Hatha, Ashtanga, Kripalu, Sivananda, Iyengar…while these may sound forgein to most people, they are actually different yoga styles. Yoga originated in India centuries ago, and due to the vast documented health benefits, which the practice promotes, yoga’s popularity has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Yoga has now become as mainstream as step aerobics and has a following of 20 million people practicing it in North America alone. 

Today, we are so fortunate that so many different yoga styles are being actively taught in the United States, the down side is that it is often very confusing for the beginner to choose a yoga style that would be best for them.

Hatha yoga is the yoga style that is mainly practiced here in the States, and within it are many variations, including the “Hollywood fad”- Bikram school and more traditional practice of Iyengar. Although these variations differ, each practice—no matter the school of thought is basically based on the same basic principles.

The most basic philosophy of yoga is that it focuses on the combination of body, mind and spirit connecting on a very personal level. Yoga is about quieting the mind and relaxing - rejuvenating the body. At the start of my personal yoga practice, I quickly noticed the same significant health benefits I experienced in my martial arts practices, which was a powerful feeling of peacefulness, well-being and that my mind and body were greatly energized. 

Physically doing the “asanas” (the yoga poses) is translated as that which is steady and with ease. So there is stability within the poses and within your mind. Yoga will not only make you extremely physically fit, yoga will strengthen your muscles, improve your flexibility and balance. It helps you breathe freely, think more clearly, sleep more soundly, make you happier as it brings you a more positive outlook on life, it will also help to greatly improve serious health issues such as high blood pressure, depression, anxiety and chronic back-pain, just to name a few.

The Hatha Yoga Styles
The variations of Hatha yoga range from the physically challenging to the meditatively transcending. According to the Yoga Research and Education Center website, they include:

Iyengar yoga, which is the most widely recognized approach to Hatha yoga, is characterized by precision performance and the aid of various props, such as cushions, benches, wood blocks, straps and even sand bags.

"Iyengar is more focused on alignment and even though it's not always moving quickly, it's very intense and adapted for beginners," says Miller.

Ashtanga yoga involves synchronizing the breath with a fast-paced series of postures—a process producing intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body and a calm mind.

Bikram yoga is a system of 26 postures that are performed in a standard sequence in a room heated to 100–110 degrees Fahrenheit. This approach is fairly vigorous and requires a certain level of fitness on the part of students. Unfortunately there is less focus on alignment, and more on sweating and getting a good workout. Not what I would call a true yoga experience and it’s a bit on the trendy side. Not my cup of tea, but maybe it’s yours.

Viniyoga focuses on practicing a posture according to one's individual needs and capacity. Regulated breathing is an important aspect of Viniyoga and the breath is carefully coordinated with the postural movements.

Kripalu yoga is a three-stage yoga. In the first stage, postural alignment and coordination of breath and movement are emphasized and the postures are held for a short duration only. In the second stage, meditation is included into the practice and postures are held for prolonged periods. In the final stage, the practice of postures becomes a spontaneous "meditation in motion."

Integral yoga made a debut at the Woodstock festival in 1969, where yoga expert Swami Satchidananda taught thousands to chant, "om." This style aims to integrate the various aspects of the body and mind through a combination of postures, breathing techniques, deep relaxation, and meditation and function is more important than form. In this style of yoga, breathing and meditation are emphasized as much as the postures.

Sivananda yoga includes a series of 12 postures, breathing exercises, relaxation and mantra chanting.

Ananda yoga is a gentle style that is designed to prepare the student for meditation, involving consciously directing the body's energy to different organs and limbs.

There is no better time to start a yoga program than today. Why not? Whether you are starting a new fitness program, or wanting to supplement your current program, the health benefits of yoga are great. Yoga will enhance your body and enrich your mind and life.
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