Types of yoga

1. Hatha yoga – A very popular type of yoga, hatha yoga is common in the West and is one of the easiest types to find if you want to locate a class. Hatha yoga mostly consists of asanas or postures. It is ideal for beginners and for those who want a moderate level of physical activity. It may not be the ideal choice for weight loss but can loosen muscles and leave you in a relaxed mode.
2. Ashtanga yoga – This important type of yoga that is available since olden times has eight sub types. It consists in doing a series of movements sequentially and in repetition but each time the sequence has to be performed in the same order without deviation.
3. Iyengar yoga – Made famous by B.K.S Iyengar who passed away in 2014, Iyengar yoga helps strengthen the muscles. Ropes, blocks and blankets are used to assist with body alignment which is considered very important in this kind of yoga. There is not much cardiovascular exercise but standing poses are common and it requires great mental as well as physical effort.
4. Kundalini yoga – This form of yoga believes that there are six chakras or psychic regions in the body and by opening the chakras, healing occurs. The chakras can be reached through pranayama, mudras and asanas.
5. Mantra yoga – This relies on chanting of mantras in a specific manner to attain mental and emotional well-being. As these mantras are very powerful, it is important to utter them in the correct manner and under the guidance of an experienced yogi. The vibrations produced when chanting the mantras can help healing oneself as well as realising their dreams.
6. Bhakti yoga – this type of yoga stresses on belief in God or a higher consciousness. This belief, if firm, can do wonders in your life; this is the premise on which Bhakti yoga is founded.
7. Bikram yoga – Doing yoga in a room heated to between 90-100 degrees, you will sweat a lot if you sign up for Bikram yoga. This helps in removing toxins from the body and stretching the muscles. It consists of 26 postures to be done and is ideal to increase flexibility and for detoxification. It can be practised by beginners and those who have reached advanced levels.
8. Hot yoga – A variation of Bikram yoga is hot yoga which is also done in an artificially heated room. As the series of exercise is slightly different, it is not exactly Bikram yoga and cannot be termed as such.
9. Raja yoga – Introduced by the sage Patanjali, Raja yoga has eight sub types which help the person to attain physical health and fitness. When the body is fit, the attention can be shifted towards mental and spiritual growth.
10. Kripalu yoga – The most relaxed kind of yoga, it urges the person to have the right emotions while doing yoga and less stress is placed on attaining the perfect poses. Three stages are described – learning the poses as well as realising the limits of your body, doing the poses and being aware of your body and performing one pose after another in a fluid manner without disturbing the mental thought process.