5 Different Types of Yoga

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There are so many variations of Yoga. Yoga is the practice of yoking. Yoking in order to unite mind, body, and soul. There are five top styles of yoga that the Western and Eastern practice the most! These five types of the main types of styles you will experience at different studios. Here are five different but related styles of yoga…

  1. Hatha is one of the oldest documented styles of yoga. It has been around India since the 15th century. Hatha focuses on slow paced movements, breathing, and meditation. In sanskrit, Ha means the sun and tha means the moon. Hatha yoga focuses on the uniting opposites and creating balance.
  2. Vinyasa is very common in the Western world of yoga. Vinyasa translates to place in a special way. Vinyasa is a focus on flowing with your yoga practice. It is a branch of Hatha yoga, keeping the focus on uniting mind, body, and breath. Sun and Moon salutations are sequences of Vinyasa yoga.
  3. Ashtanga means eight limbs or branches of yogic study. This style yoga incorporates eight limbs to complete the whole practice. This is a modern day style yet based off of the Ancient Eastern style of Hatha and Vinyasa yoga. Ashtanga incorporates yoga as a lifestyle, it brings yoga on and off the mat.
  4. Iyengar is a style of yoga named after its developer, B.K.S. Iyengar. This style of yoga is similar to Ashtanga as it focuses on the traditional eight-limb values. The practice of Iyengar Yoga is to focus on yogic lifestyle but even more importantly posture and alignment. This style focuses on body anatomy and seeks correct alignment in yoga postures.
  5. Bikram. This style of yoga is younger than its ancient ancestors like the Hatha style. It is also known as ‘hot yoga’ because the room is heated to around 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Bikram style yoga consists of 26 Hatha yoga postures over a 90 minute period of time. Bikram is something to try if you are physically and mentally healthy to endure yoga in extreme heat.

About the Author

Lauren is a Kripalu Yoga Teacher. She studied her 200 hour teacher training in the Berkshire Mountains of Stockbridge, MA at the Kripalu School of Yoga and Ayurvedic practices. She is also a health coach with a background in nutrition and biology at Ursuline College. She is a writer and an artist. Her dharma or goal in her life is to spread compassion and knowledge.

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