Yoga Confusion

If you are just discovering yoga, the yoga world can be a very confusing place. The word yoga is Sanskrit for union. The union of body, mind spirit, the union of our physical being to our spiritual being, union. How we achieve that union is a whole other story. There are tons of styles of yoga which is very confusing but also nice because surely everyone can find a style that suits them. So in the spirit of education I thought I would give you the Cliff's Notes version of some of the more prominent styles. (Ahhh remember Cliff's Notes, I would still be in high school if it weren't for good old Cliff.)

Ashtanga Yoga: An athletic and demanding practice, traditionally students learn a series of poses and practice at their own pace.

Power Vinyasa Yoga: Physically challenging 90 minute class performed in a heated room.

Bikram Yoga: 45 minutes of standing poses and 45 minutes of floor postures performed in a room heated to 105 degrees.

Integral Yoga: A gentle practice based on chanting, postures, deep relaxation, breathing and meditation.

Iyengar Yoga: Great class for beginners to learn proper alignment and basic structure of poses.

Kundalini Yoga: A 90 minute class beginning with chanting and moving through asana practice and challenging breathing exercises. The goal of this style is to awaken "sleeping" energy throughout the body and bring about awareness.

OM Yoga: Medium paced flowing sequences with emphasis on integrating mindfulness and compassion into your daily life.

Vinyasa Yoga: Poses flow into one another  linked by the breathe. I liken it to a long dance sequence. There are no throw away movements even the transitions are important and beneficial. Expect to see lots of Sun Salutations and be prepared to enjoy a nice restful Shavasana at the end. This is the style of yoga that my classes are based on. I think it's the bets one, but I may be biased:)

Just a little cheat sheet to help you out. There are so many more variations and of course no two teachers are alike so my Vinyasa class will be different than another teachers class. Hopefully this list gives you a bit of clarity to help you decide the best fit for your mind, body, spirit. Until next time, love and lollipops.