Because of the yoga variations swirling around today, I hope the followinglist will enlighten the student to a deeper understanding of thisinteresting and sometimes confusing topic.
- L. DiGrazia, Director, Yoga School Kailua, 2001
The Yoga systems - Direct experience is the goal of yoga;awareness of what is real, free of the constraints and fluctuations ofconsciousness. Mastering of the forces of the universe, surrenderinggross vibrations of the external world to refine the vibrations of theinternal and then to become one with the subtle vibrations. This is asample of the "kinds of yoga," but not a complete list. Like the sects ofProtestantism and other Christian sects, for example, they are almost toonumerous to list, and like other human-made systems will continue to expandin number. The types of yoga below, are the most notable, historical, orthe ones we hear most about today.
Abhava yoga - Yoga of nonbeing.Adhyatma yoga - First spoken of yoga as spiritual method in theKatha-Upanishad (6th century BCE or earlier) - yoga of inmost self,whereby the sage may come to know the great force hidden in the cave of theheart.Asht-anga yoga - Yoga of the eight limbs of Patanjali's system ofthe Yoga Sutras. It consists of the eight practices of the eight limbsfrom Book II, sutra 29. Today, this yoga is used to describe thevigorous, vinyasa style of Jois, an Indian yogi. I believe Madonna madethis one popular in the West by being a practitioner.Bhakti or bhakta yoga - Approach of the heart. Ideal of devotion(bhakti) to the divine as a superperson (purusha-uttama). The Gita(Bhagavad Gita) introduced this concept - 4th, 5th century. Devotion toan ideal. Union by love. Aspirant devotes oneself to a special deity orguru. Narada Sutra says love (Bhakti) is easier than other methods. It'sbeing is the nature of peace and supreme bliss. Divided into 2 divisions.!.) preparatory, and 2.) Devotional. One prepares oneself for the holyguardian angel. Christ was a Bhakti Yogi.Bikram yoga - Yoga named by Mr. C. Bikram. Yoga room is over 100degrees. Only 26 yoga postures are practiced over and over in this"style." Mr. Bikram lives and serves in Hollywood. Currently very popularfad yoga.Classic yoga - Yoga of India and that of Patanjali's yoga sutras.
Gnana yoga - Union through Knowledge. Gnana yoga is that yogawhich commences with a study of the impermanent wisdom of this world andends with the knowledge of the permanently wisdom of the Atman (self); 1.distinguishing the real from the unreal - viveka; 2. indifference to thejoys and sufferings of the world - vairagya. 3. Release, and the unitywith Atman -mukti. Wisdom is a key word. Everything culminates inwisdom, fire of wisdom, nothing so pure as wisdom.Hatha Yoga - Forceful yoga; linked to the name Goraksha - 10thcentury master. Control of the physical body in order to open it to thecosmic energy by breathing and physical exercises. Helps to manipulate thelife force (prana), breath control, mental concentration. The eight limbsof yoga apply to hatha and raja yogas. Hatha yoga has come under attackand rejected because "it merely leads to pain." It is also said that onecan lead an animal into the stall by enticing it with fresh grass or bywhipping it, which causes the animal to panic. The first way is better,thus gentle yoga practice is the best and most effective way to practicethis physical discipline. Hatha yoga is seen as the stairway to raja. Haand tha stand for sun and moon or balance; sun is the front and moon is theback. Hatha yoga's objective is to transform the human body to make it aworthy vehicle for self-realization. The yogin becomes free fromlimitations such as disease, removes dullness, defects and impurities. Thebody becomes youthful. When the body is healthy and free, one can sitstill and explore the mysteries of the unknown without conflict ordistortion. See eight limbs.Integral yoga - (purna yoga) Sri Aurobindo described his spiritualapproach as integral yoga. Combines quest for individual liberation withthe evolutionary destiny of humanity. This yoga style purported to offer aviable spiritual integral path for the present global crisis. Heunderstood this as a transition from the mental to the supramental (ordivinely inspired) consciousness.Iyengar yoga - yoga named by Mr. Iyengar. Author of "Light onYoga." Often described as very intense, also referred to as rigid form.Predominately hatha yoga style. Mr. Iyengar lives in India.Jnana yoga - Withdrawal of consciousness from the outer world ofthe senses by working from the center to the periphery to effect union ofhigher to lower by control of thought.Karma yoga - conscious execution of actions. Control of one'sactions from non-selfish motives. Union/yoga of good deeds. Union throughwork, related to gnana yoga. Key to karma yoga is control, or restraint.Image: being calm in stressful surroundings.Kriya yoga - Yoga of ritual action. Its goal is to awaken thekundalini through mental focusing (dharana) and breath control on the basisof bhakti yoga.Kundalini yoga, agni yoga, or laya yoga - Seeks to control the vastpsycho spiritual energy of the body. Concentrating on the psychic centersto awaken the primordial cosmic energy of the individual. Also: fire yoga.Mantra yoga - Meditative recitation of sacred sounds. Making useof the repetition of certain words and phrases to steady the mind. Unionthrough speech. Repetition until the word spoken become one in a perfectconcentration. All prayers can be turned into mantras. Repetitions ofnames of gods for example when the speaker, the Great opens the Eye. Thefirst chakkra --- four petalled Muladhara - lotus is the seed of speech,brilliant as lightening.. Mantras are given by guru. After so many reps,once can rise above the ground; and more, be absorbed by the absolute.Power yoga - intense vinyasa style, hatha yoga. Very athletic,rapid. Prepares body-mind for ashtanga.Raja yoga - Classic yoga recognized by Brahmins as on of the sixorthodox systems and is said to embrace all six yogas: karma, bhakti,jnana, mantra, laya or kundalini and hatha. Referred to also as the yogaof good will. Defined as the earliest and most scientific treatment ofthe subject of self-transformation, for the attainment of union with theReal, the Eternal. it develops will through concentration and meditationby tuning the nervous system to be in harmony with higher vibrations. Rajayoga has eight steps: yama, self restraint; niyama, self-discipline; asana,posture; pranayama (control of the breath; pratyahara, control of thesenses; dharana, concentration; dhyana, meditation; samadhi, contemplation.The three fold process, samyama, includes dharana, dhyana and samadhi:awareness, meditation and ecstasy are included in raja yoga. In the yogasutras, hatha yoga, asana and breathing is seen as preparation disciplinefor the samyamas. The split in the ashtanga happened in the 11th centurywhen an attempt was made to distinguish the meditative and the physicalaspects. There is no distinction.