The yoga is an ancient Indian doctrine, a religious and philosophical system which purpose — personal self-improvement of the person. It includes the psychophysical trainings promoting change of mentality by intensive concentration of attention. There are several types of yoga having the different purposes and techniques. Our article will be useful that who tries to understand what types of yoga (traditional and modern) happen and in what their difference. Also we will help beginners to carry out the choice of the version suitable it.
Yoga philosophy
Yoga in Sanskrit literally means communication, a unification, concentration, strengthening. As religious philosophical doctrine she recognizes existence in the person supernatural (not realized by reason) forces and ability to learn to operate them by transformation of mentality. According to adherents of the doctrine, the psychophysiology of the person has to exist in harmony and continuous communication with Space. A main goal of yoga — release, achievement of nirvana: sublime spiritual and mental state.
Whether you know? Roots of yoga go to an extreme antiquity. Tell the Veda and early upanishada about it. However this doctrine practiced not only Indians — some archeological excavations confirm that yogina lived also in the territory of South and Latin America.
In yoga various receptions helping to reach desirable mental states are used: breathing and physical exercises (asanas), meditations.
Those who practice yoga are called yogis or yogina. During practice yogin there pass eight stages:
- control of the acts;
- control of feelings and emotions;
- breath control;
- self-restraint;
- the correct position of a body (84 asanas practice);
- concentration of attention on a small object;
- meditation — concentration of attention, dissolution in an object;
- trance meditation — the concentration of attention leading to loss I.
Also, for meditation in yoga use mantras, namely: Ohm, Har, Mahajanas, move mantra, Ganesha
Advantages of yoga
Before passing to the description of all types of the Indian yoga, let's study advantages of the doctrine in general.
The main advantage of occupations yoga is, certainly, an improvement of all organism in general, they allow to normalize activity of internals and systems, to eradicate in themselves addictions and to address a healthy lifestyle.
Among advantages there is a yoga praktikovaniye also:
- self-knowledge;
- finding of harmony with the outside world;
- disposal of negative emotions;
- stimulation of mental activity;
- charge energy.
The yoga allows to get rid of such problems with health as a malposture and back, joints pains, excess weight, diseases of a GIT, disorder of nervous system, violation of work of heart, headaches.
Occupations promote clarification of an organism from slags, to digestion improvement, increase in immune forces of an organism, blood circulation and circulation of a lymph.
The yoga can be practiced practically in any place, it is for this purpose optional to go to group, it is possible to be engaged in it in house conditions. Occupations can be family, pair or in the company of friends and adherents.
The traditional directions of yoga and difference between them
Let's understand what types of yoga existed and exist in traditional Indian culture. Rank five as classical types:
Each of them has ancient roots and there passed the long way of development and improvement.
Hatkh — a way of equilibration of physical, psychological and intellectual health
The Hatha yoga arose in the 10-11th centuries. Literally it is translated from Sanskrit as Ha — the sun, Tkh — the moon. Her authors are Matsyendranatkh and his pupil Gorakshanatkh. Its purpose — a unification of a body and soul. It is generally directed to corporal improvement by means of a praktikovaniye of static poses — the asanas allowing to learn to concentrate attention, however also contains breathing exercises, cleaning technicians.
Occupations Hatha yoga allow to suspend aging processes, to revitalize an organism, to achieve symmetry of a body, clarification from negative information. Asanas provoke cleaning of slags, support healthy muscles and joints. The exercises practiced in this version are considered as one of the simplest for beginners.
This yoga belongs to those types and the directions which differ from others in an emphasis on strengthening and an extension of muscles, the correct breath, than deserves attention the people planning to attend classes for achievement of such purposes.
Whether you know? The most popular edition devoted to yoga questions is the American Yoga Journal. One of its materials contained information that in the USA there are about 16 million yogin, in Great Britain of their about 500 thousand. In the world more than one thousand societies and the organizations which popularize this philosophy and occupations are registered.
Bkhakti – a way of love and devotion
The overview of types of yoga and their differences for beginners will not be complete without Bkhakti's description. This look is directed on restoration and development of personal relationship with one of God's forms by means of a bkhakta that means service to God, love for it and devotion. Consists of nine processes, adhering to which it is possible to carry out achievement of the highest perfection – pure love for God. These processes include listenings of texts from the sacred letter, chanting of God, internal meditation, execution of some concrete service to God, worship, prayers, establishment of friendship good luck at the internal level, transfer of all thoughts and acts to God.
Dzhnyana — a way of knowledge
Dzhnyan in translation from Sanskrit there is knowledge. The doctrine carries a main objective self-knowledge and establishment of communication good luck by means of knowledge received from the sacred letter, manuals of teachers. He is supported by those to whom recognition of personal aspect of God is alien. Dzhnyana's followers through philosophical reflections come to understanding of impersonal God — the Absolute Truth (Brahman) and to merge to it.
Dzhnyana-yoga learns that there are four ways of rescue: mastering ability to distinguish real and eternal, not real and temporary, to separate itself from temporary, to observe six virtues (tranquility, control of feelings, refusal of optional activity, patience, belief, concentration), strong desire of release from restrictions of temporary.
Karma — a way of action
The sense the Karma yoga, or yogas of activity, consists in performance of the ordered duties without egoistical motives and without attachments to results of work with the purpose to satisfy God. As result of activity — finding of Moksha, or rescue, love for God.
In Sanskrit karma designates to do, literally — action. In literal translation the Karma yoga — a unification through action.
Practicing the Karma yoga studies and adopts laws of a karma and sansara, believes that the person comes to this world with set positive and negative samskar traveling with it from one to other life. This process lasts until while the person does not reach release from a karma and does not approach Moksha.
The rajah — a way of an introspektion
The name of this look is translated as royal yoga. Means that people, practicing it and reaching self-improvement, towers over the manifestations as the tsar. The main goal of Razhdi is to learn to control reason through meditations, to realize difference of reality from illusion, to reach release. Achieve a main objective by means of work with reason, meditations.
Practice is divided into eight stages. It is often called ashtanga-yoga. In order that to practice it, it is necessary to clean a body and to bring it into the corresponding physical shape. Only having put the body and actions under control, the person is capable to be engaged in meditations.
Types of modern occupations yoga
were evolved by a set of the modern directions and author's techniques.
Hatha yoga
The modern Hatha yoga combines a set (over 40) various directions, author's schools and techniques, about their features and distinctions it is possible to learn from the following subsections. Among author's schools the most popular are:
- Tray-yoga — a technique of the American yogina Kali Ray in which there is a row physical and respiratory the practician, absent in other directions;
- The yoga for people of the senior generation — is directed to the asanas simplified all-toning and weakening, the simple lexicon clear for all;
- The yoga 23 (the author — Andrey Sidersky) united in itself exercises from Hatha yoga, martial arts, sports trainings, fitness, swimming and a freediving;
- Universal yoga — the founder Andrey Lappa united in it ancient classical and author's individual techniques;
- Ishvara, the author — Anatoly Zenchenko, the main difference — building of static poses from the top to feet, from feet to the top, thus learning to exercise control over each part of the body;
- Yogaterapiya — is necessary for those who have problems with health: diseases of a back, internals, nervous system, flat-footedness;
- Svastkh — it is based on a yogaterapiya and Ayurveda;
- The yoga for pregnant women (perinatal) — is suitable for the women planning conception pregnant and those who gave birth to the kid few months ago;
- Acre — the pair practice which arose at the beginning of our century which founders are Jason Nemerom, Jannie Saur-Klein. It is accented on training to hold balance;
- Bikram — an author's technique of Bikram Choudhury which is based on training in rooms with tropical climate: high temperature and humidity;
- Itself (Dervishes) — includes exercises on an extension, relaxation, coordination, meditations, dances, lassos;
- The yoga in hammocks (Fly) — performance of asanas is facilitated due to their implementation in vertically suspended hammocks;
- Yantra — unites a set of physical exercises which are carried out in the set rhythm, with the predetermined breath and methods of concentration;
- Victor Boyko's school — unites a yogoterapiya and techniques of deep relaxation;
- Tripsikhora of Edward Clark's authorship — contains dancing elements;
- Solar, the author — Anastasia Kuznechikova who united asanas, vinyasa, pranayama, visualization, meditations, work with power streams;
- STI yoga (the author — Ana Shane), her main task — work with separate groups of muscles;
- Yoga of shadows (the author — Shandor Remete) — synthesis of Hatha yoga and martial arts;
- Power yoga (the author — Beryl Bender Bertsch) — the main difference that very small attention is paid to spirituality;
- The yoga for weight loss (Slim) of Ksenia Tishko's authorship combines breath by means of a diaphragm and a bandha.
Having studied more in details information on these directions of yoga and their contents, it is possible to pick up the look suitable for you and your purposes.
It is important! Before starting occupations, it is necessary to study the list of categories of people for which the praktikovaniye of this direction is contraindicated. So, for example, Hatkhoy do not advise to be engaged to pregnant women since fourth month, to the people who underwent operations, having spine injuries, diseases of blood and heart, mental disorders, craniocereberal damages.
Kundalini-yoga
The Kundalini direction will be interesting to those who strives for sincere perfection that in translation is designated by strength of a snake. The point of occupations consists in an energy raising from the lower part of a backbone in the top centers, stimulating work of a brain, awakening sexuality. Gradually passing on all chakras, energy merges in the top part with the deity and stops own understanding of a yogin.
Inhabitants of North and South America, Europe, East Asia, South Africa and Australia most of all are fond of this direction. It is practiced most often by world celebrities.
Ayengar-yoga
Developed on the basis of Hatkhi-yogi, Ayengara received the name on behalf of the founder. The main emphasis in her is placed on right performance and the sequence of asanas by means of additional objects and devices. Their names and values are carefully studied.
It is a great way to calm nervous system, to bridle reason, to study the body, to learn to hear it, to study the equipment of concentration of attention, disconnection from the outside world.
This look can be used with the medical purpose as occupations are capable to bring therapeutic effect. The characteristic feature of this direction — is applied to each yogin individual approach.
Ashtanga-vinyasa-yoga
It is one of types of Hatha yoga. It was based by Pattabkhi Joyce. The direction differs in dynamism. Assumes consecutive performance of asanas which unite complexes of movements – vinyasam, and become in combination with pranayamy, bankham and drisht. Synchronous movements and breath, concentration of attention on a certain subject, preservation of a meditative condition of consciousness practice.
All technicians are directed to strengthening of a body, acquisition of flexibility, establishment of mental balance.
As a result of occupations the blood circulation improves, the body becomes flexible, the organism is cleaned from toxins, nervous system calms down, muscles relax.
It is important! As it is one of the directions which differs in dynamism, it is not suitable for people with weak physical training and persons interested to reach relaxation, fans of occupations at quiet speed. To people without the developed endurance, an extension, a muscular corset it is better to pick up the direction more softly.
Kriyya-yoga
Крийя from Sanskrit it is translated as action. Respectively, the meaning of this doctrine — the internal movement of consciousness. Here neither asanas, nor concentration of mind are used. Consciousness moves from one point to another, thus putting in action and developing certain sites of a brain, making active nervous system, awakening energy.
Kriyya-yoga has a set of meditations — from simple to very difficult. Quantity the technician reaches 76. As a rule, they need to be mastered consistently. Seven of them are obligatory.
Often meditations of Kriyi unite with asanas of Hatkhi. The praktikovaniye of this current requires enough time.
Ishvara-yoga
Ishvara-yoga is an author's technique of Anatoly Zenchenko. The name is translated as the internal teacher. It is characterized by the fact that asanas become in a certain sequence — from the top to feet, and in the return sequence — from feet to the top. Thus it is possible to control all parts of the body, adjusting a backbone, correctly distributing body weight, relaxing, involving deep muscles.
Yogina at first reach symmetry of a body, and then start a pranayama and meditations. Practicing train to relax, even carrying out the most difficult asanas.
The emphasis in this current is placed on achievement of integrity of internal space.
Tray-yoga
The foundress of Tray-yogi — the American Kali Ray. In translation the name of the direction is designated by meditation in the movement. Basing the technique on other types of yoga, Kali Ray entered a number of the movements which do not meet any more anywhere. Regularly practicing them, the person strengthens a body, rejuvenates an organism, expands consciousness, develops concentration, learns to control internal energy. The foundress pays special attention to the movement of hands which direct energy.
Tray-yogu advise those who have on an outcome vital forces who stays in a depression. The Yogichesky practicians used in this look help to reduce stress, to eradicate negative emotional states, bringing practicing to a quiet, balanced state and self-sufficiency.
Power-yoga
Power, or power yoga — a technique of the American yogina of Beryl Bender Bertsch. Practice is very similar to Ashtanga-Vinyasa-yogoy. The style represents continuous performance of the exercises connected by vinyasa under quiet music. All practice is divided into blocks between which the dynamic pranayama is carried out.
Effect of this yogichesky direction — excellent physical shape, achievement by the maximum endurance of an organism, development of mental capacities, relaxation and derivation from daily cares.
Akro-yoga
Very young type of yoga based at the beginning of HH_ of a century. It unites in itself(himself) movements of yoga, acrobatics and salutary art. It is practiced in couple – one person (basis) becomes a support, other (pilot) – carries out static poses, relying on the partner. The main goal both is to achieve balance with the partner. The third person – insuring who ensures safety of couple. Poses can continuously be carried out, without descent or with a descent.
Occupations, as a rule, come to the end with massage. Except physical training for a praktikovaniye of this direction the partner needs also full confidence and mutual understanding.
From the akro-yogi, especially without descent, can be very spectacular, similar to a speech of circus actors.
Important! Akro-yoga it is contraindicated to the people having problems with the musculoskeletal device, joints, heart, pressure.
Fly yoga
Fly yoga practices in hammocks. It is one of the latest currents founded at the beginning of HH_ of a century. Today it gains popularity more and more because allows to develop great plasticity,