The Yoga Lifestyle - The Health Benefits, the Different Styles of Yoga and Meditation

The Yoga Lifestyle and a Short History

Yoga originated in ancient history over 5000 years ago. It can be traced back to Northern India as a philosophical and spiritual practice, to promote spiritual growth and understanding. The word yoga was first illustrated in ancient sacred text called the Rigvida, an Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns. The word 'yoga' itself is procured from the Sanskrit text meaning 'to join' or 'to unite'. As mentioned in the Sanskrit text, the practice of yoga leads to the union of individual spirit to that of the universal spirit.

Yoga has developed over the years and recently ventured into the Western world. It has evolved into something less spiritual and more as a fitness fashion. Yoga is a non-religious tradition although it was originally linked to Hinduism and Buddhism. Yoga is very much a spiritualism practice and helps to combat modern day health concerns, such as stress, depression and trauma related issues. 

There are many styles of yoga, so don't let the likes of Instagram and Youtube influence your decision on whether this is something for you. In fact, you do not need to have the perfect body or be so flexible that you can bend your body into the most difficult asanas (poses). Yoga is the union of mind and body, of a connection to the energies of the universe and the cultivation of growth. 

Yoga is for everyone!

Yoga Lifestyle - The Health Benefits

Yoga is not actually all about 'fitness'. Yoga is about many things. There are plenty of yoga techniques, each style can make huge improvements to your physical, mental and spiritual health with regular practice. 

Health benefits include:

• Helps you to sleep better
• Improves strength, flexibility, mobility and balance
• Increased muscle tone
• Increases energy levels
• Calms the mind and quietens negative chatter
• Improves posture
• Detoxifies your organs
• Lessens chronic pain
• Lightens your mood
• Lowers blood pressure
• Decreases symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression.

Yoga Lifestyle - Types of Yoga and What you Need to Know

Before we even talk about the different categories of yoga, you first need to think about what you would like to achieve. 

There are some very energetic, athletic forms of yoga out there but also some gentle, calming types of yoga too. So it is important to understand the type of class or online studio you wish to attend. There is nothing worse than going into a yoga class with the intention to relax and regenerate, only to find half-way through the practice you are leading up to a headstand. This will more than likely put you off the practice of yoga rather than encouraging you to appear in another class.

So think about your intentions and what you would like to achieve:

• Improvement of flexibility and balance
• Improvement of posture and mobility
• Increase of muscle growth and strength
• Relaxation, gentle stretching and calming of the mind
• Reduction of stress and trauma related issues
• Weight-loss

 Other considerations to think about are where you would like to practice yoga:

• Online Yoga studios or your local Yoga studio
• Pre-recorded yoga sequences or challenges (Youtube channels)
• Purchasing Yoga DVDs by your chosen instructor
• Your local Leisure Centre bookable classes
• Paying for your Yoga classes by block booking (a set amount of weeks to learn sequences)
• One to one with a yoga teacher
• Your local social club/village hall etc

You may have a set prerequisite or you may wish to try different scenarios to see what's best for you. It is also important to make sure you are comfortable in your environment and happy with the teacher. All Yoga instructors have their own style of teaching. There is no wrong or right way of teaching yoga, so make sure you have a good connection and understanding of your tutor.

Morning Yoga with Nadia Narain - 3 minutes

As a Yoga teacher myself I like to practice daily. It took me a while to find an Instructor that I felt a connection with and enjoyed listening to. For me Nardia Narain is perfect. She has been teaching Yoga for over 30 years and has a very calming voice, gently guiding you into each asana (pose) and connecting with the breath. I have many of her DVDs, all of varying lengths and styles.

Lets have a look at some of the styles of yoga.

Yoga Lifestyle - The Different Styles of Yoga

Hatha Yoga

Hatha encompasses all types of physical yoga that includes asana and pranayama (poses and breath awareness) 

Hatha yoga brings peace and relaxation to the body whilst preparing the mind for a deeper and spiritual practice of meditation. Hatha is used for many styles of yoga and this makes it difficult to know which particular style will be used for a class. Look for clues in the title of the class, for example, 'gentle' Hatha or 'beginners' Hatha or even 'energetic' Hatha. Check the class description for a good indicator of the energy style of the class.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa is an energetic, moving meditation, sequenced style yoga class. Vinyasa is a quick flow, breath-based movement from one pose to the next. The poses are synchronised with the breath in a vigorous flow through sun salutations and peak poses. This is a dynamic class for more experienced yogi's but you can join in a slow flow/ beginners Vinyasa class, which introduces you to poses and breath awareness in a more relaxing style.

Ashtanga Yoga

If you want a physically challenging Yoga class, then Ashtanga may be what you need. 

An Ashtanga yoga series are sets of asana sequences and there are six Ashtanga series. In each series the asana sequences are fixed. Your Instructor will lead you non-stop through a series, one level at a time, each level becoming more challenging. Ashtanga yoga is typically vigorous and very demanding. A full primary Ashtanga yoga class is 90 minutes long and includes all the primary series poses.

Bikram Yoga

This yoga class is extremely intense and conducted in a studio heated to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). It is composed of 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises. Every session is the same sequenced poses and in the same order, for a duration of 90 minutes.

Bikram yoga was founded by Bikram Choudhury and was designed to allow the body to open up and become more flexible, enabling the student to stretch beyond their usual capability. Bikram is also known to flush out toxins, manage weight and allow students to move deeper into each pose. This type of yoga is quite stressful on the body and is best for those with good health and yoga experience.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini taps into the energy source that is stored at the base of the spine. Kundalini yoga incorporates dynamic movement, breathing exercises, chanting, mantras and meditation and through this practice you will release this spiritual energy coiled at the base of your spine. Kundalini is quite different to any other style of yoga as it is very focused on repetitive breathing exercises, that can be quite challenging and the movement of energy through the body.

Iyengar Yoga

Iyvengar is a style of yoga that focuses on correct alignment which involves the use of props such as straps, blocks and bolsters. Poses are held for longer periods of time. Once the student's form is correct and stability has been achieved, it is then safe to intensify the depth of the posture. Iyengar, with its use of props promotes strength and flexibility within the body. This style of yoga is ideal for beginnings and very curative for students with body alignment issues.

Yin Yoga

Yin yoga works deep into the connective tissue, joints, ligaments and fascia by holding poses for an extended period of time. It's a slow and meditative style of yoga giving the student time and space to feel any sensations within the body and tune into the mind. Due to the length of time that the poses are held, Yin yoga helps you breathe through discomfort whilst deeply stretching and lengthening rarely used connective tissue and fascia. Yin yoga increases flexibility, boosts circulation and reduces stress levels. Yin yoga is by no means an easy style of yoga, as holding poses for 5 minutes can feel quite uncomfortable, however it does teach us to breathe through the stretches in a meditative manner and with internal focus.

Restorative Yoga

Restorative yoga is all about relaxation. Restorative yoga allows you to find your 'sweet' spot using props such as blankets, pillows, bolsters, blocks and towels. This is a relatively new form of yoga created to promote relaxation and the calming of the mind. Poses can be held for up to 5 minutes, using the props to help you sink deeper and deeper into your pose with your teachers gentle guidance. There is plenty of time to transition from one pose to the next and if you feel uncomfortable and need to realign at any stage this is actively encouraged.

Gentle Yoga

In gentle yoga, the movement is slow. Each movement is linked with the breath as you enter into the postures gradually. You will move in and out of each pose first, and then find a holding position. Gentle yoga offers nurturing, kindness, and compassion for the body, regardless of whether you are healthy or have limited mobility or whether you are young or a more mature yogi. In other words, it is actually gentle and not just simply a Vinyasa yoga flow class slowed down. Gentle yoga moves slowly and mindfully, allowing everybody to move safely into each pose, with sufficient time to use your props and make adjustments. The class usually finishes with a mindful meditation to bring peace and stillness to the mind and body

Chair Yoga

Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that can be performed seated on a chair whilst each pose and movement improve mobility and flexibility. Benefits of chair yoga include, improved suppleness, better concentration, increased strength as well as relaxation and meditation whilst focusing on the breath. Chair yoga is suitable for students who have trouble getting to the floor for yoga mat work, have issues with balance and stability and have some form of mobility issue. Chair yoga enables yoga's health and flexibility benefits to be accessible to everyone.

These are a few different styles of yoga and as you can see each one is very different. It is important to recognise and understand the style that will suit your needs. You don't have to stick to any one style. You may have a day where you feel energised and need a more energetic style of yoga such as Ashtanga or on another day you could feel you need a good stretch and relaxation style of yoga such as Yin or Restorative yoga.

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