What
exactly is "Hatha" Yoga?
"Hatha" Yoga refers to the physical aspect of Yoga, of which
there are many styles, out of which evolve more styles. The differences
are usually about emphasis, such as focusing on strict alignment of the
body, coordination of breath and movement, holding the postures, or the
flow from one posture to another. Many of the styles share a common lineage.
In fact, the founders of three major styles -- Astanga, Iyengar and Viniyoga
-- were all students of Krishnamacharya, a famous teacher at the Yoga
Institute at the Mysore Palace in India. Two other styles, Integral and
Sivananda, were created by disciples of the famous guru Sivananda. No
style is better than another; it's simply a matter of personal preference.
More important than any style is the student-teacher relationship.
Ananda
Ananda Yoga is a classical style of hatha yoga that uses asana and pranayama
to awaken, experience, and begin to control the subtle energies within
oneself, especially the energies of the chakras. Its object is to use
those energies to harmonize body, mind, and emotions, and above all to
attune oneself with higher levels of awareness. One unique feature of
this system is the use of silent affirmations while in the asanas as a
means of working more directly and consciously with the subtle energies
to achieve this attunement. Ananda Yoga is a relatively gentle, inward
experience, not an athletic or aerobic practice. It was developed by Swami
Kriyananda, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual
classic, "Autobiography of a Yogi".
Anusara
Anusara (a-nu-SAR-a) means, "to step into the current of Divine Will",
"following your heart", "flowing with Grace", "to
move with the current of divine will." A new style developed by John
Friend, Anusara yoga is described as heart-oriented, spiritually inspiring,
yet grounded in a deep knowledge of outer and inner body alignment. Each
student's various abilities and limitations are deeply respected and honored.
Ashtanga
For those who want a serious workout, Ashtanga may be the perfect yoga.
Developed by K. Pattabhi Jois, Ashtanga is physically demanding. Participants
move through a series of flows, moving from one posture to another timed
to the Ujjiya breath to build strength, flexibility and stamina. It's
not for beginners nor anyone who's been taking a leisurely approach to
fitness. The term "Power Yoga" now refers to Ashtanga. Click
here for a little more history.
Bikram
Bikram Choudhury's yoga is hot, hot, hot, so be prepared to sweat, sweat,
sweat. In class, they crank the thermostat up high, then perform a series
of 26 asanas, sometimes twice, that is designed to "scientifically"
warm and stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons in the order in which
they should be stretched. Founder Bikram Choudhury studied yoga with Bishnu
Ghosh, brother of Paramahansa Yogananda. The term "Hot Yoga"
refers to Bikram.
Click here to see Bikram's asanas.
Integral
Developed by Swami Satchidananda, a devotee of Sri Aurobindo, better known
as the man who taught the crowds at the original Woodstock to chant "Om,"
Integral classes put almost as much emphasis on pranayama and meditation
as they do on postures. Integral yoga is used by Dr. Dean Ornish in his
groundbreaking work on reversing heart disease.
Iyengar
Ever think standing was just a matter of keeping your body on top of your
legs? It's hard to appreciate how involved a simple thing like just standing
can be, how much concentration and how many subtle movements and adjustments
it takes, until you take an Iyengar yoga class. Of course, the point is
that you're not just standing. You're doing Tadasana, Mountain pose, and
in yoga in the style of B.K.S. Iyengar, Tadasana is an active pose. B.K.S.
Iyengar is one of the best-known yoga teachers and the creator of one
of the most popular styles of yoga in the world. His style of yoga is
noted for great attention to detail and the precise alignment of postures,
as well as the use of props such as blocks and belts. No doubt part of
Iyengar's success is due to the quality of teachers, who must complete
a rigorous 2-5 year training program for certification.
Mr. Iyengar's "Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika" is considered every
serious yogi's "Asana Bible."
Kripalu
Called the yoga of consciousness, Kripalu puts great emphasis on proper
breath, alignment, coordinating breath and movement, and "honoring
the wisdom of the body" -- you work according to the limits of your
individual flexibility and strength. Alignment follows awareness. Students
learn to focus on the physical and psychological reactions caused by various
postures to develop their awareness of mind, body, emotion and spirit.
There are three stages in Kripalu yoga. Stage One focuses on learning
the postures and exploring your bodies abilities. Stage Two involves holding
the postures for an extended time, developing concentration and inner
awareness. Stage Three is like a meditation in motion in which the movement
from one posture to another arises unconsciously and spontaneously.
Kundalini
Kundalini yoga in the tradition of Yogi Bhajan, who brought the style
to the West in 1969, focuses on the controlled release of Kundalini energy.
The practice involves classic poses, breath, coordination of breath and
movement, meditation.
Sivananda
Sivananda is one of the world's largest schools of Yoga, and is the most
commonly seen in the United States, mistakenly called "Hatha"
Yoga by many. Developed by Vishnu-devananda and named for his teacher,
Sivananda yoga follows a set structure that includes pranayama, classic
asanas, and relaxation. Vishnu-devananda wrote one of the contemporary
yoga classics, "The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga." First
published in 1960, the book is still one of the best introductions to
yoga available.
Svaroopa Yoga
Developed by Rama Berch, Svaroopa Yoga teaches significantly different
ways of doing familiar poses, emphasizing the opening of the spine by
beginning at the tailbone and progressing through each spinal area in
turn. Every pose integrates the foundational principles of asana, anatomy
and yoga philosophy, and emphasizes the development of transcendent inner
experience, which is called svaroopa by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras.
This is a consciousness-oriented yoga that also promotes healing and transformation.
Svaroopa is not an athletic endeavor, but a development of consciousness
using the body as a tool.
Viniyoga
Viniyoga is not so much a style as it is a methodology for developing
practices for individual conditions and purposes. This is the approach
developed by Sri. T. Krishnamacharya, teacher of well-known contemporary
masters B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois and Indra Devi, and continued
by his son, T.K.V. Desikachar. Key characteristic of the asana practice
are the careful integration of the flow of breath with movement of the
spine, with sequencing, adaptations and intensity dependent upon the overall
context and goals. Function is stressed over form. Practices may also
include pranayama, meditation, reflection, study and other classic elements.
Personal practices are taught privately. Given the scope of practice,
the inherent therapeutic applications and the heritage of the lineage,
the training requirements for teacher certification are extensive.