Top Yoga Techniques For A Healthy Life

Yoga!!!!! A buzz word for today’s generation!!!! We all talk about yoga almost everyday but many a times it is difficult for anyone to know which particular yoga is beneficial for one’s health and moreover we get confused most of the times about the difference in various yoga poses and asanas. This article is an answer to all these questions and different yoga styles are discussed here.

Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti yoga, as the name suggests is a passionate form of yoga involving affection towards God. When history is recalled the origin of Bhakti yoga is believed to be before hatha yogi. The exact origin is not depicted in history, but yoga experts believe it’s origin around since before the fifth century BC. There are nine forms of Bhakti yoga:

• Sravana (hearing about God);
• Kirtana (singing of the glory of God);
• Smarana (remembering God's name and presence);
• Padasevana (service of God):
• Archana (worship of God);
• Vandana (prostration);
• Dasya (cultivating the Bhava of a servant);
• Sakhya (cultivation of the friend-Bhava);
• Atmanivedana (surrender of the self).

Karma Yoga
The dictionary meaning of word Karma is action or deed, and the outcome or the resultant. Since childhood we have been taught to do the karma in the manner so that the resultant of the actions is maximum amounts of good and the least amount of evil. Karma yoga is another form of dedication towards God. A combination of our actions with the Divine force is our performance. Karma yoga is incomplete if it does not involve selfless service. The history of karma yoga is believed to be originated before 800 BC, when yoga was inclined towards life disciplines and paths.

Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga started around 5000 years BC, and was began by Vivekanand Needam Yoga Sutra. As the name suggests ashtanga yoga means asht (8) anga or the eight limbs or eight fold path formulated by Vivekanad Needam. While practicing ashtanga yoga one needs to focus and concentrate on each of the eight limbs, which are:

• Yama (principles or moral code);
• Niyama (personal disciplines);
• Asana (ashtanga yoga postures)
• Pranayama (yoga breathing);
• Prayahara (withdrawal of senses);
• Dharana (concentration on objects);
• Dhyan (meditation);
• Samadhi (salvation).

Jnana Yoga
Jnana yoga emphasizes on power of knowledge. While practicing Jnana yoga, one needs to pay attention on the all the seven stages which are study, self-realization, desire, protection of the mind, developing indifference to objects, letting the world appear like a dream, non-attachment to the world, bliss and knowledge of truth.

Hatha Yoga
Quite popular in the western world Hatha yoga is based on the use of different yoga postures or asanas for the benefit of the body physically. Hatha yoga emphasizes on how to prepare the mind for spiritual journey by conditioning the body. As ancient yogis believed that when the body is in good physical condition, then only mind can concentrate better on spiritual matters.

Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini yoga emphasizes on Kundalini awakening means stimulation of the energy which is found at the base of the spine is. Kundalini yoga is popular as the most powerful yoga. For performing Kundalini yoga one needs to focus on practicing classic yoga poses. Chanting and meditation are also indispensable part of it. The concentration in Kundalini yoga is on breathe control.

Swara Yoga
Swara yoga teaches how to control the inhalations and exhalations from the nostrils and how to manipulate the flow of breath for health benefits. The essential part of Swara yoga is to observe the nostril's breath flow at all times of the day and seasons. Evidences show that Swara yoga has been practiced for over ten thousand years. Initially only high society people, like kings and sadhaks were eligible to practice it.

Raja yoga
Raja yoga emphasizes on synchronization of mind and emotions and makes a balance by controlling one's life force. The meditation style used in Raja Yoga focuses on the Lord. It helps the sadhaka to guide the life force to move up and down the spine, until contentment of mind is acheived. Then awareness is directed to a point in the lower forehead.

Kriya Yoga
The main aim of Kriya yoga is the spiritual growth using meditation techniques that help combining one’s soul with the Divine. The spiritual energy accumulated deep in the spines is guided through meditation. In Kriya yoga the awakening of mind helps drawing the vital energy up and down the spine using mind power.

Mantra Yoga
As the name suggests Mantra yoga means repeat chanting of a word or phrase until the mind and emotions are transcended and the one reaches the stage of super consciousness. Repeating a mantra helps to concentrate the mind meditation and avoids sudden wondering of mind. The mind is then focused better on yoga. Two popular mantras are aum mani padme hum (om the jewel is in the Lotus hum) and asato ma sat gamayo (lead me from the unreal to the real).

By now, you should have got answer to all questions about yoga types.. However, now when the differences in yoga styles are known to you, you may decide what types of yoga are beneficial to you more. Many people practice a number of yoga disciplines, which focus on different aims and techniques. Once you know the yoga types you want to practice, you can search for appropriate yoga teachers or yoga centers. Most types of yoga have practitioners all over the world.

Yoga Poses & Yoga Exercises

In Sanskrit, the word “pose” is “asana” (pronounced as “ah-sah-nah”).

Ancient yogis studied human body and then developed various yoga asanas so that each and every part of our body gets benefits from yoga poses. The yoga poses not only give us health benefits but also make us more aware of our body, mind, and environment.

It is however advised that while beginning yoga exercises, one must have a cool mind and experiment with the poses as per one’s comfort and convenience. The benefits of yoga exercises will be noticed faster if one has a playful mind and also the feeling of frustration and competitiveness will not enter the mind. The word of caution one must keep in mind while practicing yoga exercises, is that there must not be any feeling of discomfort or pain.

Important things to keep in mind during yoga practice:

• Never hold your breathe during a pose.
  
  
• Do not force or strain your breath.
  
  
• Whenever you notice Labored breathing, come out of the pose slightly as it is an indication that you’re working too hard.
  
  
• The rule of thumb is that, one can hold for three full breaths through most yoga poses. You must hold it longer only if your body says that you are comfortable in the pose, and if the body shows symptoms that you are uncomfortable, you should come out of the pose immediately.

Types of Yoga Poses

Seated poses

• Seated yoga poses are especially beneficial if practiced for breathing exercises and relaxation or meditation techniques.
  
  
• Seated poses generally advised to be used as a warm up or as a starting point for other poses.
  
  
• Performing seated poses can help improve your posture and open your hips.

Standing poses

• Standing yoga poses are often used as warm up or as a starting point for other poses.
  
  
• Standing poses are beneficial for strengthening your legs, opening your hips and improving your sense of balance.

Inversions

• Yoga experts advice Inversion yoga poses because it helps to improve your blood circulation quiet your mind and improve your overall health.
  
  
• Inversions are also believed to reverse the ageing process and reduce the effect of the gravity on your body.

Relaxation and restorative poses

• Relaxation or restorative yoga poses are more beneficial if performed at the end of each yoga practice.
  
  
• The body and mind get more relaxed at this time and the energy released by the poses in your practice is moved freely throughout your body.

Counter poses

• A counter pose is a yoga pose that stretches your spine in the opposite direction from a previous pose or returns your spine to a neutral position.

Twists

• Twists are generally advised to stretch and strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, increase the flexibility of your spine and improve your circulation.
  
  
• As the body is twisted and released, a fresh flow of blood moves in the body thereby improving the functioning of your internal organs.

Balancing poses

• Balancing yoga poses are great for improving your balance and coordination as well as developing your ability to remain grounded in a pose.
  
  
• Keeping your body balanced encourages you to focus, quiet and balance your mind.

Forward bends

• Forward bends stretch the entire back of your body, especially your hamstrings.
  
  
• Forward bends especially beneficial to release tension, calm your mind and soothe your nervous system.
  
  
• Similar to back bends, forward bends help keep your spine strong and supple.

Back bends

• A great challenge for any yoga performer is to perform back bends successfully.
  
  
• Bending backward helps strength your back and keep your spine strong and supple.
  
  
• Back bends also open the front of your body, especially your chest.