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Hatha
Yoga Traditions
Although there are many styles of Hatha Yoga, 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. All 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 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 (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.
Astanga
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, jumping from one posture to another
to build strength, flexibility and stamina. It's not for beginners or
anyone who's been taking a leisurely approach to fitness. The so-called
Power Yoga is based on Ashtanga.
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 twice. It's 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
Integral
Developed by Swami Satchidananda, 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.
Kali Ray TriYoga, founded by Kali Ray, brings posture, breath
and focus together to create dynamic and intuitive flows. The Tri Yoga
flows combine flowing and sustained postures that emphasize spinal wavelike
movements, economy of motion, and synchronization with breath and mudra.
The flows are systematized by level and can be as gentle or as challenging
as desired. Students may progress from basics to advanced as they increase
their flexibility, strength, endurance and knowledge of the flows.
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 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. 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 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.
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