Diving into Yoga...
Which yoga style is best for me?
To begin, yoga in Sanskrit means “union, or to connect.” It is the union of your mind body and spirit. Yoga was first documented thousands of years ago, around 3000 BCE, with the first poses being recorded on stone tablets! It was brought to the west, specifically to the US from India in 1893. Most of us are accustomed to looking outside ourselves for fulfillment. We live in a world that conditions us to believe that outer attainments can give us what we want. We are caught up in "doing" rather than "being," in action rather than awareness. It is hard for us to picture a state of complete calmness in which thoughts & feelings cease to dance in perpetual motion. Yet it is through such a state of peace that we can touch a level of joy & understanding impossible to achieve otherwise. Through yoga, we direct that outward energy, inward, and come to know our true self, bringing peace, strength, and union with our soul.
Yoga is not only for the young, flexible, and specific body type! Yoga is literally for EVERYONE! That's what I love most about it! Yoga builds strength, connects the breath & mind to the body, lengthens the muscles, heals injuries and emotional trauma, and nourishes the soul. I'm definitely proof! Yoga lowers the heart rate, blood pressure, aids in deeper sleep, helps facilitate digestion, relieves anxiety, depression, and regulates all of the organ systems!
There are SO MANY styles of yoga, it's hard to know where to begin! Trust me, we all had the same feelings when we wanted to start our practice! The best advice I have is to listen to what your body & mind need in the moment! Sometimes your mind needs help more than your body, lean into tthat! After years of practice, I can tell when my body & mind need to let go in a hot vinyasa class, when I need a deep-tissue healing yin class, and when a meditative Nidra class is in order. Boxing ourselves into just one style can prevent us from opening our mind. Trying something new creates new neural pathways in our brain keeping it active & healthy, and our spirit becomes renewed! We even meet new circles of friends and build a broader community! Discovering how to nourish and heal the mind-body-spirit connection is dependent on knowing which class to attend, and explore which yoga style is best suited for our needs in the moment. So, here is a description of different types of yoga to help you on your journey!
Hatha Yoga
The Sanskrit term "hatha" breaks into two words: “ha,” meaning sun, and "tha”, meaning moon. Warmth & cool, active & rest. Hatha means force, so, it can be considered as anything you might do with the body, including: asana – yoga postures. Hatha yoga is an umbrella term for all physical postures of yoga, derived from Sri T. Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga, in the early 1900s in India. Among his teachings was the principle "Teach what is appropriate for an individual.” In the West, hatha yoga simply refers to all the other styles of yoga (ashtanga, Iyengar, vinyasa etc.) that are grounded in a physical practice. Hatha yoga is like the grandfather of most yoga classes we are familiar with today!
** An example of a Hatha yoga class could be: Beginning in mountain pose, then moving into a pranayama breathing exercise, then standing poses like chair with additional movements, chaturanga, cobra, a sun salutation, downward dog, all in slow movements, not linked by one breath one movement, no flowing transitions. Next could be standing poses like warrior 2, triangle, pyramid, forward folds, lunges, balancing poses like eagle, pilar, tree, dancer, kneeling poses like hero, camel, belly poses like sphinx and bow, seated twists, and finishing with savasana on the back. The class is definitely strength-building! It is not as fluid as vinyasa, more of a “step to the middle, turn to the right, warrior 2.” You wI’ll leave feeling strong & rejuvenated.
Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa is an athletic yoga style, and was adapted from ashtanga yoga in the 1980s. It falls under the "Hatha yoga” umbrella, and was derived from Sri T. Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga, in the early 1900s. He was the architect of vinyasa. In vinyasa classes, "one breath one movement" is linked to flow from pose to pose in smooth transitions. It is often called a moving meditation. Vinyasa classes vary in intensity from teacher to teacher, and can be in a room temperature room, warm room (90 degrees), or a hot room (100 degrees). Classes may begin with a 10-15 minute warm up, followed by an active 30-40 minutes of several pose sequences incorporating strength, flexibility, and balancing. A class will slow down with a 10 minute cool down, and end with a 3-5 minute savasana. I personally love teaching vinyasa classes because of its dance like quality!
Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar yoga was founded in the 1960s-70s by B.K.S Iyengar who said "yoga was for everyone." and focuses on precision, alignment and utilizes various "props" so that every pose can be accessible to everyone, in a safe manner, including students with injuries. Props include pillows, blankets, blocks, straps, and bolsters. Poses are held for longer amounts of time to refine alignment. You may not hop or jump, but you will get your exercise, and leave feeling opened and relaxed. Iyengar was a student of Krishnamacharya, in the origins of Hatha yoga. Iyengar's "The Light on Yoga" is considered the modern bible of yoga.
Meditation Yoga
Meditation or “dhyana” is also a part of yoga. Like the physical practice of yoga, dhyana also forms a profound connection with the universe by doing mental exercises to bring you to a higher state of consciousness. The major difference between other types of meditation and yoga meditation is that, depending on the yoga practice, you typically do a yoga meditation after you’ve done a yoga sequence. It’s the final step in yoga: first, you exercise the body, and then let go to help relax and focus the mind. This meditative practice helps to stabilize your body post-exercise and provide mental clarity, as well as physical, emotional, and spiritual energy.
Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini yoga was brought to the west by H. Khalsa in 1929, and became popular in the 1960s. It is equal parts spiritual and physical. This style is all about releasing the kundalini energy in your body said to be trapped, or coiled, in the lower spine. Tantric energy awakens the life force through the chakras, and poses focus on the naval, spine, and body's meridians. These classes can involve chanting, mantra, asana (poses), pranayama (breathwork), and meditation to release this energy. You will alternate between movement and short periods of relaxation, releasing stored emotions.
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti means “devotion” or “love” and this path contains various practices to unite the bhakta (Bhakti Yoga practitioner) with the Divine. Bhakti Yoga is considered the easiest yogic path to master and the most direct method to experience the unity of mind, body, and spirit. While hatha yoga requires a strong and flexible body, the only requirement for Bhakti Yoga is an open, loving heart. But Bhakti Yoga complements other paths of yoga well, and it is said that jnana (knowledge or wisdom) will dawn by itself when you engage in the devotional practices of Bhakti Yoga.
Trauma-Informed Yoga
A trauma-informed class prioritizes the wellbeing of its students living with trauma. A trauma sensitive approach acknowledges that we all have our own struggles and recognizes our humanity- not just our wounds but our strength and resilience. Trauma is stored in the body, no matter the years since the trauma occurred. Daily stressors & triggers can activate the same response we activated during the trauma long ago. Yoga is absolutely connected to our mental health, and as a teacher, it's imperative to hold space for our students. Instructors do not heal the students’ traumas; however, they do their best to prevent trauma triggers, such as using and not using specific language during classes, and teachers offer support if a trauma response arises. Participants will learn to identify their automatic responses to stress and trauma. The autonomic nervous system has a direct role in physical response to stress and is divided into the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). Several healing modalities during class can help tethered trauma in the body begin to release, such as pranayama, asana, reiki, and somatic experiencing techniques.
Aerial Yoga
Aerial yoga utilizes aerial silks to allow the body to work gravity, create space in the joints, and lengthen muscles. The wraps rest on pressure points bringing energetic balance to the meridians in the body. Compression free inversions (lower body above the head) boost the lymphatic system detoxifying the body while giving traction to the spine. You'll feel an increase in flexibility, the circulatory system, and mood boosts.- Deepens stretches.
- Relieves joint pressure and spinal compression that floor workouts can trigger.
- Releases tension.
- Increases balance and proprioception (bodily awareness)
- Enhances core strength.
- Improves breath awareness.
- Easier access to inverted postures.
- Releases endorphins.
Jivamukti Yoga
Jivamukti yoga was founded by David Life and Sharon Gannon in 1984. This style focuses on hatha yoga, scripture, bakti, music, meditation, and ahimsa the Sanskrit word for non-violence of all living things. Think of a vinyasa practice with the addition of animal rights, veganism, environmentalism, and social activism.
Somatic Experience
While not a form of yoga per se, somatic techniques can be incorporated as a healing modality in yoga classes, just like adding reiki to a savasana. “Somatic” means relating to, or affecting the body. Traditional methods of trauma healing like talk therapy can be affective, and this is simply another approach to trauma healing that involves the body healing first, then the mind. We don’t converse during our yoga practice, but the practitioner “communicates” with the body & mind throughout the yoga practice. Somatic Experiencing addresses the underlying physiological symptoms of the nervous system, where trauma & pain is stored. It aims to resolve symptoms of stress, shock, freeze, fawn, and trauma that accumulate in our bodies, by assessing where a person is “stuck” in the fight, flight or freeze responses and provides clinical tools to resolve these states. The vagus nerve is the answer! This nerve travels from the base of the brain throughout the entire body: our information superhighway! 80% of the messages traveling through the vagus nerve are from body to brain, so healing the body first is of great benefit. Reprogramming the body’s foundation, regulating an overactive nervous system, helps you feel safe before you do the heavy lifting of trauma healing. This can be accomplished through pranayama breathing exercises, meditation, tapping, squeezing, swiping, thumping, swaying, shaking, humming, rubbing, and massage. We can take these techniques off our mat into daily life to regulate the nervous system, to move fluidly between the NS states, so we don’t become stuck in one. We can use these techniques waiting at a red light, after avoiding an accident or someone with road rage, waiting in line at a store, opening an email from the boss, or hearing a loved one’s name, who has passed, at a park. We can also sing in the car, pet an animal, bear hug, connect with nature & friends, art, and dance. All of these tools can help the body release stored trauma and over time, the body and nervous system will learn the difference between now and then, and that it doesn’t have to respond in the same manner that it did to the original traumatic experience.
Yin Yoga
Yin Yoga has been around for thousands of years, promoting pranayama and long periods of seated meditation. Yin is the opposite of yang, and we are always in a state of balance or imbalance between the two forces. Yang creates movement, change, and heat, while yin creates stillness, cooling, and peace. We need both to come into balance. In yin yoga, you will find space to slow the body, the breath, and the mind. Yin poses are held for longer periods, from 30 seconds to 3-5 minutes, typically seated or lying down. You will soften the muscles, surrender into them, and invite the body to open deeper. Yin focuses on the lengthening of the connective tissue, joints, and bones, particularly around the lumbar spine, sacrum, and hips. Yin nourishes the ligaments & fascia, and increases circulation in the joints. Props like blocks, bolsters, and blankets are often used. The time spent in these poses is kin to the time spent in meditation. Movement out of the pose into the next is very slow. You may only come into 3-8 poses within an hour. After a yin class, digestion & sleep will improve, emotions embedded in the tissues with release, the mind will calm, and energy flow will regulate within the body.
Prenatal Yoga
Prenatal yoga is carefully instructed for moms-to-be, and is tailored to women in all trimesters. Many have said that prenatal is one of the best types of exercise for expectant moms because of the pelvic floor work, focus on breathwork, and bonding with the growing baby. Prenatal yoga also helps mothers prepare for labor and delivery. You'll practice at a slower pace, use props, like bolsters & blocks, in order to modify your poses and ensure stability—in this class, it's more about stability than flexibility.
Restorative Yoga
Often confused with yin yoga, restorative yoga is also very slow-paced and stress-relieving. Yin is about stretching and applying gentle stress to certain tissues, while restorative yoga is about supporting the body, allowing complete relaxation, no stretching. In a restorative yoga class, props like bolsters, blankets, blocks, sandbags, pillows will all be used to completely support the body to relieve all tension. Restorative yoga is often used to help one recover from illness or injury. It increases circulation, detoxes the body, prevents excessive scar tissue formation. Poses are held up to 15 minutes. It can be beneficial before, during, and after major life events like career change, divorce, loss of loved ones, vacations, chronic stress, illness, and injury. Common poses are wide leg forward fold, staff forward fold, savasana, fish, lying on the belly, supine twists, and legs up the wall.
Kripalu Yoga
Kripalu was founded by yoga guru Amrit Desai, who came to the United States from India in 1960. Kripalu was named for Desai's teacher, Sri Kripalvananda. Kripalu is a gentle hatha yoga practice with a compassionate approach. It places an emphasis on meditation, physical healing, and spiritual transformation that overflows from the yoga mat into daily life. Over time, students are taught to observe their thoughts without judging and to accept and love themselves as they are. Kripalu emphasizes moving at your own pace, self-acceptance, and adaptability. It is ideal for people facing life challenges. Because of Kripalu's emphasis on adaptability and acceptance, it is a style that is welcoming to people who feel like they are outside the norm. It's also popular for those who are looking for transformation during difficult times of life or who have injuries or other physical limitations.
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga was founded by K. Pattabhi Jois in 1948, who was a student of Krishnamacharya in India. In Sanskrit, ashtanga means "8 limb path." Ashtanga yoga is a high energy style, linking breath to movement, and has given rise to many "Power Yoga" classes. They involve a very physically demanding sequence of poses, it takes an experienced yogi to really love it. Ashtanga starts with five sun salutation A's and five sun salutation B's and then moves into a series of standing and floor poses. You will build core strength, tone the body, and purify the body. If you see “Mysore” ashtanga, this is an assisted, self-led practice, and it's expected of you to know the series. Students are working on the same sequence of poses, but at their own pace, with the support of the instructor.
Bikram Yoga
Bikram yoga, also called the "Classic 26," began in the 1970s in India, and involves a set of 26 poses in a sauna-like room—typically set to 105 degrees and 40% humidity. You can expect to practice the same 26 pose sequence with each one performed twice, at every class, never changing. Many of these poses are focused on proper alignment.
Sound Bath
Though a sound bath may seem like a “new age” concept, the practice of healing bodies through sound is technically thousands of years old with deep roots in cultures across the world. This “spiritual, cleansing music" varies according to place and culture, but it can be as simple as chanting an om following your yoga session or as complex as an hour-long experience in a dedicated space with a sound practitioner. A sound bath is a meditative experience where those in attendance are “bathed” in sound waves. These waves are produced by various sources, including healing instruments such as gongs, singing bowls, percussion, chimes, rattles, tuning forks, and even the human voice itself. The intention is really to change and help balance the energy of the participants. During a sound bath, you don’t want to hook into a melody. You don’t want to repeat things because you don’t want the brain to recognize a repeated beat. Instead, you want participants to release, and you want the brain to let go.
Among the benefits are relaxation, an increased sense of wellbeing, expanded awareness, and can foster physical healing. You should feel that the musician offering a sound bath has positive intentions of wellness, love, and healing. It is a unique experience that can’t really be compared to other therapies and potentially a wonderful supplement to any healing or wellness program.”
Anusara Yoga
Anusara was founded by John Friend in 1997. Derived from Iyengar, he also introduced Hindu spirtuality. It is similar to vinyasa in that it focuses on alignment, but with more emphasis on the mind-body-heart connection. Anusara focuses on spirals and how each body part should be moving, and it's also known for its emphasis on heart opening poses. Expect to stop in class and gather around a student as the instructor breaks down a pose.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga nidra is a yogic sleep practice as the instructor takes you through a guided meditation that brings awareness to each part of the body. You will find a deep state of relaxation, either falling asleep or not. This ancient practice will keep you in the present moment, releasing stress, anxiety, and many other emotions. Props like bolsters, pillows, blocks, and blankets aid in achieving comfort and a peaceful state. Following this practice, you will likely feel renewed, relaxed, yet focused.
