What is yoga exactly, and what are the main types of yoga that are commonly practiced? There are many interpretations of what yoga is, but let's stick to the most important and traditional definition of it.
When I was in my yoga teacher training, the Sanskrit definition of yoga we were taught to remember was “Yogas chitta vritti nirodha”. These are Patanjali's (considered to be the father of modern yoga) words. In English, that translates to “yoga removes the fluctuations of the mind”. In other words, yoga centers and grounds you in your body and helps you let go of any mental disturbances. Yogas chitta vritti nirodha, say it with me!
Some of the other benefits of yoga are that it increases your flexibility, muscle strength, tone, energy, and vitality. It also helps your metabolism, cardiovascular health, and weight reduction.
Now, you may be asking yourself which style of yoga to choose. There are so many now. Well, it all depends on your needs and temperament. For example, if it’s hard for you to sit still and relax easily, you might benefit from more active, sweat-inducing styles, such as Ashtanga, Power, or Vinyasa yoga. But if you prefer more gentle and soothing practices, you will enjoy Yin or Restorative.
Let's delve into 8 popular types of yoga, their benefits, and who they are best suited for.
#1 RAJA YOGA
Raja means “king” or “royal” in Sanskrit and pertains to the discipline of your mind. Through the practice of meditation and adherence to the eight limbs of yoga, you seek clarity through the quieting of your mind.
The Yoga Sutras identifies five stages you’ll travel to overcome the obstacles of your mind:
- In stage one, your mind is agitated
- The next state, you experience dullness or lethargy
- With stage three, your mind is distracted
- Then in stage four, you’re focused
- And finally, in the last stage, you experience your deepest and most tranquil mind.
Only in meditation can you release old thought patterns and get rid of what isn’t working in order to create new beliefs.
#2 KARMA YOGA
The second major form of yoga is karma yoga, considered the path of selfless service. In Sanskrit, kr means “to do” or “action,” and relates to any physical or mental action PLUS the result of that action.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna urged Arjuna to perform his work with no attachment to the results of his labor. Do the work for the sake of the work, and not for any praise or expected outcome.
Whenever you perform your work, live in a selfless fashion, and seek to serve others, you dissolve the perceived separation between the Self and others in order to see the Divine in Self and others.
A more familiar concept of karma is “what goes around, comes around,” a reference to the consequences of your actions. By releasing your attachment to results, you learn to be free from lust, greed, anger, jealousy, and ego.
#3 BHAKTI YOGA
Bhakti yoga is the third major type of yoga, and comes from the Sanskrit root bhaj which means “to serve” or “to worship.” This is the path of love and devotion.
With bhakti, you have the opportunity to cultivate acceptance and tolerance, to choose love over anger. Through love and devotion, you can then see those qualities in other living beings.
By using positive human emotion, it helps awaken your true identity and increase your ability to love. When you open your heart to the sacred, and be open-hearted in your most intimate relationships, you learn to live in harmony with all living creatures.
#4 JNANA YOGA
The fourth traditional form of yoga is jnana yoga, the path of the sage or scholar. A system of wisdom, jnana yoga requires development of your intellect through the study of scriptures and texts of the yogic traditions.
This branch of yoga appeals to individuals who are more intellectually inclined, and can be a direct path to experiencing truth. For this reason, jnana yoga can be the most difficult and at the same time most direct path to union.
Self-study (the fourth niyama of the Yoga Sutras) provides a means for getting close to and studying the internal workings of your mind. All learning, reflection, and contact helps you with self-study.
TKV Desikachar in the Heart of Yoga writes, “Jnana can describe the search for real knowledge with the underlying assumption that all knowledge lies hidden within us. We just have to discover it.”
#5 TANTRIC YOGA
The fifth form of yoga derived from earlier Hindu-Vedic thought. Its purpose is to achieve complete control of yourself, and all forces of nature, thus attaining union with the Divine.
Tantra is a Sanskrit word meaning “weaving” and “expansion,” and its traditions are rooted in the sacred. With the focus on kundalini energy, a tantra practice reduces energy blocks and seeks the Divine in every experience.
Practitioners consider this form of yoga to be the technology of joy whether in sexual pleasure or samadhi.
“Many associate Tantra with sex and sexuality. In reality tantra is a mystical path that works with kundalini energy to purify, and strengthen the energy. This allows the kundalini to rise through the central channel thereby awakening the individual.” –Yogapedia.com
#6 HATHA YOGA
The last major form of yoga is the most familiar to Westerners with its emphasis on deep breathing, physical poses, and meditation.
Derived from two words in Sanskrit, ha meaning “sun” and tha meaning “moon,” the practice of hatha yoga therefore integrates opposites: dark and light, hard and soft.
Our modern day hatha yoga practice traces its origins to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and more recently, the 1800s when Sri Krishnamacharya “popularized” it.
It became a way to build strength, stamina, and energy in order to maintain long sessions of meditation. And now this physical branch is ubiquitous with our modern version of yoga.
Hatha yoga frequently gets mislabeled as a style of yoga such as gentle, beginner, or basic, thus perpetuating the idea that yoga = postures. Whenever you practice breathing, postures, and meditation (or in most cases savasana) you’re doing hatha yoga.
#7 RESTORATIVE YOGA
Female yogi practicing Restorative yoga in Legs up the Wall pose.
Basic overview of Restorative yoga
Restorative yoga is the most relaxing style of yoga that uses a whole lot of props, such as blocks, straps, sandbags, bolsters, and blankets to support the body and create a passive mind-body release. As the name indicates, it has a restorative effect on the mind and body. It aims to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and switch off fight or flight mode. When in our parasympathetic mode, we feel calm, relaxed, and safe. This is the goal of Restorative yoga. As mentioned, it's completely passive, and there are no active movements.
Who Restorative yoga is best for
Due to its healing effects, Restorative yoga is great for anybody looking for stress release, a sense of safety, and deep relaxation.
Benefits of Restorative yoga
Restorative yoga activates the body’s natural healing mechanisms and thereby brings you into a state of healing. It facilitates a sense of calm and relaxation. That's why it's not uncommon for people to fall asleep in a Restorative yoga class.
#8 POWER YOGA
Female yogi practicing Power yoga in Plank Knee to Nose Pose
Basic overview of Power yoga
Power yoga classes are only concerned with the physical aspects of yoga. So, it's not so spiritual. Some criticize it because it deviates so much from what original yoga was about. But I say, let's focus on the similarities here, not the differences. As I see it, Power yoga does your body good, and it's rooted in the modern science of working out.
Who Power yoga is best for
Power yoga is great for anyone interested in a whole-body cardio and strength-building workout.
Benefits of Power yoga
Power yoga helps you release stress. It also activates the good biochemicals and thereby puts you in a good mood. When I was doing power yoga, I remember feeling ecstatic after class. I had more energy and felt like there was nothing I couldn't do.
Power yoga also invigorates your immune system and improves sleep by calming the chaotic mind from the great workout. It can also help work against the development of osteoporosis because it is focused on building strength. Moreover, it increases lung capacity from the cardio workout.
There is an unwritten rule among some yogis that you should practice the types of yoga that challenge you the most, the ones that go against your nature. I disagree with this. I think we are already challenging ourselves enough every day in this crazy, modern world, so it's better to make things easier for ourselves, at least on the mat. Do what makes you most comfortable.