Forms of Yoga
Traditionally there are many forms of yoga. The best-known traditional forms, such as Hatha, Raja, Ashtanga, Kundalini, and Tantra, have been adapted, and in some cases mixed-and-matched, by such great modern masters (yogis) as Iyengar, Sivananda, and Jois.
Hatha Yoga Now usually understood to be the form that emphasizes physical positions or postures (or asanas) and breathÂcontrol techniques (or pranayama).
Raja Yoga Now regarded as primarily involving meditation, being based on the mental aspects of yoga rather than on the physical asanas.
Ashtanga Yoga Combines elements of Hatha and Raja. The basis of the practice is the linking of strenuous Hatha positions and postures into a flowing, almost continuous movement while using the mind to affect breath control, periodically divided into number of physical “locks.”
Kundalini Yoga Traditionally referrel to as the “coiled serpent” at the base of the spine. Some Kundalini practitionen, concentrate on “raising the Kundalini” a process of awakening this dormant subtle energy so that it moves up the spine to the head, activating major energy centers (chakras) as it does so, and ultimately causing changes in consciousness.
Tantric Yoga Based on texts that emphasize the importance of awakening the Kundalini force and that give detailed descriptions of the body’s subtle energy centers. One part of Tantric yoga seeks to! use sexual pleasure, awakened and sustained through ritualized intercourse, as a means of heightening awareness. But classic Tantra also includes the asanas and pranayama of Hatha yoga.
The different styles of yoga suit different temperaments and physical capabilities. Ashtanga yoga, for example, has a reputation as the most physically demanding. Some yogic teachers recognize this by “prescribing” individual programs of asanas for their students and altering them as the students progress.
Yoga as Therapy
When yoga is used as natural therapy, certain positions and postures may be recommended to speed healing or recovery from illness or injury, based not only on traditional wisdom but on the modern medical and scientific research that confirms yoga’s benefits. In this way, yoga -like chi kung and t’ai chi - is accessible to all ages and all levels of fitness, and likewise noncompetitive.
The asanas have profound effects on the body and work progressively at many levels. As the muscles are toned up, the spine returns to a natural alignment and the inner organs are revitalized. Breathing and breath control are used as a bridge between body and mind. Positions and postures that at first are just awkward to get into are held longer and longer - a process intended to redirect the flow within blood and lymph vessels, alternately flushing and emptying. This has the effect of giving the internal organs a healthy massage.
The pranayama are yoga’s equivalent of chi kung. They promote an ability to focus and control the flow of life energy in the body. And, on a purely physical level, they have beneficial effects on the heart and lungs.
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