Today's model of holistic health is much the same as it was thousands of years ago. The ancient yogis knew that finding health and balance physically, mentally and spiritually creates a fully realized and functional individual in body, mind and spirit. They also knew that nature provided what we need to remain healthy, vibrant, active and happy. The Great Rishis that developed yoga at least 5,000 years ago discovered that the physical and mental benefits they received by practicing yoga postures and mental exercises created balanced, integrated and content individuals. So much so that the goal of unity of body, mind and spirit was more easily met
Yoga is practiced today for its healing and healthful benefits. The physical, mental and meditative practices originating from this ancient philosophy are practiced today around the world for relief from worldly stresses and our modern-day tension-filled lifestyles. Because of the stresses of modern life, yoga has become an extremely popular activity used for physical and mental well-being. Yoga not only builds strength, flexibility and balance to the body, it can accelerate one's life on every plane of existence.
Yoga is an ancient way to take care of body, mind and spirit. The physical practices of yoga are the yoga postures called asanas. Many Americans and Europeans practice mainly the yoga postures while leaving out the vast mental and meditative practices. However, the more esoteric practices of yoga become more and more mainstream every day. Yoga asanas have medically proven physical benefits such as less muscle and joint pain, improved circulation and digestion, better sleep, lower blood pressure and increased energy. Due to the mental concentration on the body and the breath, the practitioner also receives the mental benefits such as elevated mood, decrease in mental tension, better sleep and longer and deeper concentration.
A typical yoga class today will include breathing exercises, possibly chanting the sound of Om (which means the sound of creation) a balanced flow of yoga postures and end in a few minutes of reflection or meditation. This type of class is a profound experience in itself. But this is the tip of the iceberg in the healing yoga has to offer. Its almost beyond words. You will have to experience yoga for yourself to get a glimmering of how much better you will feel. You can deepen your understanding through books, classes, yoga-related workshops and courses with yoga masters around the world. Most anyone from the frail to the athlete will benefit from a yoga class. The yoga practitioner will want to participate in the yoga class that is in line with their physical abilities.
Today more and more people are delving into the deeper philosophical teachings that yoga has to offer. This is certainly no quick or easy task. Because yoga is thousands of years old, it has an extremely long history. It has been added to by many cultures, has many schools of thought that stem from its very beginning to present day, has hundreds of ancient texts that still exist today and hundreds of modern day books have been written. Along with this, yoga has many practices such as many, many yoga postures, breathing exercises, mental exercises, chanting, mantras, yantras, mudras, energy centers and meditation practices. Everything you learn about yoga has a positive cumulative affect on you. Take your time.
The most recently popularized paths or genres of yoga are:
- Vinyasa Yoga
- Iyengar Yoga
- Ashtanga Yoga
- Anusara Yoga
- Restorative Yoga
- Yin Yoga
- Kundalini Yoga
- Hatha Yoga
- Kriya Yoga
- Integral Yoga
The main yoga paths of the ancient past: (some have stood the test of time and are still practiced today)
- Raja Yoga or The Royal Path, also called Ashtanga Yoga, because it has "eight steps" found in Patajali's Yoga Sutras
- Jnana Yoga, the Path of Transcendental Knowledge
- Karma Yoga, the Path of Selfless Action
- Bhakti Yoga, the Path of Devotion
- Mantra Yoga, the Path of Sound
- Hatha Yoga, the path best known and perhaps by most practitioners least understood
- Kundalini Yoga, the Path of Enlightenment, Kundalini yoga is where we find the chakra system. The chakra system is widely used and studied to balance the body, mind and spirit. What is a chakra?
- Tantra Yoga, spiritual attainment through physical sensation
- Kriya Yoga, the yoga of action
- Laya Yoga, also contains Kundalini and chakra systems
