Yoga 101: What Is Yoga? Everything You Need to Know Before Getting Started

{"slug":"yoga-101-what-is-yoga","recentPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga for Pregnancy is excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor. Read more to understand the benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n⁠\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n⁠\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\n\\nBeen sitting too long\\n? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\n⁠⁠A prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery. \n⁠ \\nTake a bath :\n⁠\n⁠Taking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \n⁠\\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n⁠\n⁠This week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"},"category":[]},{"id":"cl8ka13l4ionz0ck2fe0pme7l","slug":"chronic-neck-pain-relief-yoga-poses","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Are you suffering with Chronic Neck Pain? 10 yoga poses to find relief!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:11:15.683866+00:00","coverUrl":"rbh6duxy7hy3y207sg1c.jpg","content":{"text":"Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Nearly 30-50% of adults suffer from recurring neck pain. \\nNeck pain can be a common occurrence for people who:\\nhave long commutes or sit at a desk all day\\nwho have issues with posture \\nwho have chronic sleep issues\\nOur neck and shoulders can also be a place where we may carry tension or pain due to stress. In any case, the good news is yoga can help you to relieve your neck pain and move on symptom free! \\nDaily changes you can make to avoid neck pain\\nStay in alignment. Keep good posture and try not to carry heavy bags on one side of your body. Also, if you sit at a desk and work on a computer, move your monitor to eye-sight so you’re not looking up or down. Need help finding your center? \\nWe can help here at MyYogaTeacher! \\n\\nStay active! It’s important to stay mobilized.  If you sit all day, take breaks to move around and give your body a break from being stuck in one position. Can’t take breaks at work? Try to go for a walk on lunch or maybe before or after your workday. \\nCheck your sleep environment. Make sure your mattress and pillows are still in good shape. Look into the best pillows for your sleep type or body. Getting quality sleep will help you avoid tossing and turning and can be your remedy to wake pain free. \\nIf you’re feeling like you need to move, starting with any slower yoga practice will help! Yin, hatha and restorative classes will all leave your body feeling relaxed, renewed and free of pain. Want to flow on your own? Here are our top ten poses to try! \\n10 Yoga Poses to relieve Chronic Neck Pain :\\n1. Easy seat with ear to shoulder stretch\\nThis pose releases your neck and shoulders and helps relieve tension and stress.\\nStart by sitting with your legs crossed and a straight back. Shoulders down. Bring your ear down to your shoulder. To deepen the stretch, bring your opposite arm overhead. \\n\\n\\n\\n2. Child’s Pose\\nReleases tension in the upper body including the neck and chest.\\nBring your knees as wide as the mat and sit into your heels. You can bring your chest to the mat and extend your arms forward or come to rest on a pillow or bolster. Try to hold this pose for up to 5 breaths. \\n\\n\\n\\n3. Downward facing dog\\nHelps to relieve neck pain by strengthening the upper body and releasing the spine. \\nStart by coming onto all fours. Check your alignment- make sure your shoulders are over your wrist, and your hips over your knees. Without changing the position of your hands and feet, push up and back to bring your heels into the ground. Relax your head, neck and shoulders down. \\n\\n\\n\\n4. Bridge Pose\\nReleases chest, neck, spine and hips.\\nLay down on your mat, bring your feet as close to your glutes as possible. Bring your hands to the sides of your body palms down. Push into the feet and hands while you lift your core and back to the ceiling. Try to relax and breathe here. \\n\\n\\n\\n5. Wide Leg forward fold\\nReleases spine, neck and back. If you’re in pain perform this stretch slowly, and come up one vertebrae at a time. \\nBring your feet as wide as you can, feet facing forward. Hinge at the hips and slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You can hang here or grab yogi toe lock around your big toe. \\n\\n\\n\\n6. Cow face pose\\nStrengthens core and spine.\\nSit up tall and stack your knees directly over one another. Reach one arm back around your waist and one arm over your shoulder with your palms reaching towards one another. If you can, clasp your hands. If not, rest them on your back, you will still benefit from the pose. \\n\\n\\n\\n7. Sphinx pose\\nThis pose will help to physically open up the shoulders and neck. Looking side to side slowly is a great addition to the pose. \\nLie on your stomach and bring your hands next to your chest facing down. On your inhale press into the ground and lift your upper body. \\n\\n\\n\\n8. Thread the Needle \\nIncreases mobility and releases tension in the upper body. \\nCome on to all fours. Check your alignment, make sure your hips are over your knees, shoulders over your wrist. Reach one arm out to the side and thread it through the opposite side under your ribs. You can stay here or open up the opposite side by reaching the hand to the back or straight up and over. Make sure to do both sides. \\n\\n\\n\\n9. Legs up the wall\\nReleases tension and stress from the upper body by reversing blood flow. \\nFind a wall near your practice space and sit next to the wall as close as possible. Lower your head, neck and shoulders onto your mat, then roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. You can stay in this restorative pose for up to 10 minutes. \\n\\n\\n\\n10. Savasana\\nSavasana releases any stress, lowers heart rate and calms the body. \\nCome onto your back on your mat, and release your body down. This is known as corpse pose because it is a full and final rest at the end of our practice. Release and let go of any and all tension. \\n\\n\\n\\nClasses to help relieve neck pain \\n\\nYoga fusion for joints \\n- This class will help you roll out your joint pain and stretch your tight limbs and joints. \\n\\nYoga for Back Pain\\n - Sometimes, neck pain can be caused by tightness in the spine. Experts say yoga helps soothe muscle pains. Try this class to strengthen and lengthen your neck and back for pain relief! \\n\\nYoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain\\n - Do you sit all day at work? Struggle with your posture? This class will help relieve upper body tension. \\n\nSo if you’re ready to make your neck pain a thing of the past, join us today. Our trial includes two free weeks of group fitness classes, one on one classes and so much more! \\nGet started on your yoga journey now!\\n"},"category":["yoga_poses"]},{"id":"cl8cuq5nnh5860biyek2vhu2w","slug":"reproductive-rights-for-women-yoga-workshop","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop - Supporting Women Through Yoga","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-22T09:28:27.679552+00:00","coverUrl":"dkjwcigamkavxe0yziwq.jpg","content":{"text":"Announcing MyYogaTeacher’s first ever Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we believe in the wisdom of women to make their own choices about their health. \\n\\nThat’s why we’re excited to offer the\\n Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop on October 2 from 9 AM - 11 AM PST (12 PM - 2 PM EST) for only $10!\\nIn the past, our community events have been free. So why are we charging a nominal fee for this one?\\nBecause ALL proceeds from the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop go to support the \\nCenter for Reproductive Rights\\n charity, a nonprofit organization, the \\nonly\\n global legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing reproductive rights.\\nIn the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade and on the day before the new term of the Supreme Court begins, we think this workshop is a perfect way to silently protest this new ruling through self-care and donations to an organization like the Center for Reproductive Rights.\\nThis will also be a time of healing and processing with a couple of awesome expert yoga instructors!\\nHow to join the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop\\nWhether you’re a member or not, \\nJust click this link and register \\nas you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\nIntroducing a very special guest yoga instructor coming just for this event!\n\\nMeet Harpinder Mann, RYT-500!\\n\\n\n\\nHarpinder is a yoga, meditation, mindfulness teacher, and decolonizing activist based in Los Angeles. She works with women of color who want to reclaim their power and intuition through the lens of a spiritual, joyful, and sustainable path. Her studies have spanned from reading the Japji Sahib since she was 3, to over 700 hours of yogic training within the traditions of Raja, Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Prenatal Yoga. \\nWe’re super excited to have her lead the beginning of the workshop. Afterwards, MyYogaTeacher yoga instructor, \\nTrupti Parikh\\n, will lead us in asanas, and a discussion session will follow.\\nAre you ready to experience a workshop where we solely focus on supporting and advocating for women’s health \\nwhile\\n improving our mental, emotional, and physical health?\\n\\nJoin us for the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\n\\nTogether, we make a difference."},"category":["workshops"]},{"id":"cl8a9804vy5de0biznpg4ai2t","slug":"yoga-benefits-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga For Runners : Why Runners Should Incorporate Yoga Into Their Training?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Adopting an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Read now to learn more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-20T13:50:56.406936+00:00","coverUrl":"tbdacuzob0fuqml8dyjd.jpg","content":{"text":"Training for a big race? Setting some goals you want to crush before the year ends? No matter what your reasons, yoga can be a great way to cross train for running from a 5k to a marathon! Running is great for your heart and body but can also be a huge strain on the muscles. Having an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Let’s dive into how yoga can help!\\n1. Breathing\\nProper breathing and breath stabilization are both incredibly important principles in Yoga and Running. If you can practice proper breathing while running, you can maintain speed longer because you will take long deeper breaths to match your long strides, instead of short breaths which cause instability and speed decline.\\nPracticing Pranayama for runners - \\nAdding a pranayama breath practice before a run can help you to maintain focus as well as speed. Even if running is a release for you, and feels relaxing, Using breathwork to relax and focus can help you clearly see the physical and mental road ahead. Pranayama can also help if things are going off course on your run. If you need to regain control, you can come back to your breath and refocus. With these practices together, your run really can be a religious experience, or a way to relieve stress! \\nTo start a pranayama practice, all you need to do is focus on controlling your inhale and exhale. Start by standing tall and relaxed, or sitting tall and calm if you prefer. Close your eyes and focus inward. Start by breathing in for two and out for two. As you continue to grow your practice, you can  build up to breathing in for six and out for six. You can even play with pausing for two to four breaths in between your inhale and exhale. When you finally build a practice you’re confident with, you can start to set intentions and visualize your success. With this practice, you’ll begin to see your running dreams come true!\\n\\n2. Flexibility/Strength\\nIt would be great if in life, we only ever needed to do one thing to get to our goals. But in reality,just like we can’t have cookies for every meal, cross training for runners is essential to maintaining a long term healthy routine. While you could easily just add weight training or stretching a la cart into your week, yoga gives you more by going deeper and getting into those smaller, harder to access ligaments and tendons you might otherwise miss with strength training . Adding yoga into your running routine can reduce the risk of injury and help to maintain your goals. The more flexible your muscles are, the less likely they are to tense up or be stressed during running so you can move with more confidence and ease. Not to mention, it’s always great to look forward to a nice long stretch after a run. \\n\n3. Conditioning \\nWe all know running is GREAT for your cardiovascular health, can add years on to your life and keep your heart pumping at its best! But it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran, running can make your body sore. Yoga is great for conditioning those tired and fatigued muscles without having to “take a day off” to rest. In between your runs or on conditioning days, you can take a class focused on your back or knee health, or even a class to open tight hips after a long run. There’s nothing the magic of yoga can’t do! \\n\n4. Balance/Posture\\nEven though running is a “walk in the park” compared to ballet where balance is concerned, you still need to do your best to focus on alignment while you move.\\nYoga can improve your running form by elongating the limbs so you cover more ground in less time. You'll be PR’ing in no time! Proper alignment is also important when running because as you increase your speed, the level of impact (and injury) becomes greater. Maintaining your body's alignment during movement assures you arrive at the finish line aliment free! Love a tree pose? Want to learn to fly into a warrior? Lots of yoga poses force you to balance on one leg, which helps you to build a unilateral movement practice much like the ebbs and flows you take while running. \\n5. Stress and Mental Clarity\\nFeeling stressed before a big run? Worried about your PR? Yoga can help! Focus your breathing and set an intention. You’ve got this!\\nFocus and clarity are so important when running so you can know where you’re headed and stay on track. Add your yoga practice in before training or race days and you’ll feel your worries melt away. According to scientists at \\nHarvard,\\n adding just minutes of yoga to your week can improve your outlook, slow down the body and decrease stress. You’ll find your body will be more relaxed, focused and ready to run for those goals when you release your tension with yoga. \\nGetting started:\\nSo what do you need to get started? Simple! Yourself, a mat, some water and a quiet space are all you need! Are you ready to add yoga into your running routine? \\nGet started with a two week free trial of our classes and one on one sessions!\\n\\nLet’s figure out where your yoga practice would serve you best! \\nDoing yoga BEFORE your run will help you to warm up your muscles and ligaments. By fully warming up your body before you hit the pavement, you decrease the chances of injury, help with an easier recovery and can improve your PR as you continue to train! \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice before a run :\\nHigh Lunge - This pose stretches the legs from top of the thighs down to the ankle\\n\\nWarrior II - Helps with focus and stamina. Great before heading out!\\n\\nSide angle bend - This stretch helps to stretch the side body and release any tension in the shoulders and spine. \\n\\n⁠Prefer to do yoga after your run? That’s a great option too! Yoga is great for recovery after a run! Finishing your running routine with a yoga stretch helps you to rebalance. You can stretch muscles or limbs that became tight during your run and strengthen anything  that may have become fatigued. You can also refocus and deepen your breath to reset for the next part of your day. \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice after a run :\\nButterfly Pose - a basic hip opener to ease into your stretch\\n\\nHalf Pigeon - A great pose for multiple alignments! Working through the psoas and hip flexors. Make sure to practice on both sides.\\n\\nHappy Baby - This pose is great for finishing up your hip opener extension while giving a nice massage to the back and stretching the soles of the feet.\\n\\nWant to take a class? Try some of our favorite classes for runners!\\n\\nYoga for Strength and flexibility \\n\\n\\nYoga for Knee Pain\\n\\n\\nYoga for Back health\\n\\nReady to join us for class? \\nGet started with a free trial now! \\n\\nRemember, with a great training plan for your runs, and an ongoing yoga practice you’ll be ready to run to your greatest finish line feeling and looking your best! Just like peanut butter and jelly, yoga and running are great together!"},"category":["fitness","yoga"]},{"id":"cl81n0o6wh1g80ajz2gpco553","slug":"yoga-at-home","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"How to Start Doing Yoga at Home","subTitle":"Everything you need to know for an at-home yoga routine","seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Get a beginner’s guide to starting yoga at home with tips and suggestions for setting up your own practice, including online yoga classes and private lessons.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn how to perform yoga at home with this quick and easy guide","tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-14T13:07:13.39269+00:00","coverUrl":"cqivxw3vkrcihpumlny7.jpg","content":{"text":"There are lots of reasons for doing yoga at home instead of a yoga studio, some of which include distance, busy schedules, kids, financial concerns, and health issues. The good news is you can set up your own yoga practice at home, and still get all the benefits of a regular yoga routine — without the studio. It can also be a great way to integrate yoga into your life on a regular basis, and it’s easy to do in your own home.\\nCan Anyone do Yoga at Home?\\nAnyone can perform yoga at home, and you don’t have to be an advanced yogi to try. Even beginners can practice yoga in a home environment, all you need is adequate floor space, a few (optional) pieces of equipment, and guidelines for practicing the primary yoga poses. \\nIf you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to first learn from a certified yoga instructor, so you can progress with the proper technique and alignment to avoid injury. Thanks to online learning platforms like\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, you can still practice yoga at home with the help of a qualified teacher.\\n11 Tips on How to Perform Yoga At Home\\nThe idea of starting a yoga practice in your very own living room can seem daunting or intimidating at first, especially if you’re accustomed to attending classes in a yoga studio. But with a little bit of preparation and creativity, you can set up your own yoga space and develop a mindful yoga routine that can benefit your life.\\nHere are some suggestions to help get you started:\\n1. Make Space in Your Home for Yoga\\nIt’s easy (and fun) to make your own yoga space, and you can design it as a temporary space or a dedicated one, depending on your needs. All you need is enough floor space to move around and stretch out the full length of your body — a little more than the length and width of your yoga mat. This can be your living or bedroom floor, your kitchen, or your backyard. Just make sure there isn’t any furniture or objects lying around that could get in your way or cause injury.\\n2. Decorate With Calming Accessories\\nYou can also create a comfortable and inviting space for yoga by hanging calming or inspiring artwork on the wall, lighting a candle or incense, and keeping a few house plants nearby for a pleasing atmosphere. The more you can tailor and dedicate your space for yoga, the easier it will be to motivate yourself to keep up a steady routine. Hanging a mirror in front of your practice space is also helpful in maintaining the correct alignment while performing postures.\\n3. Be Prepared With the Right Equipment\\n\\nYou’ll want to invest in a yoga mat, and it’s wise to also keep modifying props on hand — like blocks, bolsters, blankets, and a strap. If you’re just starting out and you’d like to improvise for props, you can use pillows, blankets, and other items around the house to suit your needs. Just make sure your props are sturdy, supportive, and nearby for when you need them.\\n4. Practice Regularly\\nThe best part about practicing yoga at home is it can be done any time you want. The challenge lies in your dedication and commitment to the practice even when your couch appears more inviting.\\n \\nAccording to this study\\n, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to create a new habit. It’s important to be patient with yourself and identify guidelines for your practice that you can realistically follow through with. \\n5. Schedule Your Yoga Session\\nSet yourself up for success by committing to your yoga practice at a certain time of day, and for a specified number of days per week. It’s best to start out easy with goals that are achievable and progress as you gain momentum. For instance, if you’ve never been an early riser, don’t expect yourself to suddenly start practicing yoga at dawn. If that’s the case, try scheduling your yoga session for late morning, afternoon or evening, and keep your existing schedule in mind when planning a time that works for you.\\n6. Keep it Simple\\nRegardless of your experience or ability level, practicing yoga at home means watching out for your own safety. Make sure you have props handy for when you need them, and avoid overdoing it with strenuous poses. When it doubt, keep your routine simple. Even if you’re an advanced yogi, those basic, primary yoga poses are still an important part of a holistic yoga practice, and may be less likely to cause injury.\\n7. Listen to Your Body\\nThe best way to avoid getting hurt while practicing yoga at home is to listen to your body. If any posture causes you discomfort or pain, stop practicing it immediately — no matter how easy or difficult the pose. Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to focus on your alignment. If you are unsure of how to execute a specific pose, try learning it from a certified instructor before performing it on your own at home.\\n8. Take an Online Yoga Class\\n\\nBy far the best way to practice yoga at home is with an online class. This way, you get all the benefits of doing yoga at home in your own time, with the added help of an instructor who can make sure you’re performing poses safely and effectively. You can find\\n online group classes\\n for every type of yoga at\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, with over 42 classes offered throughout the day. Private, 1-on-1 instructors are also available for at-home yoga, giving you plenty of options to get the right kind of training while still practicing in the comfort of your own home.\\n9. Squeeze in a Short Practice\\nThe beauty of an at-home yoga practice means you can squeeze in a quick session when you just have 20-30 minutes of time. Even short yoga routines are beneficial for your body and mind, and performing a few of the primary yoga poses on a daily basis will change your life for the better. Try incorporating the Sun Salutation flow series into your morning routine when you first get out of bed in the morning, or practicing some relaxing poses like Legs-Up-The-Wall or Savasana in the evening. \\n10. Switch it Up and Make it Fun\\nYoga doesn’t always have to be serious, and you can make your home yoga practice fun and spontaneous for you and your family. Practicing with your kids is a great way to help them learn mindfulness and self-awareness, while stretching and strengthening their growing bodies. You can also take your practice to the backyard to enjoy sunshine and good weather, or invite friends over to share in the experience. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!\\n11. End Every Practice With Savasana\\nWhen practicing yoga at home, it can be tempting to skip important parts of the journey due to time constraints, distractions, or disinterest. If there is one element of yoga you should never skip, it’s Savasana, or otherwise known as Corpse pose. Always end your practice with 5 minutes of relaxation to help your body integrate the routine. Keep a blanket nearby to warm your body after it has cooled down, and consider an eye pillow to help you relax. Your body and mind will thank you as you move on to the rest of your day, having given yourself the gift of healthy movement to better your life."},"category":["yoga","therapy"]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"cl7zwz24chnlt0biyk8wtb0cj","slug":"start-hatha-yoga-practice","author":{"name":"Namrata Khandelwal","teacherMytSlug":"namrata-2","pictureUrl":"namrata-k-pro.jpg"},"title":"Interested in starting a Hatha yoga practice? 10 tips to get started!","createdAt":"2022-09-13T08:10:21.940734+00:00","coverUrl":"kwfhavtczeih1sjadbhk.jpg","content":{"text":"Are you new to yoga? Looking to develop a practice but don’t know what style or where to begin? Hatha yoga is a great choice for beginners looking to build a routine or veterans looking to deepen their practice of breathing and flexibility.\\nFirst things first, What is Hatha Yoga?\\nHatha yoga is a form of gentle yoga made up of poses and breath work and often starts or ends with a meditation. This type of practice can be challenging because in most traditional Hatha classes, poses are held for 30 seconds to a minute. \\nStyles of Hatha Yoga that we offer at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n:\\nHatha Yoga - This practice focuses separately on each asana. Focusing on connecting each asana with the breath and deepening each pose. This practice allows for breaks between poses and is more gentle and slow paced. \\nHatha Vinyasa - Known as a flow class, adding in the vinyasa makes the practice a little more fast paced. The poses are more linked together and the movement is connected to your breath work. \\nWhat are the benefits of a Hatha Yoga Practice?\\nThere are many benefits to building a hatha yoga practice. On the surface, for your physical health, hatha can increase flexibility, strength and balance!  Hatha is proven to fight signs of aging and  help with joint or muscle pain and improve blood flow!\\nWhen you turn your practice inward, it can also deepen your sleep and with the addition of the breathwork, your practice can also help you cope with anxiety or depression symptoms. \\nHatha is a great place to start your yoga journey because you can take your time to get familiar with the poses and learn to connect them to your breath.  It’s good for the body and the mind!\\nHere are 10 tips to get you started with a Hatha Yoga Practice:\\nKnow your why - Before you start to build your practice, it’s important to establish why you’re coming to your mat. Is your reason for physical health, mental health or maybe just to press pause on your day and breathe? Each flow can be personalized for whatever brings you to your mat each day.\\nBe a student! - Take a class with us so you can learn how to flow on your own. Sometimes before you fly solo, you need a co-captain. And if you never decide to fly on your own, we're happy to have you here with us! Our teachers are the best and we think you'll love their classes!\n⁠\n⁠Check out these three Hatha classes we love!\n⁠\\nHatha for Beginners\\n\n⁠\\nHatha Yoga Intermediate\\n\n⁠\\nHatha Vinyasa\\n\\nLearn to breath - In this practice, you'll be holding in poses and breathing into the space you create. The traditional breath practice for a hatha yoga class is\\n Ujjayi breathing\\n otherwise known as victorious breath. This breathing practice is often used in yoga because it forces you to slow down and focus on your breathing and its connection to your movement. \\nChoose your asasas - While Hatha is usually a gentle practice, there is no right or wrong way to build your Hatha flow. The goal is just to focus and move your body! All you need is a minimum of three to five poses to get started! Start by reviewing the poses you know and then when you’re ready, add more as you grow.\\nPractice your pause - once you know what asanas you’d like to practice, grab a stopwatch! Work on holding each pose for 30 seconds, then 45 seconds, then a minute. Don’t forget to breathe into it. And if you can, try to find space and deepen into each pose as you practice more. \\nFind a way to beat the mental fatigue - Don’t give in to the voice in your head that says you can’t do this.  Holding the poses can be difficult at first. Have a little grace and try your best not to give up. Practice your mantras to keep you going. Our favorite? Your stronger than you think!\\nBuild a meditation practice - When building a meditation practice, it’s important to figure out what you need from it. Do you need mantras to help you keep going? Do you need to visual what's coming? Or do you need to focus inward on your breath and the current moment. Remember, there’s no wrong answer. Play with this practice. Add it to the beginning, then the end and see where it serves you. Can’t settle in for quiet reflection? Try journaling instead. \\nBe benevolent to yourself - In Hatha yoga, one of the most important practices is the principle of non-violence (ahimsa) this means do no harm to yourself or to others Try to go through your life being kind to yourself on and off your mat. For more on this practice, check out \\nthis article\\n by Yogauonline\\nRead the text- Like a lot of Yoga, hatha isn’t just based on a movement practice. In fact, there are two connected texts to teach you the foundations of this practice. \\nHatha Yoga Pradipika \\n- a 15th century Sanskrit manual on the practice and style. \\nSiva Samhita\\n - from the hindu perspective breaking “yoga” the practice, down into five parts.\\nTrack the progress of your practice - Once you’ve developed your practice, there is no ‘ end' in yoga, we can only keep coming back to deepen or extend our practice. That’s why it’s a “practice” because there is no perfect. You can always adjust. Some days you’ll need more, some days less. But all the days…you'll need yoga. \\nFive poses to get started with Hatha Yoga:\\n1. Childs Pose\\nFocus on your third eye here. Move your head from right to left to massage your forehead.\\n\\n\n2. Cat Pose\\nBreath into your spine as you arch your back away from the floor. Relax your neck.\\n\\n\\n3. Down Dog\\nFocus on lengthening your heels into the floor and pushing your hips towards the back of the room. \\n\\n\\n4. Forward Fold\\nSurrender into this pose. Reach your palms towards the floor and deepen your stretch with every exhale.\\n\\n\\n5. Savasana\\nRelax your entire body into the ground. Release all the tension and slow your breath. \\n\\n\nNow that you have the tools you need, you’re ready to go! Find where your practice fits best and get ready to feel relaxed and enlightened! If you’re doing hatha for physical health, try adding the practice in after another workout or at the end of your day. \\nLooking  to build a practice for relaxation or to wind down from your anxiety? Try starting your day with practice and a cup of green tea! \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n has tons of options available to you! See you on your mat! "}},{"id":"ckfqz0ig001y80179mxwi01o9","slug":"5-easy-sleep-tips-for-bone-deep-sleep-tonight","author":{"name":"Amanda","teacherMytSlug":"amanda@myyogateacher.com-1","pictureUrl":"amanda-pro.jpg"},"title":"5 Easy Tips for Bone-Deep Sleep Tonight","createdAt":"2019-12-04T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"5-easy-tips-4.jpg","content":{"text":"Does winter kick your butt? Shorter days hit us really hard - making us feel sleepy all the time. We can’t make the days longer, but here are some tips to get that bone-deep sleep and wake up refreshed. \\n\\nWe’ve crafted this mini-routine below to help you get started.\\n\\nHave a snack\\nKeep the snack small and not too sweet. Maybe a piece of toast or a handful of nuts. Being even a little hungry can keep you up. \\n\\nTry a mini yoga sequence before bed\\nIf you can’t schedule a night-time \\nyoga session \\nwith your teacher, this sequence will do in a pinch. \\n\\nForward Fold\\n\\n\\n\\nSide Bend\\n\\n\\n\\nSeated Twist\\n\\n\\nChild's Pose\\n\\n\\nLegs Up The Wall\\n\\n\\n\\nFind your breathFind a comfortable position in bed. Count your breaths: 1 for the inhale and 2 for the exhale. Do this for at least a minute or two, trying to keep your focus on the breath.  \\n\\n\\nYoga pose\\n in bedYou don’t need a mat for yoga! Try reclined butterfly with your hands on your belly or heart. Not into that pose? Ask your teacher for some personalized suggestions.\\n\\nBody scan \\nmeditation\\n begin at the top of your head, moving down to the toes. Name each part of your body, taking one breath. For example, you can start by thinking “Top of the head, back of the head, forehead, eyebrows, nose” and so on. \\n\\nGood luck and always feel free to drop us a line to let us know how it goes!\\n"}},{"id":"ckfqzh3o0029201789roolpli","slug":"using-yoga-to-treat-my-back-pain","author":{"name":"Akshay Bhat","teacherMytSlug":"akshay-1","pictureUrl":"cnge5u8ffo4ya0e557o9123.jpg"},"title":"Using Yoga to Treat My Back Pain","createdAt":"2020-04-30T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"cnge5u8ffo4ya0e557o9123.jpg","content":{"text":"I started my Yoga journey in the year 2008 when I joined Omshantidhama Gurukula (Traditional school). There, I was introduced to yoga by Swami Ramdev. I started my practice with traditional hatha yoga, yoga philosophy, Pranayama, and cleansing techniques (Shatkarmas). \\n\\nI then learned Vedic chanting in the Gurukula alongside my  normal schooling. I started exploring the meanings of the mantras and learned Patanjali yoga sutras with Swami Brahmadev Ji.\\n\\nWhen I started teaching yoga, I began through one on one sessions. This spiked my interest in yoga even more. Soon I devoured several yogic texts and joined the \\nyoga instructor\\n cours at Svyasa University, learning about yoga as a spirituality and a science. I also  continued with my bachelor in yoga therapy (BSc). While working towards my BSc, I started exploring more aspects of therapy to treat my back pain.\\n\\nBecause of my own experience using yoga to treat my back pain, clients often come to me to treat theirs. In many cases, I’ve given patients relief after just 15 days of \\nyoga practice\\n. Along with yoga therapy, I also learned about the simple meditation technique developed by Dr. H R Nagendra, helpful in calming the mind. \\n\\nDuring the time of vacation and Arogyadhama student training in university, I took special interest and took a variety of yoga classes. I also did several personality development camps for kids and taught them yoga and its benefits. After the BSc, I did Yoga Alliance 200 hours course in the Aayana yoga academy where I learned the Vinyasa and \\nHatha yoga\\n teaching style. Currently, I am doing my Master's degree in Yoga (MSc.) and working with Ruh yoga as a lead Yoga teacher.\\n"}}],"relatedPosts":[{"id":"ckfqz0aq801yj0136gps4jqeb","slug":"yoga-gave-me-everything","author":{"name":"Shivayogi","teacherMytSlug":"shivayogi-1","pictureUrl":"Shiva-1.jpg"},"title":"Yoga Gave Me Everything","createdAt":"2019-11-14T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"Shiva-1.jpg","content":{"text":"from Shivayogi \\n\\nMy name is Shivayogi, but I don't know why my parents named me that. When I decided to enter into the world of Yoga, my parents actually stood against me. They were not confident in my decision. I turned away from 16 years of education and came to an unfamiliar city to follow this passion. \\n\\nMy \\njourney\\n started as a fitness trainer, completing certificates in Pilates, strength and conditioning and Strong by Zumba. I worked in a well-established gym called Chisel in Bangalore. Finally, I entered into the beautiful ocean called YOGA by enrolling in a Hatha and \\nAshtanga\\n Vinyasa certificate program in the Yoga capital of the world: Rishikesh, India.\\n\\nI fell in love with \\nyoga\\n.\\n\\nYoga is so so beautiful, monumental and soul-bearing and I adore it. Since completing that certificate program, I have worked with more than 50 multigyms in Bangalore and conducted more than 1,000 group classes. Each week, I teach everything from workshops to personal one-on-one classes and styles including hatha, \\nvinyasa\\n, power and even \\nacroyoga\\n!\\n\\nMy experience, training and love for this practice enable me to teach confidently.\\n\\nYoga gave me \\nconfidence\\n. Yoga gave me health.Yoga gave me a sound mind in a sound body.\\n\\nIn short, \\nyoga\\n gave me everything.\\n"}},{"id":"cklkxgum87xl509314u5faawv","slug":"yoga-for-kids","author":{"name":"Sujit Tiwari","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"5 Reasons Why Kids May Need Yoga More Than Adults","createdAt":"2021-02-25T13:54:08.269963+00:00","coverUrl":"pexels-gabby-12-small.jpg","content":{"text":"In a world where parents are all hustle and bustle and go, go, go, it’s no wonder our children are stressed out, anxious, and have zero self awareness.\\n\\nThey don’t have time to be self aware!\\n\\nAnxiety and stress in little kids all the way to older teenagers can look like sleeping a lot, temper tantrums, crying over “nothing,” not eating, or eating too much. It can show up as hyperactivity, bad attitudes, poor mental focus, bad grades.\\n\\nOr it can show up as many more terrible things that no parent wants to think about.\\n\\nWe stress how important it is for adults to take part in selfcare, to stretch and move our bodies. Surely, at this point in history, every adult knows that selfcare is a thing we should all be doing. But what are we telling our children to do for selfcare? \\n\\nSports? After school activities? Clubs? More doing. Less being. More rushing around. Less stillness. Less quiet time to process their days, their emotions. And your days, your emotions. Because kids are subject to those too.\\n\\nDo we ever teach them how to just be? \\n\\nThis is why I offer a \\nKids Yoga class at myYogaTeacher\\n! Because kids with healthy bodies, minds, and spirits make for adults with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits!\\n\\nHere are some reasons I’m passionate about teaching kids the importance of yoga.\\n\\n1. Yoga improves a child’s mood.\\n\\nWe all know that happier \\nkids\\n make their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. happier. But the focus really needs to be more on the children and less on the adults!\\n\\nKids have fewer tools than adults to help them regulate their mood. \\n\\nJust like any other physical activity, yoga releases endorphins, those feel good feelings, which, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. When children experience less stress and anxiety, they eat better, sleep better, act better, perform better. \\n\\nThey do everything better. Just like adults do.\\n\\nThey’re calmer. And all the built up negativity is released. Plus, yoga is fun! It’s not competitive, and kids are free to be themselves.\\n\\nSpeaking of being themselves...\\n\\n2. Yoga helps children self regulate\\n\\nHow can we expect kids to self soothe, regulate their behaviors and emotions, and regain focus if we don’t give them the tools they need for self awareness? Unlike adults, kids often have very little control over their lives. \\n\\nThey’re told what to do and when and how. \\n\\nA regular kids’ yoga practice will help children of all ages look inward and take time to examine why they feel or behave in certain ways and process that. With that information, they can discover how to change bad habits or behaviors, work through negative emotions in appropriate ways, and have a clear mind to make better choices in the face of challenging situations.\\n\\nKids yoga isn’t just about strength, flexibility, or getting the sillies out. It’s a portal for them to just be who they are designed to be! Let your kids check it out with a \\ntwo week free trial at myYogaTeacher.\\n\\n\\n3. Yoga improves sleep for kids.\\n\\nDid you know that school age children need anywhere from 9-12 hours of sleep every night? \\n\\nWith parents hurrying their children from one activity to another, the long hours of homework, or just being allowed to stay up too late, it’s no wonder kids are exhausted, moody and irritable. Not to mention late night screen time impacts their rest tremendously.\\n\\nThey’re simply not getting enough sleep! Not only that, but the quality of their sleep may not be all that great.\\n\\nPracticing kids yoga right before bed is an excellent way to help them have a really restful, restorative sleep.\\n\\nThe breathwork involved in yoga helps calm their minds and nervous system. The release of tension from their muscles helps them relax and ditch the overwhelm or negative thoughts. Yoga will help them fall asleep faster and sleep better.\\n\\n4. Yoga helps their brains work better.\\n\\nYep. It’s true. Yoga literally helps kids have better memory and cognitive function.\\n\\nKids who do yoga will learn how to focus on their bodies more and better and apply that mental clarity to other areas of their life. They’ll remember more of what they learn and have more self awareness.\\n\\nYoga actually requires you to use the same neural pathways in your brain that are responsible for memory. The practice itself is sort of conditioning your brain to work better, faster, and more efficiently.\\n\\nThe meditation aspect of yoga enables kids to focus on their breath and clear out all the mind junk that may be interfering with their memory.\\n\\n\\n5. Kids don’t have it easy, but yoga helps.\\n\\nAdults who say “kids these days have it easy” need to switch places with a 12-year-old in 2021. \\n\\nLong gone are the days of riding bikes safely (and even alone) along the streets of your home town. The days of simplicity and easy afternoons fishing by the local pond.\\n\\nCompetition is more fierce in almost every aspect of kids’ lives. There is more stress to have a career that makes well above minimum wage because cost of living is atrocious.\\n\\nParents are on the go or absent, and visibly stressed out when they’re not. There’s cyber bullying, drug trafficking, human trafficking. Terrorism. Political unrest. Social unrest. Children today are forced to overcome obstacles that older generations never thought of not even once when they were growing up.\\n\\nYoga for kids gives children a chance to unwind, detach from the world, and create their own safe space of peace. It’s a tool they can use almost any time, anywhere, and for any circumstance to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well being.\\n\\nSo why in the world wouldn’t we encourage them to use it?\\n\\n\\nDo you have a son or daughter in need of some time on the mat? \\nCheck out my Kids Yoga (10-12 years) class\\n when you sign up for your \\nfree two-week trial at myYogaTeacher! \\n\\n\\n"}},{"id":"ckfqz04k001y401786aes2rh5","slug":"get-your-voice-back-fast-when-you-have-laryngitis","author":{"name":"Jitendra","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":"jitendra1.png"},"title":"Get Your Voice Back Fast When You Have Laryngitis","createdAt":"2019-11-07T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"jason-rosewell-ASKeuOZqhYU-unsplash.jpg","content":{"text":"Lost your voice? Full blown case of laryngitis where all the sound you can make is a long drawn out squeak? Here are some quick remedies that you can do from anywhere to get your voice back.\\n\\n\\nTurmeric is easy to find at any grocery store. This remedy is super simple and fast-acting. \\n\\nAdd ¼ tsp of turmeric to 6 oz of hot water.  \\nStir and sip slowly. \\n\\nIf you’d like personalized help in recovering from laryngitis (or nearly any other illness) you can try a 1-on-1 session with one of our amazing yoga teachers. They’re experts in helping you to bring your body back into balance naturally. Right now, we’re offering 2 free private sessions with expert \\nIndian yoga\\n teachers, \\n[CTA-DEFAULT]\\n\\n\\nThis one is a breeze to add into any healing practice. You can even snag some honey packets to keep in your bag. Take a spoonful before bed, add it to hot tea or even plain hot water! Not only is it absolutely delicious, but has antibacterial and soothing properties.\\n\\n\\nWarm water helps break up congestion and opens circulation. Plus, the steam prevents your throat and sinuses from drying out. If there is one thing inflamed vocal cords hate, it’s being dry!\\n\\n\\nIf you are near an herbal shop or even a Whole Foods, you can find these in the supplements aisle. Each of these soothes swelling on contact - so great to chew or drink. \\n\\nSlippery elm: Soothes sore throats and reduces coughs. Add the powder to warm water. Black Licorice: Chewing tablets work best. Make sure it is actually licorice. Anise oil is often used as a substitute and doesn’t work the same way.Marshmallow Root: As a tea or as a lozenge, this helps hydrate the throat and has antioxidant effects.\\n\\nSimilar to the first remedy, this one adds milks to help coat the throat and help the turmeric sink in. \\n\\nAdd turmeric to milk (or your milk substitute of choice). Warm the milk gently. You can cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger to taste. \\n\\nWhen you’re not feeling well, carving out a few hours to focus on healing is a gift.  This remedy starts by clearing out mucus, firing up your immune system and letting your body relax. It’s followed by steam to rinse the sinuses and closes with a soothing milk-based tonic.\\n[CTA-GC]\\nAbout an hour or two before bed:\\nBoil water. Add your favorite decaf \\ntea\\n (ginger tea is really good here). Sprinkle some (or a lot) of black pepper on top. Add Tulsi leaves if you have them. If not, add sliced or powdered ginger. Wrap yourself in blankets or bed. Keep yourself very warm.Inhale and exhale the steam. Inhale smoothly and deeply and exhale completely to bring the steam in and out of the lungs.Sip slowly to let the warm pepper coat the throat.Rest for at least a half-hour.Take a warm shower. Follow with Spiced Milk (recipe above). \\nEat, drink mindfully\\n and slip into a restful sleep.\\n\\nIf you have trouble sleeping, you can listen to a \\nYoga Nidra\\n \\nmeditation\\n to prepare the mind and body for a restful sleep.\\n\\nNow, if you have any questions, or would like personal 1-on-1 help to get healthy fast. You can sign up for 5 free sessions with an expert Indian \\nyoga teacher\\n. \\n\\nThese are live 2-way video sessions with a real human being. Your teacher will help you to bring your body into balance, feel healthier and happier fast, and reach your fitness goals! \\n\\nWe can’t offer these free sessions to everyone and spaces fill up lightning fast. So if you think you might benefit from personalized \\nonline yoga\\n sessions with an awesome teacher!\\n\\n"}}],"blogContent":{"id":"ckoa1aav4qv5a0b63w9h2eb4j","slug":"yoga-101-what-is-yoga","author":{"name":"My Yoga Teacher","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"Yoga 101: What Is Yoga? Everything You Need to Know Before Getting Started","createdAt":"2021-05-04T12:54:40.207865+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-08T05:48:37.082674+00:00","coverUrl":"ozfwdauigdcdmkiwkeqs.png","seoDescription":"Not sure about yoga? Here's Yoga 101—everything you need to know about what yoga is, the benefits of yoga, and the types of yoga available.","content":{"text":"What Is Yoga?\\nYoga is an approach to physical and mental health and wellbeing that has been around for thousands of years. According to Sadhguru, the word \"yoga\" means \"that which brings you to reality.\" Taken literally, the word means \"union.\" Many take this to mean a \"union of the body and mind.\" Some might add \"spirit\" to the mix.\\n\\nThe word comes from the Sanskrit root word \"yuj,\" which means \"union,\" \"integration,\" or \"wholeness.\"\\n\\nThere are more than 300 million people in the world who practice yoga, according to the Yogi Times and the Economic Times. And roughly half of that number is yoga practitioners from India, but more and more people around the world are coming to yoga for various reasons, including 36 million people in the United States who make yoga a nearly $12 billion industry in the country (Statista). In this Yoga 101 article, you'll learn more about the practice of yoga, different yoga paths and styles, and the benefits of yoga.\\n\\nTo get the best possible understanding of yoga, we encourage you to \\nsign up for a free two-week of myYogaTeacher\\n. Once inside, you'll have two weeks to try more than 35 live online yoga classes every single day from Indian teachers who have a comprehensive understanding of the entire yoga practice. We even offer a \\nYoga 101 class\\n that you'll probably enjoy if you're here reading this article!\\n\\nPaths of Yoga\\n\\n\\nYoga philosophy\\n tells us that the cause of our suffering is a disconnection from our true self. That's why Vedanta offers four yoga paths to help us reconnect with our true selves. Let's take a look at these four paths of yoga: Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja.\\n\\nBhakti Yoga (Devotion)\\nBhakti yoga is the path of yoga built on self-realization through devotion. It's typically practiced through kirtans or bhajans (devotional chants) and helps practitioners work through intense emotions by focusing on the divine being.\\nBhakti yoga is all about prayer, worship, and ritual that gets the practitioners closer to the spirit, letting the ego and desire go.\\n\\nJnana Yoga (Knowledge and Wisdom)\\nJnana comes from the Sanskrit for \"knowledge.\" This is the path of intellect and wisdom and involves the study of sacred texts as well as contemplation and self-analysis. Those practicing Jnana are seeking to break through illusion to find the true meaning of life.\\n\\nJnana yoga is called the \"science of the self,\" by Swami Sivananda and the philosophy of Vedanta teaches self-inquiry to discover your true nature.\\n\\nKarma Yoga (Selfless Service)\\nKarma means \"action.\" Through Karma yoga, we learn to be kind and compassionate without expecting anything—even kindness and compassion—in return. Karma yoga is practiced through any acts of service when you put others’ needs before your own and feel grounded during these acts.\\n\\nThis practice is \"work as worship,\" cosmic love and tolerance when we act without expectation of personal gain. It is seen as liberating, through selfless service we free ourselves from karmic bonds and find peace.\\n\\nRaja Yoga (Meditation)\\nThe fourth path of yoga we're going to talk about is Raja yoga. Raja means \"royalty\" or \"kind\" in Sanskrit and balances the three other paths (Bhakti, Jnana, and Karma) to help you find inner peace and self-awareness. While asanas and pranayamas are integral to Raja, the main practice is silent \\nmeditation\\n.\\n\\nThis type of yoga is also known as Ashtanga because the practice can be divided into \\neight limbs\\n:\\nYamas, or ethical standards: Ahimsa (non-violence), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity), Aparigraha (non-attachment), and Satya (truthfulness)\\nNiyamas, or self-discipline: Saucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study), Isvara Pranidhana (surrender)\\nAsana: the postures practiced in yoga\\nPranayama: breath control\\nPratyahara: internal awareness\\nDharana: concentration\\nDhyana: meditation\\nSamadhi: fulfillment, joy, ecstasy\\nStyles of Yoga\\n\\nNow that you have a better understanding of the paths of yoga, let's turn our attention to the styles of yoga that you might find in any yoga studio. Styles of yoga range quite a bit, from power yoga and other demanding classes, to gentle yoga, and more meditative classes.\\n\\nSome of the styles of yoga have a yoga lineage (like Kriya, Hatha, Ashtanga, and others), but yoga lineage has become less important to practitioners as yoga becomes more readily available to different cultures and people around the world.\\n\\nThis is by no means a complete list of the different styles of yoga. Inside \\nmyYogaTeacher\\n, you'll also find offerings like gentle yoga, chair yoga, and therapeutic yoga for things like thyroid, \\ndiabetes\\n, and more.\\n\\nKriya Yoga\\nKriya yoga is an ancient practice that includes pranayama and meditation. Swami Paramahansa Yogananda is the guru known for bringing Kriya yoga to the Western world. This style of yoga uses meditation to lead practitioners to spirituality.\\n\\nHatha Yoga\\nHatha yoga is a broad term that encompasses yoga styles using asanas (poses). \\nHatha classes\\n tend to be slower-paced and train practitioners to regulate their breath and meditate while in poses. It's truly a \"moving meditation.\"\\n\\nVinyasa Yoga\\nVinyasa yoga uses movement and breath, similar to Hatha. However, \\nVinyasa\\n tends to be a faster pace and flows through asanas rather than holding them. It's a physically demanding practice without a set structure.\\n\\nAshtanga Yoga\\nAshtanga yoga is another physically demanding style of yoga that helps increase flexibility, as well as build strength and stamina. With Ashtanga, practitioners work through the same series of poses every time.\\n\\nIyengar Yoga\\nIyengar yoga was created by B.K.S. Iyengar in the 1960s. This style of yoga focuses on precise movements and alignment. Poses are generally held for a long time and props are used to help practitioners perfect their form or get deeper into poses.\\n\\nKundalini Yoga\\n\\nKundalini yoga\\n is a spiritual and physical yoga practice designed to release the energy trapped in the lower spine. This style of yoga uses fast-paced postures and breathing, chanting, mantra, and meditation. It was introduced in the West during the 1970s by Yogi Bhajan.\\n\\nBikram Yoga\\nBikram yoga is often called \"hot yoga\" since it is practiced in a humid, heated room (105º and 40% humidity). It's named after Bikram Choudhury and includes a series of 26 postures, performed twice, in a fast flow. It's a challenging practice that improves endurance and flexibility. As more and more practitioners try to distance themselves from the style's founder, you'll find a deviation from the series of postures as well as room temperatures and humidity.\\n\\nYin Yoga\\nYin yoga focuses on seated postures held for long periods of time. It's a slower-paced style of yoga and can be quite meditative. Poses are generally held from 45 seconds to two minutes.\\n\\nPower Yoga\\nThere are several different forms of \\npower yoga\\n but it's always intense and fast-paced. It combines flexibility, strength, concentration, and breathwork into a flowing style and was originally created for athletes.\\n\\nRestorative Yoga\\nOn the opposite end of the yoga spectrum from power yoga is restorative yoga. This style of yoga focuses on body relaxation and freeing your mind. It borrows pieces from several other yoga styles. Like Iyengar, \\nrestorative yoga\\n practice encourages the use of props to encourage complete relaxation through body support. Like Yin, the poses in restorative yoga are held for a long time (though much longer than in Yin).\\n\\nBenefits of Yoga\\nSo far, we've covered the paths of yoga as well as several different styles of yoga. But you may be wondering why you'd practice yoga in the first place.\\n\\nThere have been so many scientific studies about the practice of yoga and its benefits. Those benefits range from physical to mental to emotional. Here are some of the benefits you can expect.\\nBetter posture. Yoga postures can help strengthen shoulder and back muscles. That strength then leads to better posture.\\nImproved flexibility and mobility through a combination of active movement and held stretches.\\nIncreased strength. Yoga isn't easy. Many of the poses \\nchallenge muscles\\n in the legs, shoulders, and core.\\nCardiovascular strength and endurance. Several yoga styles can improve your cardio through movement and flowing poses that increase the heart rate.\\nBetter brain function and stress management. Many styles of yoga include meditation that has been shown to calm the mind, relieve stress and tension, improve concentration, and stabilize mood. The addition of Mudras (hand positions) and Pranayama, or controlled breathing, only heightens those positive effects.\\nWrapping Up\\nBy now, you should have a much better understanding of what yoga is, the paths and styles of yoga, as well as which forms of yoga you might want to check out. To gain access to different styles of yoga, we invite you to \\nsign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n where you'll find 35+ live online yoga classes of various styles every single day to choose from.","html":"<h2>What Is Yoga?</h2><p>Yoga is an approach to physical and mental health and wellbeing that has been around for thousands of years. According to Sadhguru, the word &quot;yoga&quot; means &quot;that which brings you to reality.&quot; Taken literally, the word means &quot;union.&quot; Many take this to mean a &quot;union of the body and mind.&quot; Some might add &quot;spirit&quot; to the mix.</p><p></p><p>The word comes from the Sanskrit root word &quot;yuj,&quot; which means &quot;union,&quot; &quot;integration,&quot; or &quot;wholeness.&quot;</p><img src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/7cI89J27QoSvqtRV4lEb\" alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Warrior Pose\" title=\"group yoga class.png\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p>There are more than 300 million people in the world who practice yoga, according to the Yogi Times and the Economic Times. And roughly half of that number is yoga practitioners from India, but more and more people around the world are coming to yoga for various reasons, including 36 million people in the United States who make yoga a nearly $12 billion industry in the country (Statista). In this Yoga 101 article, you&#39;ll learn more about the practice of yoga, different yoga paths and styles, and the benefits of yoga.</p><p></p><p>To get the best possible understanding of yoga, we encourage you to <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">sign up for a free two-week of myYogaTeacher</a>. Once inside, you&#39;ll have two weeks to try more than 35 live online yoga classes every single day from Indian teachers who have a comprehensive understanding of the entire yoga practice. We even offer a <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-101-by-Prakash\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-101-by-Prakash\">Yoga 101 class</a> that you&#39;ll probably enjoy if you&#39;re here reading this article!</p><p></p><h2>Paths of Yoga</h2><img src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/ks2oKJmT220LnUbG3HKG\" alt=\"Paths of Yoga\" title=\"paths of yoga.png\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-philosophy-by-sandeep\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-philosophy-by-sandeep\">Yoga philosophy</a> tells us that the cause of our suffering is a disconnection from our true self. That&#39;s why Vedanta offers four yoga paths to help us reconnect with our true selves. Let&#39;s take a look at these four paths of yoga: Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja.</p><p></p><h3>Bhakti Yoga (Devotion)</h3><p>Bhakti yoga is the path of yoga built on self-realization through devotion. It&#39;s typically practiced through kirtans or bhajans (devotional chants) and helps practitioners work through intense emotions by focusing on the divine being.</p><p>Bhakti yoga is all about prayer, worship, and ritual that gets the practitioners closer to the spirit, letting the ego and desire go.</p><p></p><h3>Jnana Yoga (Knowledge and Wisdom)</h3><p>Jnana comes from the Sanskrit for &quot;knowledge.&quot; This is the path of intellect and wisdom and involves the study of sacred texts as well as contemplation and self-analysis. Those practicing Jnana are seeking to break through illusion to find the true meaning of life.</p><p></p><p>Jnana yoga is called the &quot;science of the self,&quot; by Swami Sivananda and the philosophy of Vedanta teaches self-inquiry to discover your true nature.</p><p></p><h3>Karma Yoga (Selfless Service)</h3><p>Karma means &quot;action.&quot; Through Karma yoga, we learn to be kind and compassionate without expecting anything—even kindness and compassion—in return. Karma yoga is practiced through any acts of service when you put others’ needs before your own and feel grounded during these acts.</p><p></p><p>This practice is &quot;work as worship,&quot; cosmic love and tolerance when we act without expectation of personal gain. It is seen as liberating, through selfless service we free ourselves from karmic bonds and find peace.</p><p></p><h3>Raja Yoga (Meditation)</h3><p>The fourth path of yoga we&#39;re going to talk about is Raja yoga. Raja means &quot;royalty&quot; or &quot;kind&quot; in Sanskrit and balances the three other paths (Bhakti, Jnana, and Karma) to help you find inner peace and self-awareness. While asanas and pranayamas are integral to Raja, the main practice is silent <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/breathing-and-meditation\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/breathing-and-meditation\">meditation</a>.</p><p></p><p>This type of yoga is also known as Ashtanga because the practice can be divided into <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/ashtanga-yoga-eight-limbs\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/ashtanga-yoga-eight-limbs\">eight limbs</a>:</p><ol><li><div>Yamas, or ethical standards: Ahimsa (non-violence), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity), Aparigraha (non-attachment), and Satya (truthfulness)</div></li><li><div>Niyamas, or self-discipline: Saucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study), Isvara Pranidhana (surrender)</div></li><li><div>Asana: the postures practiced in yoga</div></li><li><div>Pranayama: breath control</div></li><li><div>Pratyahara: internal awareness</div></li><li><div>Dharana: concentration</div></li><li><div>Dhyana: meditation</div></li><li><div>Samadhi: fulfillment, joy, ecstasy</div></li></ol><h2>Styles of Yoga</h2><img src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=width:1801,height:1202/Xzahn3NSQYGgqtjBXXuQ\" alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Side Plank Pose\" title=\"styles of yoga.png\" width=\"1801\" height=\"1202\" /><p>Now that you have a better understanding of the paths of yoga, let&#39;s turn our attention to the styles of yoga that you might find in any yoga studio. Styles of yoga range quite a bit, from power yoga and other demanding classes, to gentle yoga, and more meditative classes.</p><p></p><p>Some of the styles of yoga have a yoga lineage (like Kriya, Hatha, Ashtanga, and others), but yoga lineage has become less important to practitioners as yoga becomes more readily available to different cultures and people around the world.</p><p></p><p>This is by no means a complete list of the different styles of yoga. Inside <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">myYogaTeacher</a>, you&#39;ll also find offerings like gentle yoga, chair yoga, and therapeutic yoga for things like thyroid, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/therapeutic-yoga-for-diabetes-by-neelmani\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/therapeutic-yoga-for-diabetes-by-neelmani\">diabetes</a>, and more.</p><p></p><h3>Kriya Yoga</h3><p>Kriya yoga is an ancient practice that includes pranayama and meditation. Swami Paramahansa Yogananda is the guru known for bringing Kriya yoga to the Western world. This style of yoga uses meditation to lead practitioners to spirituality.</p><p></p><h3>Hatha Yoga</h3><p>Hatha yoga is a broad term that encompasses yoga styles using asanas (poses). <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-manjula\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-manjula\">Hatha classes</a> tend to be slower-paced and train practitioners to regulate their breath and meditate while in poses. It&#39;s truly a &quot;moving meditation.&quot;</p><p></p><h3>Vinyasa Yoga</h3><p>Vinyasa yoga uses movement and breath, similar to Hatha. However, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/what-is-vinyasa-yoga\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/what-is-vinyasa-yoga\">Vinyasa</a> tends to be a faster pace and flows through asanas rather than holding them. It&#39;s a physically demanding practice without a set structure.</p><p></p><h3>Ashtanga Yoga</h3><p>Ashtanga yoga is another physically demanding style of yoga that helps increase flexibility, as well as build strength and stamina. With Ashtanga, practitioners work through the same series of poses every time.</p><p></p><h3>Iyengar Yoga</h3><p>Iyengar yoga was created by B.K.S. Iyengar in the 1960s. This style of yoga focuses on precise movements and alignment. Poses are generally held for a long time and props are used to help practitioners perfect their form or get deeper into poses.</p><p></p><h3>Kundalini Yoga</h3><p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/kundalini-yoga\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/kundalini-yoga\">Kundalini yoga</a> is a spiritual and physical yoga practice designed to release the energy trapped in the lower spine. This style of yoga uses fast-paced postures and breathing, chanting, mantra, and meditation. It was introduced in the West during the 1970s by Yogi Bhajan.</p><p></p><h3>Bikram Yoga</h3><p>Bikram yoga is often called &quot;hot yoga&quot; since it is practiced in a humid, heated room (105º and 40% humidity). It&#39;s named after Bikram Choudhury and includes a series of 26 postures, performed twice, in a fast flow. It&#39;s a challenging practice that improves endurance and flexibility. As more and more practitioners try to distance themselves from the style&#39;s founder, you&#39;ll find a deviation from the series of postures as well as room temperatures and humidity.</p><p></p><h3>Yin Yoga</h3><p>Yin yoga focuses on seated postures held for long periods of time. It&#39;s a slower-paced style of yoga and can be quite meditative. Poses are generally held from 45 seconds to two minutes.</p><p></p><h3>Power Yoga</h3><p>There are several different forms of <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/power-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-neelmani\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/power-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-neelmani\">power yoga</a> but it&#39;s always intense and fast-paced. It combines flexibility, strength, concentration, and breathwork into a flowing style and was originally created for athletes.</p><p></p><h3>Restorative Yoga</h3><p>On the opposite end of the yoga spectrum from power yoga is restorative yoga. This style of yoga focuses on body relaxation and freeing your mind. It borrows pieces from several other yoga styles. Like Iyengar, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/restorative-yoga-for-deep-relaxation-for-beginner-level-by-apoorva\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/restorative-yoga-for-deep-relaxation-for-beginner-level-by-apoorva\">restorative yoga</a> practice encourages the use of props to encourage complete relaxation through body support. Like Yin, the poses in restorative yoga are held for a long time (though much longer than in Yin).</p><p></p><h2>Benefits of Yoga</h2><p>So far, we&#39;ve covered the paths of yoga as well as several different styles of yoga. But you may be wondering why you&#39;d practice yoga in the first place.</p><p></p><p>There have been so many scientific studies about the practice of yoga and its benefits. Those benefits range from physical to mental to emotional. Here are some of the benefits you can expect.</p><ul><li><div>Better posture. Yoga postures can help strengthen shoulder and back muscles. That strength then leads to better posture.</div></li><li><div>Improved flexibility and mobility through a combination of active movement and held stretches.</div></li><li><div>Increased strength. Yoga isn&#39;t easy. Many of the poses <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-core-and-muscle-strengthening-by-namrata\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-core-and-muscle-strengthening-by-namrata\">challenge muscles</a> in the legs, shoulders, and core.</div></li><li><div>Cardiovascular strength and endurance. Several yoga styles can improve your cardio through movement and flowing poses that increase the heart rate.</div></li><li><div>Better brain function and stress management. Many styles of yoga include meditation that has been shown to calm the mind, relieve stress and tension, improve concentration, and stabilize mood. The addition of Mudras (hand positions) and Pranayama, or controlled breathing, only heightens those positive effects.</div></li></ul><h3>Wrapping Up</h3><p>By now, you should have a much better understanding of what yoga is, the paths and styles of yoga, as well as which forms of yoga you might want to check out. To gain access to different styles of yoga, we invite you to <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">sign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher</a> where you&#39;ll find 35+ live online yoga classes of various styles every single day to choose from.</p>"},"category":["yoga"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<h2>What Is Yoga?</h2><p>Yoga is an approach to physical and mental health and wellbeing that has been around for thousands of years. According to Sadhguru, the word &quot;yoga&quot; means &quot;that which brings you to reality.&quot; Taken literally, the word means &quot;union.&quot; Many take this to mean a &quot;union of the body and mind.&quot; Some might add &quot;spirit&quot; to the mix.</p><p></p><p>The word comes from the Sanskrit root word &quot;yuj,&quot; which means &quot;union,&quot; &quot;integration,&quot; or &quot;wholeness.&quot;</p>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/7cI89J27QoSvqtRV4lEb\" \n                alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Warrior Pose\"\n                title=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Warrior Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/7cI89J27QoSvqtRV4lEb\"\n                alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Warrior Pose\"\n                title=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Warrior Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/7cI89J27QoSvqtRV4lEb\"\n                alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Warrior Pose\"\n                title=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Warrior Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p>There are more than 300 million people in the world who practice yoga, according to the Yogi Times and the Economic Times. And roughly half of that number is yoga practitioners from India, but more and more people around the world are coming to yoga for various reasons, including 36 million people in the United States who make yoga a nearly $12 billion industry in the country (Statista). In this Yoga 101 article, you&#39;ll learn more about the practice of yoga, different yoga paths and styles, and the benefits of yoga.</p><p></p><p>To get the best possible understanding of yoga, we encourage you to <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">sign up for a free two-week of myYogaTeacher</a>. Once inside, you&#39;ll have two weeks to try more than 35 live online yoga classes every single day from Indian teachers who have a comprehensive understanding of the entire yoga practice. We even offer a <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-101-by-Prakash\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-101-by-Prakash\">Yoga 101 class</a> that you&#39;ll probably enjoy if you&#39;re here reading this article!</p><p></p><h2>Paths of Yoga</h2>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/ks2oKJmT220LnUbG3HKG\" \n                alt=\"Paths of Yoga\"\n                title=\"Paths of Yoga\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/ks2oKJmT220LnUbG3HKG\"\n                alt=\"Paths of Yoga\"\n                title=\"Paths of Yoga\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/ks2oKJmT220LnUbG3HKG\"\n                alt=\"Paths of Yoga\"\n                title=\"Paths of Yoga\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-philosophy-by-sandeep\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-philosophy-by-sandeep\">Yoga philosophy</a> tells us that the cause of our suffering is a disconnection from our true self. That&#39;s why Vedanta offers four yoga paths to help us reconnect with our true selves. Let&#39;s take a look at these four paths of yoga: Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja.</p><p></p><h3>Bhakti Yoga (Devotion)</h3><p>Bhakti yoga is the path of yoga built on self-realization through devotion. It&#39;s typically practiced through kirtans or bhajans (devotional chants) and helps practitioners work through intense emotions by focusing on the divine being.</p><p>Bhakti yoga is all about prayer, worship, and ritual that gets the practitioners closer to the spirit, letting the ego and desire go.</p><p></p><h3>Jnana Yoga (Knowledge and Wisdom)</h3><p>Jnana comes from the Sanskrit for &quot;knowledge.&quot; This is the path of intellect and wisdom and involves the study of sacred texts as well as contemplation and self-analysis. Those practicing Jnana are seeking to break through illusion to find the true meaning of life.</p><p></p><p>Jnana yoga is called the &quot;science of the self,&quot; by Swami Sivananda and the philosophy of Vedanta teaches self-inquiry to discover your true nature.</p><p></p><h3>Karma Yoga (Selfless Service)</h3><p>Karma means &quot;action.&quot; Through Karma yoga, we learn to be kind and compassionate without expecting anything—even kindness and compassion—in return. Karma yoga is practiced through any acts of service when you put others’ needs before your own and feel grounded during these acts.</p><p></p><p>This practice is &quot;work as worship,&quot; cosmic love and tolerance when we act without expectation of personal gain. It is seen as liberating, through selfless service we free ourselves from karmic bonds and find peace.</p><p></p><h3>Raja Yoga (Meditation)</h3><p>The fourth path of yoga we&#39;re going to talk about is Raja yoga. Raja means &quot;royalty&quot; or &quot;kind&quot; in Sanskrit and balances the three other paths (Bhakti, Jnana, and Karma) to help you find inner peace and self-awareness. While asanas and pranayamas are integral to Raja, the main practice is silent <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/breathing-and-meditation\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/breathing-and-meditation\">meditation</a>.</p><p></p><p>This type of yoga is also known as Ashtanga because the practice can be divided into <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/ashtanga-yoga-eight-limbs\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/ashtanga-yoga-eight-limbs\">eight limbs</a>:</p><ol><li><div>Yamas, or ethical standards: Ahimsa (non-violence), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity), Aparigraha (non-attachment), and Satya (truthfulness)</div></li><li><div>Niyamas, or self-discipline: Saucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study), Isvara Pranidhana (surrender)</div></li><li><div>Asana: the postures practiced in yoga</div></li><li><div>Pranayama: breath control</div></li><li><div>Pratyahara: internal awareness</div></li><li><div>Dharana: concentration</div></li><li><div>Dhyana: meditation</div></li><li><div>Samadhi: fulfillment, joy, ecstasy</div></li></ol><h2>Styles of Yoga</h2>\n            <picture>\n              <source \n                type=\"image/webp\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:webp/compress/resize=width:1801,height:1202/Xzahn3NSQYGgqtjBXXuQ\" \n                alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Side Plank Pose\"\n                title=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Side Plank Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <source \n                type=\"image/jpg\"\n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:1801,height:1202/Xzahn3NSQYGgqtjBXXuQ\"\n                alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Side Plank Pose\"\n                title=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Side Plank Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n              <img \n                data-srcset=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=w:930,fit:crop/quality=value:75/output=format:jpg/resize=width:1801,height:1202/Xzahn3NSQYGgqtjBXXuQ\"\n                alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Side Plank Pose\"\n                title=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Side Plank Pose\"\n                \n                \n                class=\"lazyLoadingImg\"\n              />\n          </picture>\n        <p>Now that you have a better understanding of the paths of yoga, let&#39;s turn our attention to the styles of yoga that you might find in any yoga studio. Styles of yoga range quite a bit, from power yoga and other demanding classes, to gentle yoga, and more meditative classes.</p><p></p><p>Some of the styles of yoga have a yoga lineage (like Kriya, Hatha, Ashtanga, and others), but yoga lineage has become less important to practitioners as yoga becomes more readily available to different cultures and people around the world.</p><p></p><p>This is by no means a complete list of the different styles of yoga. Inside <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">myYogaTeacher</a>, you&#39;ll also find offerings like gentle yoga, chair yoga, and therapeutic yoga for things like thyroid, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/therapeutic-yoga-for-diabetes-by-neelmani\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/therapeutic-yoga-for-diabetes-by-neelmani\">diabetes</a>, and more.</p><p></p><h3>Kriya Yoga</h3><p>Kriya yoga is an ancient practice that includes pranayama and meditation. Swami Paramahansa Yogananda is the guru known for bringing Kriya yoga to the Western world. This style of yoga uses meditation to lead practitioners to spirituality.</p><p></p><h3>Hatha Yoga</h3><p>Hatha yoga is a broad term that encompasses yoga styles using asanas (poses). <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-manjula\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-manjula\">Hatha classes</a> tend to be slower-paced and train practitioners to regulate their breath and meditate while in poses. It&#39;s truly a &quot;moving meditation.&quot;</p><p></p><h3>Vinyasa Yoga</h3><p>Vinyasa yoga uses movement and breath, similar to Hatha. However, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/what-is-vinyasa-yoga\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/what-is-vinyasa-yoga\">Vinyasa</a> tends to be a faster pace and flows through asanas rather than holding them. It&#39;s a physically demanding practice without a set structure.</p><p></p><h3>Ashtanga Yoga</h3><p>Ashtanga yoga is another physically demanding style of yoga that helps increase flexibility, as well as build strength and stamina. With Ashtanga, practitioners work through the same series of poses every time.</p><p></p><h3>Iyengar Yoga</h3><p>Iyengar yoga was created by B.K.S. Iyengar in the 1960s. This style of yoga focuses on precise movements and alignment. Poses are generally held for a long time and props are used to help practitioners perfect their form or get deeper into poses.</p><p></p><h3>Kundalini Yoga</h3><p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/kundalini-yoga\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/kundalini-yoga\">Kundalini yoga</a> is a spiritual and physical yoga practice designed to release the energy trapped in the lower spine. This style of yoga uses fast-paced postures and breathing, chanting, mantra, and meditation. It was introduced in the West during the 1970s by Yogi Bhajan.</p><p></p><h3>Bikram Yoga</h3><p>Bikram yoga is often called &quot;hot yoga&quot; since it is practiced in a humid, heated room (105º and 40% humidity). It&#39;s named after Bikram Choudhury and includes a series of 26 postures, performed twice, in a fast flow. It&#39;s a challenging practice that improves endurance and flexibility. As more and more practitioners try to distance themselves from the style&#39;s founder, you&#39;ll find a deviation from the series of postures as well as room temperatures and humidity.</p><p></p><h3>Yin Yoga</h3><p>Yin yoga focuses on seated postures held for long periods of time. It&#39;s a slower-paced style of yoga and can be quite meditative. Poses are generally held from 45 seconds to two minutes.</p><p></p><h3>Power Yoga</h3><p>There are several different forms of <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/power-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-neelmani\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/power-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-neelmani\">power yoga</a> but it&#39;s always intense and fast-paced. It combines flexibility, strength, concentration, and breathwork into a flowing style and was originally created for athletes.</p><p></p><h3>Restorative Yoga</h3><p>On the opposite end of the yoga spectrum from power yoga is restorative yoga. This style of yoga focuses on body relaxation and freeing your mind. It borrows pieces from several other yoga styles. Like Iyengar, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/restorative-yoga-for-deep-relaxation-for-beginner-level-by-apoorva\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/restorative-yoga-for-deep-relaxation-for-beginner-level-by-apoorva\">restorative yoga</a> practice encourages the use of props to encourage complete relaxation through body support. Like Yin, the poses in restorative yoga are held for a long time (though much longer than in Yin).</p><p></p><h2>Benefits of Yoga</h2><p>So far, we&#39;ve covered the paths of yoga as well as several different styles of yoga. But you may be wondering why you&#39;d practice yoga in the first place.</p><p></p><p>There have been so many scientific studies about the practice of yoga and its benefits. Those benefits range from physical to mental to emotional. Here are some of the benefits you can expect.</p><ul><li><div>Better posture. Yoga postures can help strengthen shoulder and back muscles. That strength then leads to better posture.</div></li><li><div>Improved flexibility and mobility through a combination of active movement and held stretches.</div></li><li><div>Increased strength. Yoga isn&#39;t easy. Many of the poses <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-core-and-muscle-strengthening-by-namrata\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-core-and-muscle-strengthening-by-namrata\">challenge muscles</a> in the legs, shoulders, and core.</div></li><li><div>Cardiovascular strength and endurance. Several yoga styles can improve your cardio through movement and flowing poses that increase the heart rate.</div></li><li><div>Better brain function and stress management. Many styles of yoga include meditation that has been shown to calm the mind, relieve stress and tension, improve concentration, and stabilize mood. The addition of Mudras (hand positions) and Pranayama, or controlled breathing, only heightens those positive effects.</div></li></ul><h3>Wrapping Up</h3><p>By now, you should have a much better understanding of what yoga is, the paths and styles of yoga, as well as which forms of yoga you might want to check out. To gain access to different styles of yoga, we invite you to <a\n            class=\"inline-cta\"\n            id=ad8291d7-9ff3-4f8d-b26b-ef999dc03213\n            href=\"/signup?utm_source=MYT__article&utm_medium=ckoa1aav4qv5a0b63w9h2eb4j&utm_campaign=inline_cta&utm_content=CTA-INLINE&entity_name=Yoga 101: What Is Yoga? Everything You Need to Know Before Getting Started&entity_slug=yoga-101-what-is-yoga&page_or_popup=/articles/yoga-101-what-is-yoga&entity_location=hyperlink_midst_of_article&article_cta=CTA-INLINE&from_article_page=true\"\n            onclick=trigger_mixpanel_sign_up_cta(\"ad8291d7-9ff3-4f8d-b26b-ef999dc03213\")\n            title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" \n            data-title=\"Yoga 101: What Is Yoga? Everything You Need to Know Before Getting Started\"\n            data-slug=\"yoga-101-what-is-yoga\"\n            <u>sign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher</a></u>        \n            </a> where you&#39;ll find 35+ live online yoga classes of various styles every single day to choose from.</p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"yoga-101-what-is-yoga","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"signup","redirectURL":"#","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz37hsu0cj0a76mgb4594m","name":"[CTA-FREECLASS]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz4d5stsye0b75dtlx1w0n","name":"[CTA-TRENDS]","description":{"html":"<p>Get ahead of the next trend and practice with authentic Indian yoga teachers! Sign up today and <strong>get 2 free private yoga sessions PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice with Authentic Indian Yoga Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz6nq0tqdr0c258titvagg","name":"[CTA-REVIEWS]","description":{"html":"<p>Find out what all the hype is about! <strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>103,478 Happy Students &amp; 12,086 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reviews</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz7nzktu400b752fym6wpw","name":"[CTA-HATHA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private hatha yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(including tons of daily Hatha yoga classes). No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Hatha Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>with Authentic Indian Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cky90p88g3zgc0d23yz6taont","name":"[CTA-NASAL]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>to relieve post nasal drip and clear out your sinus. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic Indian yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Post Nasal Drip &amp; Clear Your Sinus Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyirvl8g25ce0c70cldmca2g","name":"[CTA-TRATAKA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>with experienced Trataka teachers. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Candle Gazing Meditation) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Learn Trataka (Candle Gazing) Meditation Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyisqh482ck60b79rp1r1jcg","name":"[CTA-YIN]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong>, work with an experienced yoga therapist to reduce (and even eliminate) your back pain. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Yoga for Back Pain’) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Therapy – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Back Pain Safely &amp; Effectively Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitki4w2liz0b30tqpzhy4i","name":"[CTA-KRIYA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for Kriya Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation <strong>and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation Today!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitxgyg2pot0b79lu1fcpp1","name":"[CTA-BREATH]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for yogic breathing techniques (pranayama) and <strong>2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>, like ‘Stretch and Breathe’, ‘Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation’, and many others. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong> Learn Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Pranayama!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckykb6i2o1o7f0b368s1m7qow","name":"[CTA-LYMPHATIC]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong> for lymphatic drainage &amp; immunity enhancement. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group yoga classes</strong> (including daily yin-yoga) when you sign up today! No credit card required to sign up.</p><p></p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions –  </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>for Lymphatic Drainage &amp; Boosting Your Immune System!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl2vqlpyfe3yh0biohgxyx2hg","name":"[CTA-LEAD]","description":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl4gnwnrlga640ck37gutx7sn","name":"[CTA-GC]","description":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"}],"post":{"id":"ckoa1aav4qv5a0b63w9h2eb4j","slug":"yoga-101-what-is-yoga","author":{"name":"My Yoga Teacher","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"Yoga 101: What Is Yoga? Everything You Need to Know Before Getting Started","createdAt":"2021-05-04T12:54:40.207865+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-08T05:48:37.082674+00:00","coverUrl":"ozfwdauigdcdmkiwkeqs.png","seoDescription":"Not sure about yoga? Here's Yoga 101—everything you need to know about what yoga is, the benefits of yoga, and the types of yoga available.","content":{"text":"What Is Yoga?\\nYoga is an approach to physical and mental health and wellbeing that has been around for thousands of years. According to Sadhguru, the word \"yoga\" means \"that which brings you to reality.\" Taken literally, the word means \"union.\" Many take this to mean a \"union of the body and mind.\" Some might add \"spirit\" to the mix.\\n\\nThe word comes from the Sanskrit root word \"yuj,\" which means \"union,\" \"integration,\" or \"wholeness.\"\\n\\nThere are more than 300 million people in the world who practice yoga, according to the Yogi Times and the Economic Times. And roughly half of that number is yoga practitioners from India, but more and more people around the world are coming to yoga for various reasons, including 36 million people in the United States who make yoga a nearly $12 billion industry in the country (Statista). In this Yoga 101 article, you'll learn more about the practice of yoga, different yoga paths and styles, and the benefits of yoga.\\n\\nTo get the best possible understanding of yoga, we encourage you to \\nsign up for a free two-week of myYogaTeacher\\n. Once inside, you'll have two weeks to try more than 35 live online yoga classes every single day from Indian teachers who have a comprehensive understanding of the entire yoga practice. We even offer a \\nYoga 101 class\\n that you'll probably enjoy if you're here reading this article!\\n\\nPaths of Yoga\\n\\n\\nYoga philosophy\\n tells us that the cause of our suffering is a disconnection from our true self. That's why Vedanta offers four yoga paths to help us reconnect with our true selves. Let's take a look at these four paths of yoga: Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja.\\n\\nBhakti Yoga (Devotion)\\nBhakti yoga is the path of yoga built on self-realization through devotion. It's typically practiced through kirtans or bhajans (devotional chants) and helps practitioners work through intense emotions by focusing on the divine being.\\nBhakti yoga is all about prayer, worship, and ritual that gets the practitioners closer to the spirit, letting the ego and desire go.\\n\\nJnana Yoga (Knowledge and Wisdom)\\nJnana comes from the Sanskrit for \"knowledge.\" This is the path of intellect and wisdom and involves the study of sacred texts as well as contemplation and self-analysis. Those practicing Jnana are seeking to break through illusion to find the true meaning of life.\\n\\nJnana yoga is called the \"science of the self,\" by Swami Sivananda and the philosophy of Vedanta teaches self-inquiry to discover your true nature.\\n\\nKarma Yoga (Selfless Service)\\nKarma means \"action.\" Through Karma yoga, we learn to be kind and compassionate without expecting anything—even kindness and compassion—in return. Karma yoga is practiced through any acts of service when you put others’ needs before your own and feel grounded during these acts.\\n\\nThis practice is \"work as worship,\" cosmic love and tolerance when we act without expectation of personal gain. It is seen as liberating, through selfless service we free ourselves from karmic bonds and find peace.\\n\\nRaja Yoga (Meditation)\\nThe fourth path of yoga we're going to talk about is Raja yoga. Raja means \"royalty\" or \"kind\" in Sanskrit and balances the three other paths (Bhakti, Jnana, and Karma) to help you find inner peace and self-awareness. While asanas and pranayamas are integral to Raja, the main practice is silent \\nmeditation\\n.\\n\\nThis type of yoga is also known as Ashtanga because the practice can be divided into \\neight limbs\\n:\\nYamas, or ethical standards: Ahimsa (non-violence), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity), Aparigraha (non-attachment), and Satya (truthfulness)\\nNiyamas, or self-discipline: Saucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study), Isvara Pranidhana (surrender)\\nAsana: the postures practiced in yoga\\nPranayama: breath control\\nPratyahara: internal awareness\\nDharana: concentration\\nDhyana: meditation\\nSamadhi: fulfillment, joy, ecstasy\\nStyles of Yoga\\n\\nNow that you have a better understanding of the paths of yoga, let's turn our attention to the styles of yoga that you might find in any yoga studio. Styles of yoga range quite a bit, from power yoga and other demanding classes, to gentle yoga, and more meditative classes.\\n\\nSome of the styles of yoga have a yoga lineage (like Kriya, Hatha, Ashtanga, and others), but yoga lineage has become less important to practitioners as yoga becomes more readily available to different cultures and people around the world.\\n\\nThis is by no means a complete list of the different styles of yoga. Inside \\nmyYogaTeacher\\n, you'll also find offerings like gentle yoga, chair yoga, and therapeutic yoga for things like thyroid, \\ndiabetes\\n, and more.\\n\\nKriya Yoga\\nKriya yoga is an ancient practice that includes pranayama and meditation. Swami Paramahansa Yogananda is the guru known for bringing Kriya yoga to the Western world. This style of yoga uses meditation to lead practitioners to spirituality.\\n\\nHatha Yoga\\nHatha yoga is a broad term that encompasses yoga styles using asanas (poses). \\nHatha classes\\n tend to be slower-paced and train practitioners to regulate their breath and meditate while in poses. It's truly a \"moving meditation.\"\\n\\nVinyasa Yoga\\nVinyasa yoga uses movement and breath, similar to Hatha. However, \\nVinyasa\\n tends to be a faster pace and flows through asanas rather than holding them. It's a physically demanding practice without a set structure.\\n\\nAshtanga Yoga\\nAshtanga yoga is another physically demanding style of yoga that helps increase flexibility, as well as build strength and stamina. With Ashtanga, practitioners work through the same series of poses every time.\\n\\nIyengar Yoga\\nIyengar yoga was created by B.K.S. Iyengar in the 1960s. This style of yoga focuses on precise movements and alignment. Poses are generally held for a long time and props are used to help practitioners perfect their form or get deeper into poses.\\n\\nKundalini Yoga\\n\\nKundalini yoga\\n is a spiritual and physical yoga practice designed to release the energy trapped in the lower spine. This style of yoga uses fast-paced postures and breathing, chanting, mantra, and meditation. It was introduced in the West during the 1970s by Yogi Bhajan.\\n\\nBikram Yoga\\nBikram yoga is often called \"hot yoga\" since it is practiced in a humid, heated room (105º and 40% humidity). It's named after Bikram Choudhury and includes a series of 26 postures, performed twice, in a fast flow. It's a challenging practice that improves endurance and flexibility. As more and more practitioners try to distance themselves from the style's founder, you'll find a deviation from the series of postures as well as room temperatures and humidity.\\n\\nYin Yoga\\nYin yoga focuses on seated postures held for long periods of time. It's a slower-paced style of yoga and can be quite meditative. Poses are generally held from 45 seconds to two minutes.\\n\\nPower Yoga\\nThere are several different forms of \\npower yoga\\n but it's always intense and fast-paced. It combines flexibility, strength, concentration, and breathwork into a flowing style and was originally created for athletes.\\n\\nRestorative Yoga\\nOn the opposite end of the yoga spectrum from power yoga is restorative yoga. This style of yoga focuses on body relaxation and freeing your mind. It borrows pieces from several other yoga styles. Like Iyengar, \\nrestorative yoga\\n practice encourages the use of props to encourage complete relaxation through body support. Like Yin, the poses in restorative yoga are held for a long time (though much longer than in Yin).\\n\\nBenefits of Yoga\\nSo far, we've covered the paths of yoga as well as several different styles of yoga. But you may be wondering why you'd practice yoga in the first place.\\n\\nThere have been so many scientific studies about the practice of yoga and its benefits. Those benefits range from physical to mental to emotional. Here are some of the benefits you can expect.\\nBetter posture. Yoga postures can help strengthen shoulder and back muscles. That strength then leads to better posture.\\nImproved flexibility and mobility through a combination of active movement and held stretches.\\nIncreased strength. Yoga isn't easy. Many of the poses \\nchallenge muscles\\n in the legs, shoulders, and core.\\nCardiovascular strength and endurance. Several yoga styles can improve your cardio through movement and flowing poses that increase the heart rate.\\nBetter brain function and stress management. Many styles of yoga include meditation that has been shown to calm the mind, relieve stress and tension, improve concentration, and stabilize mood. The addition of Mudras (hand positions) and Pranayama, or controlled breathing, only heightens those positive effects.\\nWrapping Up\\nBy now, you should have a much better understanding of what yoga is, the paths and styles of yoga, as well as which forms of yoga you might want to check out. To gain access to different styles of yoga, we invite you to \\nsign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n where you'll find 35+ live online yoga classes of various styles every single day to choose from.","html":"<h2>What Is Yoga?</h2><p>Yoga is an approach to physical and mental health and wellbeing that has been around for thousands of years. According to Sadhguru, the word &quot;yoga&quot; means &quot;that which brings you to reality.&quot; Taken literally, the word means &quot;union.&quot; Many take this to mean a &quot;union of the body and mind.&quot; Some might add &quot;spirit&quot; to the mix.</p><p></p><p>The word comes from the Sanskrit root word &quot;yuj,&quot; which means &quot;union,&quot; &quot;integration,&quot; or &quot;wholeness.&quot;</p><img src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/7cI89J27QoSvqtRV4lEb\" alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Warrior Pose\" title=\"group yoga class.png\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p>There are more than 300 million people in the world who practice yoga, according to the Yogi Times and the Economic Times. And roughly half of that number is yoga practitioners from India, but more and more people around the world are coming to yoga for various reasons, including 36 million people in the United States who make yoga a nearly $12 billion industry in the country (Statista). In this Yoga 101 article, you&#39;ll learn more about the practice of yoga, different yoga paths and styles, and the benefits of yoga.</p><p></p><p>To get the best possible understanding of yoga, we encourage you to <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">sign up for a free two-week of myYogaTeacher</a>. Once inside, you&#39;ll have two weeks to try more than 35 live online yoga classes every single day from Indian teachers who have a comprehensive understanding of the entire yoga practice. We even offer a <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-101-by-Prakash\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-101-by-Prakash\">Yoga 101 class</a> that you&#39;ll probably enjoy if you&#39;re here reading this article!</p><p></p><h2>Paths of Yoga</h2><img src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/output=format:png/resize=width:600,height:400/ks2oKJmT220LnUbG3HKG\" alt=\"Paths of Yoga\" title=\"paths of yoga.png\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" /><p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-philosophy-by-sandeep\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-philosophy-by-sandeep\">Yoga philosophy</a> tells us that the cause of our suffering is a disconnection from our true self. That&#39;s why Vedanta offers four yoga paths to help us reconnect with our true selves. Let&#39;s take a look at these four paths of yoga: Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja.</p><p></p><h3>Bhakti Yoga (Devotion)</h3><p>Bhakti yoga is the path of yoga built on self-realization through devotion. It&#39;s typically practiced through kirtans or bhajans (devotional chants) and helps practitioners work through intense emotions by focusing on the divine being.</p><p>Bhakti yoga is all about prayer, worship, and ritual that gets the practitioners closer to the spirit, letting the ego and desire go.</p><p></p><h3>Jnana Yoga (Knowledge and Wisdom)</h3><p>Jnana comes from the Sanskrit for &quot;knowledge.&quot; This is the path of intellect and wisdom and involves the study of sacred texts as well as contemplation and self-analysis. Those practicing Jnana are seeking to break through illusion to find the true meaning of life.</p><p></p><p>Jnana yoga is called the &quot;science of the self,&quot; by Swami Sivananda and the philosophy of Vedanta teaches self-inquiry to discover your true nature.</p><p></p><h3>Karma Yoga (Selfless Service)</h3><p>Karma means &quot;action.&quot; Through Karma yoga, we learn to be kind and compassionate without expecting anything—even kindness and compassion—in return. Karma yoga is practiced through any acts of service when you put others’ needs before your own and feel grounded during these acts.</p><p></p><p>This practice is &quot;work as worship,&quot; cosmic love and tolerance when we act without expectation of personal gain. It is seen as liberating, through selfless service we free ourselves from karmic bonds and find peace.</p><p></p><h3>Raja Yoga (Meditation)</h3><p>The fourth path of yoga we&#39;re going to talk about is Raja yoga. Raja means &quot;royalty&quot; or &quot;kind&quot; in Sanskrit and balances the three other paths (Bhakti, Jnana, and Karma) to help you find inner peace and self-awareness. While asanas and pranayamas are integral to Raja, the main practice is silent <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/breathing-and-meditation\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/breathing-and-meditation\">meditation</a>.</p><p></p><p>This type of yoga is also known as Ashtanga because the practice can be divided into <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/ashtanga-yoga-eight-limbs\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/ashtanga-yoga-eight-limbs\">eight limbs</a>:</p><ol><li><div>Yamas, or ethical standards: Ahimsa (non-violence), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity), Aparigraha (non-attachment), and Satya (truthfulness)</div></li><li><div>Niyamas, or self-discipline: Saucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity), Svadhyaya (study), Isvara Pranidhana (surrender)</div></li><li><div>Asana: the postures practiced in yoga</div></li><li><div>Pranayama: breath control</div></li><li><div>Pratyahara: internal awareness</div></li><li><div>Dharana: concentration</div></li><li><div>Dhyana: meditation</div></li><li><div>Samadhi: fulfillment, joy, ecstasy</div></li></ol><h2>Styles of Yoga</h2><img src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/resize=width:1801,height:1202/Xzahn3NSQYGgqtjBXXuQ\" alt=\"Yoga Group Class Performing Side Plank Pose\" title=\"styles of yoga.png\" width=\"1801\" height=\"1202\" /><p>Now that you have a better understanding of the paths of yoga, let&#39;s turn our attention to the styles of yoga that you might find in any yoga studio. Styles of yoga range quite a bit, from power yoga and other demanding classes, to gentle yoga, and more meditative classes.</p><p></p><p>Some of the styles of yoga have a yoga lineage (like Kriya, Hatha, Ashtanga, and others), but yoga lineage has become less important to practitioners as yoga becomes more readily available to different cultures and people around the world.</p><p></p><p>This is by no means a complete list of the different styles of yoga. Inside <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">myYogaTeacher</a>, you&#39;ll also find offerings like gentle yoga, chair yoga, and therapeutic yoga for things like thyroid, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/therapeutic-yoga-for-diabetes-by-neelmani\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/therapeutic-yoga-for-diabetes-by-neelmani\">diabetes</a>, and more.</p><p></p><h3>Kriya Yoga</h3><p>Kriya yoga is an ancient practice that includes pranayama and meditation. Swami Paramahansa Yogananda is the guru known for bringing Kriya yoga to the Western world. This style of yoga uses meditation to lead practitioners to spirituality.</p><p></p><h3>Hatha Yoga</h3><p>Hatha yoga is a broad term that encompasses yoga styles using asanas (poses). <a target='_blank' title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-manjula\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/hatha-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-manjula\">Hatha classes</a> tend to be slower-paced and train practitioners to regulate their breath and meditate while in poses. It&#39;s truly a &quot;moving meditation.&quot;</p><p></p><h3>Vinyasa Yoga</h3><p>Vinyasa yoga uses movement and breath, similar to Hatha. However, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/what-is-vinyasa-yoga\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/what-is-vinyasa-yoga\">Vinyasa</a> tends to be a faster pace and flows through asanas rather than holding them. It&#39;s a physically demanding practice without a set structure.</p><p></p><h3>Ashtanga Yoga</h3><p>Ashtanga yoga is another physically demanding style of yoga that helps increase flexibility, as well as build strength and stamina. With Ashtanga, practitioners work through the same series of poses every time.</p><p></p><h3>Iyengar Yoga</h3><p>Iyengar yoga was created by B.K.S. Iyengar in the 1960s. This style of yoga focuses on precise movements and alignment. Poses are generally held for a long time and props are used to help practitioners perfect their form or get deeper into poses.</p><p></p><h3>Kundalini Yoga</h3><p><a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/kundalini-yoga\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/kundalini-yoga\">Kundalini yoga</a> is a spiritual and physical yoga practice designed to release the energy trapped in the lower spine. This style of yoga uses fast-paced postures and breathing, chanting, mantra, and meditation. It was introduced in the West during the 1970s by Yogi Bhajan.</p><p></p><h3>Bikram Yoga</h3><p>Bikram yoga is often called &quot;hot yoga&quot; since it is practiced in a humid, heated room (105º and 40% humidity). It&#39;s named after Bikram Choudhury and includes a series of 26 postures, performed twice, in a fast flow. It&#39;s a challenging practice that improves endurance and flexibility. As more and more practitioners try to distance themselves from the style&#39;s founder, you&#39;ll find a deviation from the series of postures as well as room temperatures and humidity.</p><p></p><h3>Yin Yoga</h3><p>Yin yoga focuses on seated postures held for long periods of time. It&#39;s a slower-paced style of yoga and can be quite meditative. Poses are generally held from 45 seconds to two minutes.</p><p></p><h3>Power Yoga</h3><p>There are several different forms of <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/power-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-neelmani\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/power-yoga-for-intermediate-level-by-neelmani\">power yoga</a> but it&#39;s always intense and fast-paced. It combines flexibility, strength, concentration, and breathwork into a flowing style and was originally created for athletes.</p><p></p><h3>Restorative Yoga</h3><p>On the opposite end of the yoga spectrum from power yoga is restorative yoga. This style of yoga focuses on body relaxation and freeing your mind. It borrows pieces from several other yoga styles. Like Iyengar, <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/restorative-yoga-for-deep-relaxation-for-beginner-level-by-apoorva\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/restorative-yoga-for-deep-relaxation-for-beginner-level-by-apoorva\">restorative yoga</a> practice encourages the use of props to encourage complete relaxation through body support. Like Yin, the poses in restorative yoga are held for a long time (though much longer than in Yin).</p><p></p><h2>Benefits of Yoga</h2><p>So far, we&#39;ve covered the paths of yoga as well as several different styles of yoga. But you may be wondering why you&#39;d practice yoga in the first place.</p><p></p><p>There have been so many scientific studies about the practice of yoga and its benefits. Those benefits range from physical to mental to emotional. Here are some of the benefits you can expect.</p><ul><li><div>Better posture. Yoga postures can help strengthen shoulder and back muscles. That strength then leads to better posture.</div></li><li><div>Improved flexibility and mobility through a combination of active movement and held stretches.</div></li><li><div>Increased strength. Yoga isn&#39;t easy. Many of the poses <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-core-and-muscle-strengthening-by-namrata\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/group_classes/yoga-for-core-and-muscle-strengthening-by-namrata\">challenge muscles</a> in the legs, shoulders, and core.</div></li><li><div>Cardiovascular strength and endurance. Several yoga styles can improve your cardio through movement and flowing poses that increase the heart rate.</div></li><li><div>Better brain function and stress management. Many styles of yoga include meditation that has been shown to calm the mind, relieve stress and tension, improve concentration, and stabilize mood. The addition of Mudras (hand positions) and Pranayama, or controlled breathing, only heightens those positive effects.</div></li></ul><h3>Wrapping Up</h3><p>By now, you should have a much better understanding of what yoga is, the paths and styles of yoga, as well as which forms of yoga you might want to check out. To gain access to different styles of yoga, we invite you to <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">sign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher</a> where you&#39;ll find 35+ live online yoga classes of various styles every single day to choose from.</p>"},"category":["yoga"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"recommendations_group_class":[{"session_uuid":"f1374717-c5a4-4b48-a49d-4c1a0968ede3","student_uuid":"3975ccdb-a85e-4ad9-8540-13ca77c16690","teacher_uuid":"ffdf8a79-d986-4ab3-8fe8-b28ca7ad6a9c","teacher_name":"Rohan Shroff","teacher_first_name":"Rohan ","teacher_slug":"rohan-1","teacher_photo":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dgerdfai4/image/upload/v1663072548/teacher/photos/qww2qflht6gf4emjllie.jpg","group_session_name":"Kriya, Pranayama and Meditation","group_session_description":"Kriyas are a set of purifying practices intended to help the body to clear energy pathways and strengthen the immune system. 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