Namaste, yogi! Are you trying to find which yoga is the right one for you? Well, look no further as there should be at least one yoga style on this list that’ll resonate with you! While traveling, being able to do yoga at natural places such as beaches and mountains can be a great way to ground yourself and help with the recovery of your fatigued body. There’s always time for yoga, even while on the road!
To start things off, what exactly is yoga? Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj,” which means to unite and it refers to the union of the individual self with the universal self.
Often described as the union of mind, body, and spirit which is the true essence of yoga. While usually seen as a physical exercise that involves stretching, strengthening, and balancing the body, it is much more than that! At its very core, yoga is a spiritual practice. While the physical aspect of yoga (asana) is just one part, it also incorporates breathwork (pranayama) and meditation which can all lead to a greater sense of inner peace, mindfulness, and self-awareness.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga offers numerous benefits ranging from physical, mental, emotional and spiritual and I can attest to a lot of these myself!
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Physical
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Mental
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Emotional
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Spiritual
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Improves flexibility by stretching and lengthening your muscles.
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Reduces stress and anxiety by lowering levels of cortisol
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Promotes relaxation by activating the parasympathetic nervous system
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Increases awareness and mindfulness by cultivating a sense of presence and awareness
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Increases strength
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Increases the production of serotonin, the “happy” hormone
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Boosts mood and self-esteem
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Helps you tap into a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in life
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Improves balance and stability
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Increases body awareness
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Helps regulate emotions and improve overall emotional stability
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Enhances intuition and creativity
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Helps lower blood pressure
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Reduces symptoms of depression
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Encourages self-compassion
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Cultivate a sense of empathy and compassion for others
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Improves circulation by increasing blood flow and oxygenation to the body
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Improves sleep quality by relaxing the body
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Fosters gratitude
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Teaches that everything is interconnected, and through yoga practice, you can experience a greater sense of unity with all things
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Helps stimulate digestion and alleviate digestive issues
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Improves concentration and focus
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Encourages you to focus on the present moment
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Offers a path to spiritual growth and evolution
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7 Yoga Styles
1. Yin Yoga
The practice of Yin Yoga originated in China and is based on the Taoist concept of Yin and Yang, which represent opposing forces in nature. Yin is associated with calmness, while Yang is associated with activity. Yin Yoga seeks to balance these forces by cultivating stillness and introspection.
Yin Yoga is a slow-paced, meditative style of yoga with postures that are held for longer periods of time. The practice involves holding poses for 3-5 minutes, or even up to 20 minutes in some cases, with the aim of targeting the connective tissues, such as ligaments, bones, and even the joints. This is in contrast to other more dynamic forms of yoga, which typically focus on strengthening the muscles.
Yin yoga is a great choice if you’re looking to improve flexibility, as it helps to increase the range of motion in the joints. It is also a deeply relaxing practice, as it allows for a gentle, sustained stretch that can help to alleviate discomfort.
2. Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga is one of the oldest and most traditional styles of yoga that dates back all the way to the 15th century. It emphasizes the physical aspect of yoga, with the goal of strengthening and purifying the body in preparation for meditation. The word “Hatha” is derived from the Sanskrit words “ha” (sun) and “tha” (moon), which symbolize the balance of opposites that the practice of Hatha Yoga aims to achieve, similar to the aforementioned yin and yang (you might be beginning to see a theme here).
In Hatha yoga, the focus is on holding physical postures (asanas) for longer periods of time, which helps to improve strength, flexibility, and balance. The practice also emphasizes the use of pranayama to control the flow of energy (prana) within the body and promote relaxation and mental focus.
Hatha yoga is one of the most popular forms of yoga and is often recommended for beginners because it provides a solid foundation for more advanced practices.
3. Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini Yoga, also known as the “Yoga of Awareness,” is a highly spiritual and meditative form of yoga. Personally, this is the yoga that I practice daily (even while traveling!) and it has done so much for me in mind, body and spirit. Kundalini yoga’s roots can be traced back thousands of years in India. The teachings and practices were traditionally passed down from master to student in a secret and sacred way but Yogi Bhajan felt that these teachings were too important to be kept hidden and started to make it more accessible in the West around the late 1960s.
Kundalini yoga focuses on the energy within the body, particularly the energy at the base of the spine known as the Kundalini energy. It is usually depicted in the shape of a coiled serpent that when activated will start moving up from the root chakra to the crown chakra thus leading to spiritual awakening and enlightenment.
Kundalini Yoga include its emphasis on breathing techniques, including rapid, rhythmic breathing, as well as the use of mudras, mantra chanting, and meditation. The practice is also known for its use of specific postures or “kriyas” that are designed to stimulate and balance the body’s energy centers or “chakras.”
If you are looking to deepen your spiritual practice and gain greater awareness of your inner self, Kundalini Yoga could be a great choice for you. We usually end our sessions with the mantra “Sat Nam” which essential means “I am Truth”
4. Ashtanga Yoga
If you’re looking for a real challenge and a good work out, Ashtanga Yoga could be the right one for you. Ashtanga yoga is a traditional and physically demanding form of yoga that emphasizes a set sequence of postures. Ashtanga means “eight limbs,” which refers to the eight limbs of yoga as described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Ashtanga Yoga was popularized by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in the 20th century, who created a specific sequence of postures known as the Primary Series.
Ashtanga Yoga classes follow a set sequence of postures, which are typically divided into six series. Students are expected to memorize the sequence and move through the poses in a continuous flow, synchronized with the breath with a focus on building strength, flexibility, and stamina.
The practice of Ashtanga yoga is designed to create heat in the body, which helps to detoxify and purify the system.
5. Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa yoga has its roots in Ashtanga yoga, but with more flexibility and creativity in sequencing. Vinyasa, which means “to place in a special way,” is characterized by its continuous and fluid movements, with each movement being linked to the breath.
It was popularized in the 1990s by teachers such as Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Beryl Bender Birch. In a typical vinyasa class, students will flow through a series of postures, with each movement being synchronized with an inhale or an exhale.
6. Yoga Nidra
Oh Yoga Nidra! I like to call it “Sleep Yoga,” it’s one of my favorite forms of yoga and to be honest, a life-saver as I always had trouble with sleep. Nowadays, there isn’t a night that goes by where I don’t do it before bed and I always seem to get the best sleeps in my life. Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation that is practiced lying down in a comfortable
position. The term “yoga nidra” translates to “yogic sleep,” although it’s not actually a form of sleep. Instead, it’s a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping where the body is deeply relaxed, and the mind is highly receptive.
Yoga Nidra has its roots in ancient Tantric practices but was popularized in the 20th century by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. In a typical Yoga Nidra practice, the teacher guides you through a series of relaxation techniques, including body scans and breath awareness. The practice can last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or more, and the goal is to achieve a deep state of relaxation and inner awareness. I always just play some Yoga Nidra videos on Youtube and end up in such a relaxed state, it’s especially useful while traveling as a way to wind down and restore your body for the days ahead.
There’s some science behind it as well. During Yoga Nidra, the body is in a state of deep relaxation, while the mind remains alert and focused. This state of relaxation has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to reduce stress and promote healing. As you go through the relaxation techniques, the brain typically transitions from a state of beta waves (associated with active thinking and stress) to alpha waves (associated with relaxation and meditation).
From there, the brain may enter into theta waves, which are associated with deep relaxation, creativity, and visualization though I usually fall asleep before the session ends. Theta waves are also associated with the state between wakefulness and sleep, making it easier for practitioners to enter a deep state of relaxation.
Yoga Nidra has also been shown to increase activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with decision-making and emotional regulation as well as maintaining a sense of self within the dream state (for those interested in doing dream work and lucid dreaming).
7. Hot Yoga
Hot Yoga is a style of yoga that is practiced in a heated room. The room is typically heated to 41°C or 105°F with a humidity of 40%. Some hot yoga practices try to replicate the environment of India in terms of the heat and humidity since it is where yoga originated.
The heat is intended to promote flexibility and detoxification through sweating. The specific sequence of postures and breathing exercises is designed to work every part of the body, from the inside out! Hot Yoga is often seen as a physically challenging practice, but it can also have mental and emotional benefits though I find it a bit on the extreme side of the spectrum.
Reflection
No matter which yoga style you go for, you can expect positive changes to come as long as you keep at it. Like anything in life, there are no shortcuts and we all have to put in the work but in return your body, mind and soul will thank you for taking the time to giving yourself some love. Just this overall sense of freedom you get as you slowly achieve flexibility and core strength, what an amazing feeling! I like to think that the body, mind and spirit function as some sort of trinity where you can’t have one lacking or the other and when they are all in harmony, you can really start to experience a new level of life and yoga is one way to tackle all three aspects (even though I said there are no shortcuts but hey!) Good luck on the path and I hope this article has been able to help you a bit!
