What types of yoga do you practice?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

There was a time in my practice of yoga where I felt that the offshoots from classical yoga were less than desirable. I now realize that they are in some ways like tools in a tools shed. Each can help you perform a slightly different task because it is designed for that purpose.

I’m curious what forms of yoga you practice, and why?

I practice:

Hatha - This was where I began my practice and I continue it to this day. It helps me become more aware of my body, increases flexibility, burns off impurities, assists in the removal of the many masks I wear/have worn, and the list goes on. I’m sure it also does a lot that I’m not even aware of :slight_smile: I’m finding that I am starting to move towards interest in strict alignment practices as my body is now in need of detailed, micro-adjustments.

Acro Yoga - The first time I did Acro Yoga I was hooked. It was FUN and I KNEW I wanted to eventually teach it. At the time, I didn’t really understand why, but now I do. Acro Yoga has been absolutely integral to my practice because I used to be a VERY serious, disconnected person. Acro Yoga has helped me connect to the innocent playfulness within and allowed me to become infinitely more comfortable interacting with people.

Neurogenic Yoga - I used to suffer from PTSD. I was a highly traumatized, stressed individual. I was stuck operating from the sympathetic nervous system. Neurogenic Yoga has been my trauma surgeon.

Heated Yoga - I practice heated yoga about once a month primarily for the great detox it provides.

#2

[QUOTE=David;14588]Hatha - This was where I began my practice and I continue it to this day. It helps me become more aware of my body, increases flexibility, burns off impurities, assists in the removal of the many masks I wear/have worn, and the list goes on. I’m sure it also does a lot that I’m not even aware of :slight_smile: I’m finding that I am starting to move towards interest in strict alignment practices as my body is now in need of detailed, micro-adjustments.[/QUOTE]

As I am still new to yoga, I practice Hatha yoga for many of the reasons you mention above. It has also helped me relax and focus

Sean

#3

Namaste David,

[B]Integral Yoga[/B]: - as developed by Swami Sivananda. Why? Becasue I love they way it integrates, synthesizes and combines all the tranditional branches of yoga (i.e bahkti, laya, hatha, tantra, mantra, etc.) with Vedanta. Swami Sivananda was a simple and straightforward man. One of his practical mottos was: “Do it now.” I find his system of Integral Yoga to be the same, simple, direct and to the point of do it now!

Swamiji said and I quote from [I]Sivananda’s Integral Yoga[/I] by Swami Venkatesananda: “It is not enough to practise any one kind of spiritual discipline, however well you may strive to do so. Every aspirant should incorporate in his spiritual programme all the items of all the yogas or modes of approaching God.” Integral yoga embodies this view of Swamiji for me as well and one of the many reasons I love it. :slight_smile:

#4

Hmmm David this is challenging. Since “yoga” has not been defined for this thread I’m left in a lurch…and I can’t bring myself with good conscience to give an asana answer to a yoga question.

So I’ll describe my practice as it comes to me and do the best I can. Please bear with me.

I practice the “type” of yoga that must be practiced all day long. It is the type of yoga that calls me to live by the yamas and niyamas, the type of yoga that allows self-examination of the deepest sort through the identification of the kleshas, the type that empowers ethics.

I practice the type of yoga where I leave things better than I found them. I practice the type of yoga that steers me to identify just why my soul has entered this body AND to then pursue that purpose so that my soul may be nourished (before it moves along).

I practice the type of yoga that emanates from the Gayatri mantra asking that the consciousness be illuminated. I practice the type of yoga which views samadhi as a middle ground not an end, a type of yoga that facilitates bringing the divine into matter, into the physical, in order to help the planet.

I practice the type of yoga that is complete by its very definition in the sanskrit language, attending to lifestyle and nutrition, meditation, applied philosophy (based on the Gita, Upanishads, Vedas, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Sutras), and asana and pranayama.

I practice the type of yoga that does not lean on an external furnace, attenuated lights, burning incense, or cd players. I practice a type of yoga where I am taught how to keep my ego at bay by utilizing humility and gratitude - though clearly that is a work in progress :slight_smile:

By what name this yoga is identified is somewhat irrelevant.

#5

Vinyasa and acro occasionally. I wish I studied ashtanga with a teacher, but I do primary series about once a week if I have time. It’s very grounding to me.

#6

David,
The neurogenic yoga got my interest. I recently discovered hanna somatics.(kinda similar sounding in theory)so Happy to try out the efficacy of this.

(David- tried registeringon a forum with the name, which i’m going to hazard a guess that you own, but the image verification thingie would appear to have a bug in it. ( there’s little or no resemblance to six letters/digits in the image)

Open to any yoga/tool out there, that works for you.Have now learnt to be more open-minded about non-classical yogas, not that i practised hatha that long.But when it worked the results were powerful.

I daresay i might benefit from an experienced iyengar teacher, one–on-one if i had the cash.

Just a novice happy to discover more.

#7

Hello Everyone.
I just started doing Bikram Yoga. So Far I love it!

#8

[QUOTE=David;14588]There was a time in my practice of yoga where I felt that the offshoots from classical yoga were less than desirable. I now realize that they are in some ways like tools in a tools shed. Each can help you perform a slightly different task because it is designed for that purpose…
[/QUOTE]

I practice both Iyengar yoga for its precision and Bihar School of Yoga for it emphasis on the Chakras while in a pose.

#9

[quote=core789;14633]David,
The neurogenic yoga got my interest. I recently discovered hanna somatics.(kinda similar sounding in theory)so Happy to try out the efficacy of this.[/quote]
There are only a couple teachers of Neurogenic Yoga (both based out of Arizona in the USA) as it is a new practice based in part upon the tenets of the Trauma Release Process. If you’re interested, at this point in time, I would recommend a book by the creator of the Trauma Release Process (let me know and I’ll link you).

#10

Dynamic Hatha, so the instructor says.

Whats the difference between Hatha and Dynamic Hatha?

#11

i practice yoga in a relaxed form.
meaning no less than 3 times a week.
my pace , my learning curve , my living room
and this spring outdoors for sure…
just the way yoga is spose to be unregimented.
i did martial arts for several years i learned more in my backyard
then i ever did in the constricting regimented dojo. : )

  • not that theres anything wrong w/that * ; ) x 10
#12

Tommy,

Unreggimented?

You’re comparing yoga to martial arts?

I’m confused. Straighten me out please.

Mike,

The difference? Ego and subsequently marketing, nothing more.

#13

I practice daily at home, my own flow inspired by my past and present teachers in both Anusara and Ashtanga.

#14

[quote=InnerAthlete;14695]Tommy,

Unreggimented?

You’re comparing yoga to martial arts?

I’m confused. Straighten me out please.[/quote]

Sorry ur confused i meant to karate in my yard ~ karate at the dojo
painting a picture in my backyard or painting at a painting class.
knitting in front of fire place ~ knitting at a class with a bunch of old bittys.
you know what old bittys are ? the type of ppl who over analyze every little ?
to try and get ppl out of their mind too regimented…thats not yoga 2 me. :slight_smile:

#15

Hi I have practised in the Sivananda tradition for the last twenty years and giving back to the practice by teaching for the last six years in London.
Its all yoga regardless of whichever tradition or school you study with.
Serve ,love .give , meditate ,realise.
Namaste,
Murali.

#16

I practice [I](and practice, and practice…) [/I]the Yoga of mind, body and speech.
It keeps me very busy :smiley:

#17

I practice whichever form of yoga seems appropriate that day. Sometimes it’s quite dynamic (Ashtanga, Jivamukti) other days it’s more serene (Yin with lots of pranayama and meditation). It’s the same when I teach. I try and get a feel for the group dynamics and teach accordingly.

#18

[QUOTE=Nichole;14813]I practice [I](and practice, and practice…) [/I]the Yoga of mind, body and speech.
It keeps me very busy :smiley:

*[/QUOTE]

hmmmm
maybe the best answer yet. :slight_smile:

#19

Hi David

You can list the book here you recommend,
( or pm me if that is better forum etiquette)
, by all means. Have now garnered a few books already on the mind/body field. Funny how they start building up.
If it works ,great!

I’m sure there’s folk here with extensive libraries ( as well as a lifetime of practice.)I like the idea of this forum being like a virtual studio, as one poster wisely remarked.
enlighten me further. i saw the u-tube video

There is so much to choose from outside the usual sections in the ‘Borders’ stores here in scotland which often have alot of popular type asana guides with a few gems like ‘light in yoga’ tucked in there somewhere.

hugs:cool:
Sam

You can move this post to private message ( i typed ‘massage’, by accident there, hehe) if it’s inappropriate here .:slight_smile:

#20

Maha Yoga

My understanding is that there are four spiritual paths:

Mantra Yoga
Hatha Yoga
Raja Yoga
Laya Yoga (also known as Kundalini Yoga).

Together they form the Maha Yoga. In Sanskrit Maha means great or powerful. However,
translation might lose some subtleties of language.