Yoga Styles

Iyengar. Ashtanga. Anusara. Flow. Kundalini. Hot. Yin. With all the different kinds of yoga out there and all the esoteric terms, it can be difficult to decide what kind of yoga classes to attend. In this post, I will decode the different styles of yoga, what makes them different from each other and why you might choose one over another. Of course, you may not be so lucky as to have a choice. The options in your town may be limited to general yoga at a gym. Or the one yoga studio in town is strictly Iyengar. Well, there is always travel yoga: visiting a yoga class when you travel to a larger city or going on special yoga retreats and vacations.

Lets start with the basics: Hatha Yoga is an umbrella term for the physical form of yoga that originated out of the Hindu spiritual tradition in India. There are a few other kinds of physical yoga that originated from other traditions, namely: Kundalini Yoga (Sikhism), Tibetan yoga (Tibetan Buddhism), and Daoist or yin yoga (Daoism).

From the Hindu tradition, Hatha is only one of several yogic paths. The other paths include Raja (Royal) Yoga, Jnana (Knowledge), Karma (service), Japa (mantra), and Bhakti (devotional).

Types of Hatha yoga commonly practiced in America today:

Iyengar
Iyengar yoga has probably been the most widely practiced form of Hatha yoga in America over the last 30 years, though vinyasa/power yoga is catching up quickly. Iyengar yoga was developed by B.K.S Iyengar. Iyengar was a student of T. Krishnamacharya who is known as the grandfather of modern yoga- three of the most popular styles of yoga practiced in the US were developed by his students.

Iyengar classes are known for their precision in alignment, use of props such as blocks and bolsters, and relatively little spiritual focus (at least in the beginning). Poses are held for a relatively long time with lots of demonstrations and adjustments. It is considered to be a great style of yoga for beginners, elders, and those with physical disabilities, though there are certainly also physically challenging Iyengar classes as well.

Anusara
Anusara is a relatively new form of yoga developed in 1997 by John Friend, a former Iyengar instructor. Anusara focuses on alignment as well as the emotional and spiritual aspects of yoga. Anusara certification is one of the most rigorous yoga certifications available and certified teachers are highly knowledgable in the therapeudic applications of yoga.

Each Anusara class is based around a theme to clarify the principles of alignment as well as relate in-class work to daily life. Classes will vary in vigor depending on the teacher, but they tend to be more challenging than similar level Iyengar classes because poses are linked together and there is less stopping and starting with demonstrations. A sense of community is emphasized with more talking laughing than is common in other yoga classes and partner work is often included. The philosophy of anusara is an uplifting, life-affirming philosophy. The teachers are trained to "look for the good" so they may compliment students on their progress or effort. Some people are put off by the flowery language used by Anusara instructors, but in the right hands these metaphors help students to understand the postures on a deeper level.

Ashtanga Vinyasa
Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga was developed by Pattabhi Jois, another student of T. Krishnamacharya. It is one of the most athletic forms of yoga. Students follow the same series of postures linked together with their breath every day they practice. There are known to be 7 series, but even the first is too difficult for most beginners to do without modifications. Traditional Ashtanga classes are known as Mysore style classes and are not led by the teacher. Instead, students practice the series at their own pace and the teacher comes around and helps students individually. Ashtanga yoga has inspired several different kinds of uniquely American yoga styles, most notably Power yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and Jivamukti yoga.

Ashtanga vinyasa, the form of hatha yoga, is easily confused with Patajali's ashtanga. Patanjali is the credited author of the Yoga Sutra, the oldest known yogic text. Most hatha yoga styles draw on Patanjali's ashtanga for their philosophy, except those that are descended from other spiritual traditions such as Kundalini yoga and Yin yoga. This eightfold path (ashtanga means 8 limbs in Sanskrit) is a comprehensive system that includes: yamas (moral code), niyamas (personal disciplines), asana (postures), pranayama (breath exercises), pratyahara (withdrawl of senses), Dharana (one-pointed concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (union).

Vinyasa/Power Yoga
Vinyasa or power yoga is an athletic form of yoga derived from Ashtanga. Rather than following a set series, Vinyasa/Power yoga is a more creative form that will vary greatly from teacher to teacher. The main component of this style is the emphasis on vinyasa, or intelligent movement from pose to pose. This movement from pose to pose creates heat, sweat, and an aerobic workout.

Vinyasa/Power yoga has been one of the most popular forms of yoga US over the last 10-15 years and is large part of the recent yoga "boom". Unfortunately, there are many poorly trained instructors teaching this style in health clubs and gyms. Because of the movement and effort involved, the potential for injury is higher than with gentle or alignment based forms of yoga. If you choose to practice this style, check your teacher's qualifications and try to take some alignment based classes as well (Iyengar and Anusara are the most popular alignment based forms of yoga).

Another variant of Power/Vinyasa is called flow yoga. Popularized mostly in California and now also available elsewhere in the US, flow yoga varies in intensity from gentle to very challenging. The emphasis is on moving with the breath from pose to pose. Meditation and/or pranayama is often included.

Jivamukti

Jivamukti yoga was developed by Sharon Gannon and David Life. They are students of Pattabhi Jois and their style is derived from Ashtanga. It is similar to Power/Vinyasa in that it is usually a challenging and creative workout, but Jivamukti yoga also includes readings from scriptures or inspiring quotes, chanting, and meditation. Non-traditional music is often used and refraining from the consumption or use of animal products (veganism) is strongly encouraged and even required during teacher training.

Viniyoga
Krishnamacharya's third famous disciple and son T.K.V Desikachar created viniyoga also known as yoga therapy. Viniyoga is usually taught one on one and focuses on practicing yoga according to one's individual needs. Viniyoga uses specific sequencing, repetition, and vinyasa (breath with movement). The most famous American Viniyoga teacher is Gary Kraftsow.

Bikram
Also known as hot yoga, Bikram yoga is controversial in the world of yoga. The founder, Bikram Choudhoury, has copyrighted his sequence and the term Bikram yoga. He requires that all Bikram instructors be certified by him and has brought several lawsuits against studio owners. Thus the term hot yoga is often used by practicioners of Bikram who have not been taught directly by him or have fallen out of grace for one reason or another. He is very specific about how Bikram yoga can be taught, so a teacher could lose the right to use the term Bikram by teaching out of sequence or saying things during class that are not proscribed by him. Like Ashtanga, Bikram is a specific sequence of poses, however this sequence was developed specifically for Americans and is done in a very hot (100-110 degree) room. The 26 poses combined with the heat make for a very vigorous practice that Bikram claims purifys the body and prevents disease.

Kripalu
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA is the largest and best known yoga retreat center in the US. It was founded in 1966 by Amrit Desai, who named his style of yoga after his guru Kripalvananda. In 1994, Desai resigned as spiritual director of Kripalu and the center moved away from the guru-disciple model to become an interdisciplinary yoga retreat center. The main style of yoga taught there is still Kripalu as originally taught by Desai. Kripalu yoga is a three part system. In the first level, students hold the poses for a short period of time and focus on alignment and coordinating breath and movement. In the second level the poses are held longer and meditiation is included in the practice. The goal of the third level is to acheive meditation in motion.

Integral
The goal of Integral yoga is to integrate all the different kinds of yoga together: Hatha, Bhakti, Karma, Raja, Jnana, and Mantra. An Integral class might be comprised of gentle physical postures, deep relaxation, breathing techniques, chanting and meditation.

Ananda
Based on the teachings of Parmahansa Yogananda (author of autobiography of a yogi), Ananda yoga is designed to prepare students for meditation. These gentle classes include affirmations associated with postures and consciously sending the body's energy to different organs and limbs.

Sivananda
One of largest schools of yoga in the world with over 15 ashrams worldwide, sivananda yoga includes asana, chanting, and meditation. Classes often include mini-savasanas in between poses. They tend to be very serious and devotional in nature without a lot of talking or alignment.

Kundalini
One of the forms of yoga that does not directly originate from the Hindu tradition, Kundalini yoga is based on the Sikh tradition. Kundalini was popularized in the West by Yogi Bajan who founded the 3HO (Healthy, Happy Holy) organization in 1969. Kundalini yoga is designed to awaken the kundalini (energy) in the body. Classes are usually taught as kriyas or sets of exercises designed to accomplish a specific purpose (for example cleanse the liver, balance head and heart, etc). They include chanting, breath control, meditation, and postures, often done in specific numbers of sets. While it is not required that one become a Sikh to take Kundalini classes, the teachers are usually practicing Sikhs.

Yin
Yin yoga is another style of yoga that does not come from the Hindu tradition. Yin yoga is derived from the far eastern martial arts tradition. It is designed to balance the Yang forms of martial exercise. Popularized in the US by Paul Grilley, yin yoga consists of postures that are similar to hatha yoga asanas, but they are held in a relaxed and passive manner for 1-5 minutes or longer. This is said to target the connective tissues in the body rather than the muscles, strengthening them and freeing up stagnant energy. Yin yoga is not designed as a standalone practice, it is to be done only as a balance for forms of exercise that target the muscles such as athletic hatha yoga forms like ashtanga, power/vinyasa, iyengar, or anusara. Yinyoga.com is a great resource detailing the history, theory, and practice of yin yoga.

Ok, I know this isn't an enhaustive list, but I think it pretty well covers most of the more popular styles. If you notice a glaring omission, let me know and I will probably include it. Also, if you practice one of the styles that I have very little experience with (you can probably tell which ones by how much I've written about them) feel free to clarify and expand on what I've said.

Balance

If yoga could be boiled down to a single concept, I think that concept would be balance.

Each week I choose a theme for my classes in order to clarify and focus the concepts that I want to teach. Most of the time, whatever theme I choose, what it really comes back to is a play between opposing forces. In other words, balance.

From wikipedia.com, a definition quite compatible with the yogic perspective:

"a desirable point between two or more opposite forces."

It is this point of balance that we are seeking with our practice of yoga. However, this point is not a fixed place. Balance is a never ending dance of awareness and sensitivity. The search for it is the substance of a fulfilling life.

From the Eastern perspective, the natural world can be divided into complimentary opposites called yin and yang. These complimentary opposites balance each other, thereby creating harmony. Neither yin nor yang can exist without the other. They define each other. They also contain each other: within yin, there is yang and within yang there is yin. Each one, when taken to the extreme, becomes the other. At the extreme of yang, there is yin and at the extreme of yin, there is yang.

I find this to be an extremely helpful and profound way of looking at the world. A reminder of both the complexity and elegant simplicity of nature.

Because each of us is blessed to be unique in both body and mind (perhaps soul too, though I can't speak to this authoritatively) the point of balance will also be unique for each of us and possibly different each moment as well.

This is an inherent limitation of group yoga classes. The teacher gives instructions that she has reason to believe will benefit (ie create balance in) the majority of the group. She learns to "read" the class to respond to the imbalances she sees and feels. But she cannot give instructions for each unique person without confusing the majority of the class and undermining the potential benefits of the practice. The way that I was taught to teach is to walk around the room and help as many people individually as possible. But in a class of 40 or 50, I am lucky to reach half the class.

It is essential for each student to take responsibility for their own practice. We must remain alert and curious, observing the effect of each instruction, rather than following blindly. We are responsible for learning about our bodies and our minds, so that we can take our yoga practice with us out into the world where it will do us the most good. There is nothing wrong with enjoying your workout, or stress relief, or gentle stretching once a week. But the real benefits of yoga come when we keep trying to find that balance point in the hubbub of life.

I find it interesting that the synonyms for balance are poise and composure. Those words describe perfectly what it looks like to live yoga. You do not let little things throw you off balance. This is not an outward composure, where you hide your inner turmoil, but an inner poise. As you practice more, you simply find that you are less easily bothered by things. And in the spirit of true balance, when it is time to lose your cool, you lose it. After all, we're only human.