The Yogamatters Guide to Schools of Yoga

Yoga is one small word which encompasses a breadth of practice and understanding: different schools of yoga, traditions, lineages, methodologies and philosophy. In Sanskrit, yoga means ‘to unite’. Yoga unites this wide stream of diverse teaching and experience under one banner. The Yogamatters Guide to Schools of Yoga will lead you through the significant schools of yoga in a loosely chronological order, in order to present the fascinating evolution of modern yoga over recent years. Let’s start with Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888 – 1989), who’s often referred to as ‘The Father of Modern Yoga’. An Indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer and scholar, Krishnamacharya is widely regarded as one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century, with students such as Indra Devi, K. Pattabhi Jois, B.N.S. Iyengar, T. K. V. Desikachar and Srivatsa Ramaswami. B.K.S. Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar Yoga, credits Krishnamacharya (who was his brother-in-law) with encouraging him to learn yoga as a young person. HATHA YOGA Tirumalai Krishnamacharya is credited with the revival of Hatha yoga. The practice of Hatha yoga emphasises physical exercises to master the body and mind exercises to withdraw it from external distractions. It’s a combination of proper diet, purifying the body, regulating breathing and bodily postures. The term Hatha is translated as ‘Ha’ meaning ‘sun’ and ‘tha’ meaning moon. There’s a balance there, a steady pace. Hatha yoga has become a generic term for what we now just call ‘yoga’ in the West: asanas (physical postures) as a form of physical exercise for relaxation, body flexibility, strength and personal concentration. A Hatha yoga class typically takes a basic and classical approach, focusing on postures (asanas) and breathing (pranayama) exercises. Read more about Hatha yoga with Yogamatters range of Hatha Yoga Books. Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga both have their roots in Hatha yoga. Many of the asanas are the same, but the approach is different. ASHTANGA YOGA Ashtanga Yoga is a challenging and quick-paced yoga style developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He established the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in 1948 for teaching the specific yoga practice known as Ashtanga yoga. The word Ashtanga is Sanskrit for ‘eight-limbed’ and Ashtanga yoga is named after the eight limbs of yoga mentioned in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Ashtanga yoga, often promoted as a modern-day form of classical Indian yoga, was popularised and brought to the West by K. Pattabhi Jois in the 1970s. The work of K. Pattabhi Jois has been continued by his grandson, Sharath Jois. Ashtanga involves following a series of specific set poses, each held for five breaths. It’s a vigorous, demanding style of yoga, flowing from one pose to the next with each inhale and exhale. There are six established and strenuous pose sequences — the primary series, second series, third series, and so on — practiced sequentially as progress is made. In an Ashtanga class, you always perform exactly the same poses in exactly the same order. This can be led by a teacher in an Ashtanga class or taught one-to-one in a group setting in a Mysore class. Influenced by the Ashtanga tradition, a Vinyasa class is similar in intensity to an Ashtanga class, except that no two Vinyasa classes are the same. To learn more about Ashtanga yoga, discover Yogamatters range of knowledgable Ashtanga Yoga books. Or, if you’re wanting to begin a home Ashtanga yoga practice, take a look at Yogamatters full-colour Ashtanga Practice cards – each with illustrated poses, instructions, Drishti and more. IYENGAR YOGA Iyengar Yoga is a purist style of yoga developed by and named after B.K.S Iyengar in the 1960s. Iyengar Yoga is a very meticulous style of yoga, placing the emphasis on precision and alignment. The practice is all about the details of your breath control (pranayama) and posture (asana) and is excellent for building strength and flexibility. Iyengar yoga is great for learning the subtleties of correct alignment for all ages and abilities. An Iyengar studio will always stock a wide array of yoga props — blocks, blankets, straps, chairs and bolsters – in order to help each student find the proper alignment in a pose. Props help students hold poses in alignment even when they’re new to them, have a chronic condition, are injured or simply stiff. Iyengar teachers all undergo a comprehensive training to ensure that you get the knowledgeable instruction that you need. If you’re wanting to find out more about this purist style of yoga – take a look at Yogamatters blog, Iyengar Yoga Explained. KRIYA YOGA Kriya Yoga is an ancient Yoga system which was brought to international awareness by Paramhansa Yogananda, author of ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ which was published in 1946. Yogananda cites the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as containing a description of Kriya Yoga: ‘Liberation can be attained by that pranayama which is accomplished by disjoining the course of inspiration and expiration.’ The Kriya yoga system is based on techniques of pranayama, mantra, and mudra, intended to rapidly accelerate spiritual development and engender a profound state of tranquility. Aspiring Kriya yogis may find the extensive ‘Yoga & Kriya’ publication of great use – as this novel is described as the most comprehensive book published on kriya yoga, with over 36 structured lessons all on the practices of integral yoga. SIVANANDA YOGA Sivananda Saraswati (1887 –1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher, who studied medicine and served in British Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism. He founded the Divine Life Society (DLS) in 1936. Sivananda yoga, as we now know it, is the yoga form popularised by Sivananda Saraswati’s disciple Vishnudevananda in the 1960s. Sivananda yoga teachers are all graduates of the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course. Sivananda yoga is an unhurried yoga practice that typically focuses on the same twelve basic asanas, bookended by sun salutations and savasana. It involves frequent relaxation and full, yogic breathing. This yoga system promotes a healthy yogic lifestyle in its five-point philosophy: proper breathing, relaxation, diet, exercise, and positive thinking. BIHAR – SATYANANDA YOGA Satyananda Saraswati (1923 –2009) was a student of Sivananda SaraswatI and became a yoga teacher and guru both in his native India and in the West. He founded the Bihar School of Yoga in 1963. Bihar yoga takes influences from both ancient and traditional schools of yoga. The practice focuses on posture (asanas), breathing (Pranayama) and meditation. Today, the collection of books from Bihar’s School of Yoga is in demand throughout the world and is available to purchase at Yogamatters. KUNDALINI YOGA Kundalini Yoga was introduced by Harbhajan Singh Yogi (Yogi Bhajan) in 1969. Kundalini yoga is designed to awaken energy in the spine through constantly moving, invigorating poses. Kundalini energy is serpent energy: picture a sleeping snake coiled up at the base of the spine, just waiting to be awoken. The fluidity of the practice is intended to release the energy supply in your body. As well as yoga postures, Kundalini yoga classes include meditation, breathing techniques such as alternate nostril breathing, and chanting. Take a look at our exclusive blog with Kundalini Yoga Teacher, Carolyn Cowan, ‘This is Carolyn Cowan’ who described Kundalini yoga as a way of uniting the body and soul for a better understanding of the practice. INTEGRAL YOGA Sri Swami Satchidananda is the founder of Integral Yoga®. He was one of the first yoga masters to bring the classical yoga tradition to the West when he was invited to America by pop artist icon Peter Max in 1966. Just as the word ‘yoga’ means ‘union’ in the Sanskrit language, Integral Yoga synthesises the various branches of yoga into a comprehensive lifestyle system. The six branches of Integral Yoga encourage wellness and self-mastery, promoting the harmonious development of every aspect of the individual. If you’re new to the Integral Yoga practice, take a look at Yogamatters ‘Intergral Yoga Hatha for Beginners’ book as a great place to start. BIKRAM YOGA Bikram yoga was created by Indian yogi Bikram Choudhury in the early 1970s. Chowdhury designed a sequence of 26 yoga poses to be performed in a heated room to facilitate the release of toxins. Every Bikram yoga class all over the world follows the same sequence of 26 poses. Bikram Choudhury trademarked his sequence and has controversially sued studios who call themselves Bikram, but don’t teach the exact sequence. Official Bikram yoga classes take place in a sauna-like room, heated to nearly 105 degrees with 40% humidity. The poses are designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles as well as cleanse the organs of the body. Prepare to sweat like never before. For this kind of practice, a yoga mat towel is a great idea. Layer over a yoga mat during a hot yoga class with the dots face down for a protective & hygienic layer and super absorbent grip. DHARMA YOGA Dharma Yoga is based on Sri Dharma Mittra’s fifty years of practice of classical yoga. Having been exposed to diverse schools of yoga, he’s refined a half century of practice and teaching into the Dharma Yoga that he and his certified teachers continue to share with their students each day at the Dharma Yoga Center in New York City and the world over. This graceful, yet challenging form of yoga is appropriate for students of all levels, because it meets each student where they are and according to their condition. It’s a devotional practice that emphasises good health, a clear mind and a kind heart. The Dharma Yoga system places great emphasis on the Yama and Niyama, as students are encouraged to go deeper and experience the practice in a meditative and spiritual way. The ultimate goal is self-realisation ie. gaining absolute knowledge of the True Self. Sri Dharma Mittra also created the Classic Yoga Wheel, in 1977 to help people gain increased mobility and flexibility in achieving postures they never thought they could do. DRU YOGA Dru Yoga was started in 1978 at Bangor University, Wales, by Mansukh Patel, Chris Barrington, Rita Goswami, Annie Jones and John Jones Inspired by the teachings of Francis of Assisi and Mahatma Gandhi, Dru Yoga aims to create healing and unity by combining Asanas, Pranayama (breath) and the ancient Eastern tradition of Mudras (hand gestures). Its sequences, which include postures, breath work, relaxation and meditation, are called Energy Block Release. ROCKET YOGA Rocket Yoga was developed by Larry Schultz in San Francisco during the 1980s. He called it The Rocket as it ‘gets you there faster’. Rocket Yoga is rooted in the Ashtanga tradition and so is dynamic with a fast-paced flow. It uses postures from all four series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, following through 142 poses in 75 minutes in a typical class. The Rocket Yoga System differs from the Ashtanga tradition in what is called the ‘art of modification’. Students are encouraged to remove or modify binding postures that would cause them to get stuck in the traditional series, making this method more accessible to all, regardless of ability, flexibility and strength. read our blog on Weird and Wonderful Yoga, if you’re wanting to read up more on unique yoga practices. FORREST YOGA Forrest Yoga is based on Hatha yoga and was created by Ana Forrest. Inspired by some aspects of Sivananda yoga, along with the alignment and props of Iyengar yoga and the heat and flow of Ashtanga yoga, Ana Forrest took poses from these schools of yoga and modified or created new ones to address today’s lifestyle physical ailments, such as lower and upper back pain, neck and shoulder issues, carpal tunnel syndrome, and intestinal disorders. Forrest Yoga creates a place in which to welcome your Spirit back home and deepen the relationship with your authentic self. Forrest Yoga is an inspiring, intensely physical practice, known for its long holding of positions, emphasis on abdominal core work, and extended standing series. It’s also an internally-focused practice which emphasises how to carry a transformative experience off the mat and into daily life. Students are encouraged to use Forrest Yoga as a path to finding and then cleansing the emotional and mental blocks that limit their lives. The practice is founded on four pillars — Breath, Strength, Integrity and Spirit. KRIPALU YOGA Kripalu yoga was founded by Amrit Desai in the 1980s. The Kripalu Center can still be found in Massachusetts. Kripalu yoga is a gentle style of yoga similar to Hatha yoga. In Kripalu yoga, your body is your best teacher. It allows you to understand your body and figure out how it manages in different poses, rather than doing poses in the ways prescribed by the books and experts. This transformative, inclusive approach embraces self-empowerment, encouraging you to believe in yourself and in your body. Kripalu yoga leads students to develop a consciousness about the way they think, act, and feel not only in their practice, but in their daily life as well. The Kripalu Center attracts more than fifty thousand people per year as they seek to deepen their practice – but also their daily life, with the healing power of Kripalu’s famously delicious food. Kripalu’s chef has crafted a lavishly illustrated recipe book, ‘The Kripalu Kitchen’, which features 125 delicious, easy-to-prepare, nourishing recipes for yogis who aren’t fortunate enough to visit the Kripalu Center. JIVAMUKTI YOGA Founded in 1984 by Sharon Gannon and David Life in New York City, Jivamukti Yoga is a physical, limit-pushing vinyasa-style practice. Jivamukti translates as ‘liberation while living’ and this practice is all about reintegrating yoga’s traditional spiritual elements in a practical way into daily life for Western practitioners. Jivamukti classes often include chanting, music and scripture readings. Through its core philosophy and five tenets, Jivamukti Yoga is seen as a path to enlightenment through compassion for all beings, the five tenets being shastra (scripture), bhakti (devotion), ahimsa (nonviolence, non-harming), n?da (music), and dhyana (meditation). Unlike many books about yoga, the Jivamukti Yoga book, available at Yogamatters, focuses not only on the unique postures but how they evolved through yoga’s ancient texts. VINIYOGA Viniyoga typically refers to the therapeutic style of yoga modernised and popularised by T. K. V. Desikachar, son and student of the great yoga master T Krishnamacharya. Gary Kraftsow studied under Desikachar in India in 1974 and opened Maui Yoga Therapy in 1983 to train teachers in the ways and lineage of Viniyoga. Maui Yoga Therapy became the American Viniyoga Institute in 1999. Viniyoga is not a standardised programme, but a customised yoga experience tailored to each individual, according to their physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental needs and abilities. All viniyoga teachers are highly trained to lead you through this highly individualised practice, which may include pranayama, meditation, yoga philosophy, and Vedic chanting. There’s a strong focus on alignment and holding postures after the body has been sufficiently warmed up. Take a look at Yogamatters blog on the incredible life of Desikachar. ANUSARA YOGA Anusara yoga was developed by John Friend in 1997 as a more modern form of the purist Iyengar yoga. It’s often described as ‘Iyengar with a sense of humour’. Anusara yoga classes are specifically sequenced by the yoga teacher to explore one of Friend’s Universal Principles of Alignment and can be rigorous for the body and the mind. Anusara yoga is based on the belief that we are all filled with an intrinsic goodness and is seen as heartfelt and accepting. Through the physical practice of Anusara yoga, students open their hearts, experience grace, and let their inner goodness shine through. Students are guided to express themselves through the poses to their fullest ability, rather than trying to fit everyone into standard positions. SCARAVELLI-INSPIRED YOGA Vanda Scaravelli was born into an intellectual, artistic and musical family and was a concert standard pianist herself. She took up yoga in her late 40s, shortly after World War II, when she was introduced to BKS Iyengar by the violinist Yehudi Menuhin. Continuing to study with Iyengar and TKV Desikachar, she developed her approach towards the breath, gravity and the spine, focusing on the importance of surrendering to gravity and dropping the bones towards the earth. Scaravelli-inspired yoga is a yoga practice of freedom, enabling the student to follow their own inner teacher. Scaravelli herself never wanted to develop another school of yoga, rather she encouraged her students to develop their own individual approach to yoga. Scaravelli-inspired teachers will encourage students how to listen to themselves, how to practise yoga in a way that makes sense personally, in their own bodies and minds. Scaravelli-inspired yoga, each moment, each day, each breath is completely new, something never previously experienced. NEW SCHOOLS OF YOGA This will never be a definitive list of schools of yoga. How can it possibly be? Yoga is constantly evolving and new schools of yoga are being introduced all the time. Here are a few of the new schools of yoga out there for you to check out: Baptiste Yoga with Baron Baptiste, Insight Yoga with Sarah Powers, Prana Vinyasa Yoga with Shiva Rea, Strala Yoga with Tara Stiles and Sun Power Yoga with Anne-Marie Newland….you’ll keep discovering new schools of yoga to add to this list, we’re sure!

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