Yoga is an old spiritual and physical discipline which originated in India. Yoga helps to improve your health and happiness through the practice of exercise and meditation. In yoga, one moves from one posture, asana, to another. This article provides you some of the most basic yoga terms to help you begin your yoga journey.
Different Types of Yoga
Hatha yoga
In the West, hatha yoga simply refers to all the other styles of yoga. Hatha yoga classes are best for beginners since they are usually paced slower than other yoga styles. Hatha classes today are a classic approach to breathing and exercises.
Ashtanga yoga
Ashtanga yoga involves a very physically demanding sequence of postures, so this style of yoga is definitely not for the beginner. It takes an experienced yogi to really love it. Ashtanga starts with five sun salutation A's and five sun salutation B's and then moves into a series of standing and floor postures.
Vinyasa yoga
The most athletic yoga style. Vinyasa was adapted from ashtanga yoga.
Iyengar yoga
Founded by B.K.S. Iyengar and focuses on alignment as well as detailed and precise movements. In an Iyengar class, students perform a variety of postures while controlling the breath.
Kundalini yoga
Equal parts spiritual and physical. This style is all about releasing the kundalini energy in your body said to be trapped, or coiled, in the lower spine.
Yin yoga
Yin yoga is a slow-paced style of yoga with seated postures that are held for longer periods of time. Yin can also be a meditative yoga practice that helps you find inner peace.
Restorative yoga
This style focuses on body relaxation. Restorative yoga also helps to cleanse and free your mind. Prenatal yoga. Yoga tailored for pregnant women. There are many more types of yoga, but these are the most common ones.
The Basic Yoga Terms Explained
- Asana. An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose, and later extended in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise, to any type of pose or position, adding reclining, standing, inverted, twisting, and balancing poses.
- Pranayama. Meditation, or the practice of breath regulation.
- Chakra. Derives from the Sanskrit word cakra, which refers to the areas of energetic clusters or an accumulation point of those energies in the subtle body. Chakras live within the theory or belief that there is a more subtle plane of the body where energy lies and within that, exists the chakras.
- Mantra. A mantra is any word, phrase, or sound that helps to keep your mind focused.
- Om. It represents the union of mind, body, and spirit that is at the heart of yoga.
- Namaste. Is used as a greeting in India and South-East Asia and means “greetings to you” in its simplest interpretation.
- Drishti. The yogic practice of focussed gaze, used as a means of developing concentration. It can help to enhance focus during asana, pranayama or meditation, and aids in the withdrawal of the senses for a heightened sense of self-awareness.
- Bandha. A lock or bind in yoga, which is performed in order to direct and regulate the flow of prana (life force energy) to certain parts of the body. Practicing bandha involves concentrated muscular contractions. Performing these locks can aid the practitioner in improving their focus and supporting physical health.
- Mudra. Hand gestures. The term mudra is used to denote a “gesture” , “mark” or “seal.” When we practice these symbolic gestures with our hands and fingers, it is known as yoga mudra.
- Savasana. A practice of gradually relaxing one body part at a time, one muscle at a time, and one thought at a time.
Sources: yogajournal.com, mindbodygreen.com