Yoga is becoming a more and more popular activity in the Western world today. The number of places holding Yoga classes is on the increase and there is a plethora of different types of Yoga. With a choice of Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and many more it can be easy to get confused. The article will help you to understand the difference between the most popular types of Yoga so you can choose which type is right for you.

Hatha Yoga – in Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India) “Ha” means “sun” and “tha” means “moon”. This type of Yoga is relatively slow paced, gentle type of Yoga and is a good place to start if you are completely new to Yoga and don’t know any of the asanas (poses). Like all types of Yoga, Hatha Yoga aims to unite the mind, body and spirit.

Ashtanga Yoga – this is the type of Yoga that I practice on a regular basis and means “eight limbs” in Sanskrit. It’s a fast moving, intense style of Yoga practice and is based on a progressive set sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. Ashtanga Yoga can be quite physically demanding as you constantly move from one asana in the sequence to the next, so you’ll find that it will improve your stamina as well as your flexibility and strength..

Power Yoga – this is a western interpretation of Yoga and is based on Ashtanga Yoga. A Power Yoga class may not necessarily stick to the exact sequence of poses like Ashtanga Yoga does, but it does involve practicing a series of poses without stopping and starting.

Iyengar Yoga – This type of Yoga is based on teachings by B.K.S Igengar and concentrates on the correct alignment and form of the body. Unlike Ashtanga Yoga, there is an emphasis on holding each pose for a long period of time rather than moving constantly from one pose to the next. Iyengar Yoga uses props such as blocks and straps to help align the body into the different poses.

Vinyasa Yoga – Vinyasa means breath synchronized movement and is another fast paced type of Yoga, with an emphasis on breathing. A practice typically starts with sun salutations and moves on to more intense stretching. Throughout the practice each pose is balanced with a counter pose.

Bikram Yoga – otherwise known as “Hot Yoga”, is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, with a humidity of around 40%. Generally a sequence of 26 different poses is practiced during a Bikram Yoga class and the hot temperature helps to loosen muscles. Due to the high temperature most people sweat a lot during the class and this helps to cleanse the body of toxins.

Yoga is reportedly the sole occupation to carry out complete massage of all internal body glands and organs, including prostate and other glands scarcely stirred in all our life. Yoga has a holistic effect on the different parts of the body. The activation and controlling of organs protect us from sickness and warn us of oncoming possible disorders.

When the yoga positions stretch the muscles and joints and get to massage the different organs, the body gets the greatest achievable amount of blood. This makes it easy for toxins to be removed from all parts of the body, including the extremities, while nurturing every point of the body at the same time. These cleansing process produces more power and zest for life and surely delays the aging process.

Meditation urges mental and physical coordination and produces the body-mind union. We are usually unable to perform, or perform well, our regular functions – at home or work, when our minds are focused on problems, concerns, anxieties.Yoga meditation reportedly heals the stress which puts our physical and emotional systems in chaos.

Yoga and meditation have been associated with each other.These two actions work together for the goal of mind-body-spirit unity, referred to as a condition of everlasting happiness.Meditation and yoga teaches us detachment from our surroundings, physical and otherwise, and this results in balancing our emotional make up. When we do so, a significant calmness sets in and develops a positive perspective, which can only grant amazing benefits to our body’s physical condition.

The ancient yogis (yoga practitioners) practiced yoga interdependently with meditation, for the ultimate objective of “self-realization” or “enlightenment”.They meditated not for minutes but days or weeks. This demanded large amounts of energy and the ability to survive in austere conditions. The different asanas (yoga positions), supplied them with maximum strength with minimum pressure while meditation gave the force and determination to do the asanas successfully. It is a good case of cause and effect.