by anyone if it is done according to instructions and within the tradition in which it was originally taught. The word "Kundalini" means awareness. In yogic tradition, Kundalini is the latent spiritual energy within every person that can be awakened by the practice of yoga.

Call Monique at 963.7313 to arrange a private one-on-one or small group yoga class.