Nine popular yoga sects

Yoga, after five thousand years of evolution and development, and the traditional method of teaching yoga is oral teaching rather than written teaching. The profoundness of yoga has led to uncertainty in its teaching. For this reason, there are many sects practicing Hatha Yoga, so different branches of yoga around the world have different names for yoga postures. Despite this, most branches of yoga follow established basic rules, with slight differences in teaching methods, priorities, and practices. But the "protagonist" being taught is still yoga. Because everyone's preferences, age, physique and temperament are different, you should choose the sect that suits you best to practice yoga. Now let's briefly introduce the most popular and familiar yoga sects today to give everyone a general impression:

1、AnandaYoga

This school believes that physical and spiritual practice are equally important. You must first purify and elevate the energy to be fully prepared for meditation. With repeated reminders and affirmations in the mind, each yoga pose is ultimately used to broaden or enhance self-awareness. Another feature of AnandaYoga is that it focuses on a series of "Energization exercises" that require repeated tightening and relaxation of a certain part of the body, while combining breathing methods to bring energy to that area. It emphasizes the need to be extremely relaxed while doing yoga poses to prepare for subsequent meditation.

2、AshtangaYogaAshtangaYoga

Also known as PowerYoga, it is the most physically demanding form of Hada yoga. It has a total of 240 yoga postures, which are connected in series with 6 sets of action units combined with breathing (vinyasa) to increase the "heat" of the body and thereby strengthen the body. They emphasize that strength, flexibility and vitality are equally important, so AshtangaYoga is popular among athletes or people who love strenuous exercise.

3、IntegralYoga

This school combines all the steps of practicing yoga-yoga postures, pranayama, selfless dedication, prayer, singing, meditation and self-reflection. It particularly emphasizes that yoga takes meditation as the ultimate goal, rather than analysis of human body structure, and encourages students to "relax","peacefulin mind" and "usefulin life" when practicing. Each yoga session lasts for 75 minutes, 45 minutes of which are spent on yoga postures, followed by relaxation, breathing exercises, and finally the meditation session. Although it is difficult, it is gentle and calm, and is followed by people who like to learn traditional yoga comprehensively.

4、IyengarYogaIyengarYoga

It can be said to be the most familiar Hatha Yoga school in the West in recent years. IyengarYoga scientifically and medicalizes yoga to improve various physical and psychological problems of individuals. Therefore, it is widely recognized by doctors and physical therapists. The instructors of this school place special emphasis on the coordination of body parts such as hands and feet, pelvis, and spine when doing yoga postures, the absolute correct position and the coordination of tightening and relaxing muscles, and pay great attention to the mastery of details. Therefore, there is a good foundation for yoga postures and improvement of people who have problems with their body postures. This school also attaches great importance to and agrees that when practicing yoga, tools (props) must be borrowed to help students complete yoga postures according to individual physical constraints. These tools include felt, bricks, pillows, chairs, ropes, etc.

5、KripaluYogaKripaluYoga

It is often described as "dynamic meditation", focusing less on the physical details of practicing yoga postures and more on the emotional and psychological reactions that yoga postures bring, so students are required to maintain a gentle, compassionate and introspective attitude. This school believes that the body has its wisdom, and it sends out messages that remind individuals how to practice yoga postures smoothly and naturally. Each yoga pose is maintained for a long time to discover or release suppressed emotions. This introspective Hatha yoga consists of three stages: continuous exercise (yoga posture), will and letting go (mind), and obedience to the wisdom of the body. In these three stages, yoga postures will have different difficulty depending on the situation: mild, medium, and intense.

6、KundaliniYogaKundaliniYoga

For a long time, I firmly believe that the energy of life (Kundalini) is hidden in the tail vertebra. As long as we pass various practices (breathing, postures, singing and meditation), this energy will be inspired and guided to the various "chakras" on the spine. When the "crown" is opened up, people can understand enlightenment. This school focuses in particular on several breathing techniques: alternative nostril breathing, slow, diaphragmatic breathing, and a breathing method called "flamefire."

7、SivanandaYogaSivanandaYoga

It is generally called the "Snow Mountain Faction" in Hong Kong. Combine five specific exercise methods: appropriate exercise, breathing, deep relaxation, vegetarian diet, and positive thinking and meditation. Each lesson has a set process that includes breathing exercises, sun salutes, 12 traditional yoga postures, and relaxation exercises.

8、Viniyoga

This school of yoga also emphasizes the details of yoga postures, as well as physical strength and endurance. To learn yoga, you must follow the principle of "VinyasaKrama", that is, an organized course of yoga study, combining yoga postures, pranayama, meditation, textbook research, tutoring, mental images, prayers, singing and rituals. It will teach yoga postures according to students 'individual psychological conditions, physical limitations or cultural differences; the health of the spine and breathing are more important than how to complete the yoga postures, and exhalation and inhalation will be consciously performed at different times and lengths to complement the exercise of yoga postures.

9、BikramYoga

BikramYoga, nicknamed "High Temperature Yoga", was founded by BikramChoudhury. It is a new favorite in the fitness industry in recent years. It features that classes are held in a higher temperature room (38 ° C-42 ° C), which allows the body to quickly improve. Accelerate perspiration and detoxify. Each lesson combines 26 yoga postures. (Internship Editor: Wu Jinyu)