Help me identify which type of yoga I like?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

What I like: Structured sequences that slowly flow from one pose to the next, and each pose is held for a number of seconds, so you really feel the pose. Breathing is very important in these poses to feel the full stretch/effect. I like to begin and end with some meditation.

What I don’t like: Moving in and out of poses quickly, no attention to breathing, ‘power yoga’.

The caveat: I really feel like I’m a little more advanced, and need something challenging, but does challenging always have to equate to ‘power yoga’?

There are so many ‘types’ of yoga out there, that I am confused. Any help would be appreciated!!!

#2

You’re singing a tune familiar to many yoga students.

Let me humbly offer a simple suggestion.

You can’t always judge a class by its label. Some teachers of “power” yoga and its cousins may very well take a more gentle, contemplative approach that the label “power” would suggest.
Teachers of other styles with a reputation for contemplation/slowness, etc., may teach their classes in a more aggressive manner than you like.

So, unless you know (whether through your own direct experience or from a trusted source) what a class/teacher is like, I would suggest you look at the individual class/teacher before deciding if its right for you. Talk to the teacher and his/her students before you take a class. If you like what you hear, try the class.

If all else fails, find a good video that fits you, and practice on your own. On our own at home, we can practice in a way that’s just right for us – the perfect pacing, sequence, etc. Yoga classes, by their very nature, must play to the generic yoga student, not the real individuals that make up the class. So, the pacing and sequence that the teacher sets may fit some students, but not others. Its really impossible to get it right for everyone in the class. This is why I much prefer to practice at home.

Maybe you can look at yoga primarily a place to learn, not so much as a place to practice per se. As you learn good technique, sequencing, and get some feedback, you’ll start to learn how to construct your own practice that’s just right for you.

Hope this helps.