Yoga Styles: Finding the right one for you

All yoga styles are based on the same asana (poses or postures). What makes them unique is that they emphasise a different part of the practice. Some may focus on a specific series of asana, or on a particular way of coordinating your breath and movement, or maybe on following a very strict body alignment while in the pose to ensure you get the best benefit.

The beautiful thing is that this variety gives people the chance to find what they enjoy most, whether it be a gentle practice to calm the mind or a vigorous practice to build physical strength. It is up to you to determine what you’re looking for and which teacher will be able to give you what you want.
Try practicing a few different styles of yoga, and you’ll soon discover which one feels right for you. Here are a few different types to get you started:

• Vinyasa (or flow)
• Kundalini
• Iyengar
• Ashtanga
• Jivamukti
• Dru Yoga
• Sivananda
• Bikram Yoga
• Hatha Yoga

Vinyasa (or flow)
The literal translation of Vinyasa means ‘breath-synchronised movement’; Vinyasa is designed to make your body and your breath work together in harmony and is one of the more physically demanding forms of yoga.
Otherwise known as Vinyasa-flow, postures flow from one to another in conjunction with your breath; students move into and out of postures. Well-known practitioners include Katy Appleton and Shiva Rea.

Kundalini
Kundalini Yoga is a physical and meditative discipline that combines postures (asanas), breath (pranayama), and the chanting of mantras. It’s the mother of all yoga, it is a method of awakening your Kundalini energy, which we all have, we are all born with. Kundalini energy lays dormant at the base of the spine. Through powerful and energising exercises we raise the energy up to have more vitality, commitment and sense of happiness in our lives.
Kundalini yoga will help you become that new person, awake, aware, conscious and present. Kundalini yoga is specifically designed for busy minds. It releases tension and stress and it builds your immune system. It is an achemy, transforming the old, stagnated energy. It helps you to handle everyday life circumstances much better. Definitely worth trying out!

Iyengar
Iyengar yoga focuses on proper alignment and precise movements, often using blocks or straps to modify postures that may be too strenuous for those with neck or back problems. It enables those who may be less flexible or fit to enjoy the benefits of yoga. If you have done Pilates and enjoyed it, this may be your best form of yoga.

Ashtanga
Ashtanga consists of four series of vinyasa or flow style asana sequences. Each series intensifies in difficulty, with the primary or first series is designed to build strength, flexibility and stamina whilst the fourth or advanced series is aimed at exceptionally advanced students and consists of a sequence of challenging arm balancing asanas. It helps to be reasonably fit before starting a class.

Jivamukti
Jivamukti yoga places emphasis on chanting, meditiation and spiritual teachings. Founded by David Life and Sharon Gannon, Jivamukti classes are physically demanding, also following a vinyasa style practice with a fast paced flowing series of postures, supported by meditation and chanting.
“We chose the name Jivamukti (pronounced Jee-va-mook-tee) Yoga to reflect the true aim of yoga, which is liberation. Jiva means individual soul and mukti means liberation. The exact transliteration of the Sanskrit word from which Jiavmukti is derived is jivanmuktih, which means liberation while living.”
~ Sharon Gannon and David Life, founders of Jivamukti Yoga

Dru Yoga
Dru is a flowing, therapeutic style of yoga which is designed for people of all levels of fitness. It uses graceful sequences of yoga poses, including the ‘Energy Block Release Sequences’ which are unique to Dru Yoga, and which systematically release blockages of energy from the organs. In Dru Yoga joints are kept relaxed and soft during movement (as in tai chi), which creates flexibility and a free flow of subtle energy. It’s a very safe form of yoga, which is very popular with people who want to avoid back pain and injury.

Sivananda
Sivananda yoga is based on a series of 5 principles;
1. Rigorous exercise - with a focus on 12 postures or asanas
2. Correct breathing or Pranayama
3. Relaxation or Savasana
4. Vegetarian diet
5. Positive thinking and meditation

Bikram Yoga (or Hot Yoga)
Sometimes referred to as ‘hot yoga’, practitioners of Bikram perform a fixed series of 26 postures in a heated room. The Bikram series consists of 2 sets of each posture and usually last for around 90 minutes. Founded by Bikram Choudry, it’s practised in a heated room and participants should expect to release a lot of sweat. Profuse sweating assists the cleansing process by speeding up the removal of toxins from the body. The heat is also thought to allow practitioners to stretch muscles more deeply and assist in protecting the body from injury.

Hatha Yoga
All physical yoga, where you are moving your body and breath through asana, is called Hatha yoga. Classes or teachers that are described as “hatha” generally mean that the teacher is offering a blend of two or more other styles. The teacher may have developed their own program, or they may lead a sequence that has been designed to help reach a particular benefit.
Hatha is the most common and most popular form of yoga and is most suitable for beginners and those who like a less intense level of exertion. Classes focus on postures and breathing, increasing the challenges as you progress.