For those of you who do not know what the word YOGA means, I will explain it to you in detail. People often confuse yoga with something different and completely different from what it actually is! Not at all! I’ve explained it to you in this post in order for you to understand that we can have everything in our life, just because, but if you think differently, you are one of us. Do not worry about your religious background, just start practicing yoga as soon as possible and see how much better your body and mind become! There are many types of yoga out there, so let me help you along the way.
Yoga or Yoga by its Greek origin means “yoked” or “yoke”. If we go back into history, we can find evidence that this word was used in the first century B.C in India. What I mean is when people are in a state of mind, they are yoked to their environment, their past, or their present situation. It’s not really the fact that we are in this present situation, it’s the mental state of mind that people are yoked to. So if some people feel like their situation is difficult or hard they tend to be yoked. On the other hand, we might be yoked to a certain thought which causes our mental state. In such a scenario we can observe how people tend to have their thoughts, especially if they are in an inner conflict and need to release it. Or if someone feels like they don’t have any power over their situation, they start thinking out loud and try to change it in a new way. And the person who is yoked to his/her thought becomes more aware of how he/she can use those thoughts in a positive, helpful way. This is called visualization and helps bring clarity to
So far we have talked about the word Yoga. But what are the types of yoga?
Yogic practices
Yoga practice is done based on four main aspects of life: asanas, pranayama, meditation and chanting, and controlling one’s thoughts. Asanas are movements that are designed to make our bodies feel better including stretching, lightening, warming and strengthening them. Pranayama is a Sanskrit term meaning “the control of breath”. It involves the awareness of ourselves and of how we breathe and as a yogi, we tend to take care of our breathing and we would say that the most important thing about this type of practice is not just to make it easy and comfortable but to be conscious in every move so that we won’t harm ourselves in any way. Meditating is another part of the yoga practice where we tend to focus upon various emotions we experience and sometimes we think the wrong things that we did not even realize. Chanting is also a part of the yoga practice where we chant words and make them come true. We also have to remember to control the thought but don’t get carried away with getting all out of it. One more type of yoga is called Controlling Thinking, it’s about using consciousness when we act and also when we think. Now you might seem that this is a lot in yoga practice, so let’s talk about the common types of yoga here.
Ashtanga- A form of Vinyasa, which means “simplicity” is known as simple poses, simple movements, and a clear sense of balance. You sit in this pose. Your feet should be slightly wider than your waist. On your left side and on your right side, your arms should be held straight and your elbows slightly raised to feel the air inside your shoulders. Keep your head held up in these two positions, keep your eyes open and focus on the movement. At the same time, your chest should be closed while keeping your spine straight and you will feel the pressure on your abdomen. Make sure that your hands are folded down behind the knees and your back stays straight! From my point of view, so simple poses are good, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t powerful. You can always learn more complex poses if you want to.
Pranayama- The opposite of Ashtanga. It’s more of a flow of awareness. When you know the position in which you are sitting and moving your body. Focus on the breath and then you start to follow it. Then slowly you start to relax your body and mind and start thinking positively and that’s where meditation starts. You can learn both Ashtanga and Pranayam together but both are very different and unique.
Yogi- A spiritual body of a person is called as a Yogi. It has been around since ancient times. Basically, it is doing daily activities of each. Yogis do regular exercise. They don’t do only physical exercises, they do not only focus on a particular area, but they do also not only have a body that is different, they focus on the soul. Also, the Yogi keeps a balance on the three levels of life (physical, emotional, and spiritual) of a person. Being a Yogi is not easy, it requires dedication and devotion. Just because you have a physical body does not mean you cannot have high morals. You can have ethics, values, and love for others, if you are a Yogi it means you will face challenges and difficulties, but you can still have them if that is what you have to do in life.
So those were the main types of yoga in general and if you are interested in knowing more than all the above mentioned, I will write another post about this. Stay tuned!
