Strictly speaking, the term "yoga" does not just refer to stretching exercises but rather covers four broad spiritual areas:
- karma yoga -- focuses on giving of oneself without expecting any reward (yawn)
- jnana yoga -- a philosophical approach to unveiling the illusions of the world
- bhakti yoga -- channeling emotional energy into one's spiritual practice
- rhaja yoga -- focuses on concentration and mind control
It is within rhaja yoga that we find Hatha yoga, the physical practice, which is what most people refer to when using the term "yoga."
As there are many styles of dance, so are there many forms of Hatha yoga. Current popular styles include (but are not limited to):
- Gentle yoga, which is sometimes also called by the generic name "hatha yoga" -- this usage of "hatha" is debatable; some folks believe the term should only be used to refer to the general idea for all physical yogas, while others use it colloquially to refer to the gentler style. In Gentle yoga, the focus is on long stretches and flexibility, with slow, deep breathing (yogic breathing is known as "Pranayama"). This can be very soothing for the mind -- it is the kind of mellow style most people picture when they think of yoga.
- Kundalini yoga, which works on the premise that the body has eight "chakras," and through use of "breath of fire" (rapid breathing), one can heat up the body from the bottom up, eventually "raising kundalini" to achieve a feeling of high enlightenment.
- Power yoga, which is also known by the Sanskrit term Vinyasa yoga (a "vinyasa" is a series of rapid movements which warm up the body all over). This is a very active form of yoga, in which a person is moves quickly through the poses (called "Asanas"), not holding them as long as in other styles. It is virtually guaranteed that you will sweat a lot in this; it is not for the faint of heart and gives a real challenge to the muscles.
SoYouWanna know more? Check out our full-length article SYW learn the basics of yoga?
