Different Types of Yoga

There are 5 major branches of yoga, namely, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Hatha Yoga. These different types of yogas require a lot of self-discipline and perseverance. Yoga is an excellent way to stay healthy, improve immunity and increase mind control.

Effects of Yoga
Yoga, although an exercise regime, is more of a meditation form. There are many yoga classes and gyms which offer yoga exercises. Yoga helps in making the body flexible and decrease the stiffness of the joints. Its helps in strengthening and toning the body muscles. It helps in making muscles lean and shapely. The various movements of yoga help in easing neck pain, back pain, headaches and other types of body pain. It also helps curing various aliments such as controlling diabetes, hypertension, disorders related to digestive system, breathing troubles, varicose veins and heart diseases. Yoga helps bring the mind and body together, thus increasing the concentration power of an individual.

Different Yoga Positions
There are over 600 different types of yoga positions, that can be mastered by practicing yoga regularly. Few types of yoga positions are:

• Utthita Parsvakonasana that is Extended Side Angle Pose
  
• Tadasana- Mountain Pose
  
• Urdhva Hastasana- Raised Hands Pose
  
• Uttanasana- Standing Forward Bend
  
• Malasana- Garland Pose
  
• Utthita Trikonasana- Extended Triangle Pose
  
• Dolphin Pose
  
• Padmasana- Lotus Pose

Yoga Types
The most common types of yoga that you'll come across is Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Astanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and Iyenger Yoga. These help in giving strength and flexibility to your body and help you in getting relaxed. There are many other different types of yoga that you may not have tried or heard of. Some of them are:

Abhava Yoga
This is a yoga of non-being. It means the power of nonexistence. It is a higher yogic practice of immersing into yourself without the use of mantras.

Buddi Yoga
Buddi Yoga meaning 'yoga of consciousness' is the highest stage of yoga. Buddi yoga represents the eighth stage of the 'eight fold path' comprising of yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi. This yoga was first mentioned in the Bhagwat Gita.

Dhyana Yoga
Dhyana means profound meditation. 'Dhyana leads to Samadhi.' It is aimed to develop the self consciousness to the level of perfection. The final At this stage one works on increasing the 'mass' of consciousness and obtaining power in subtlety.

Guru Yoga
In this form of yoga, the disciple combines his mind to the mind of his teacher through meditation. With the help of the teacher one can find the inner teacher, that is, the true nature of one's mind.

Jnana Yoga
In this form of yoga, one converts the intellectual knowledge into practical wisdom. It is a mean to obtain the highest meditative state and inner knowledge.

Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga is a path of devotion to work. It is very difficult to loose one's identity and work selflessly. One only works when one expects a reward or incentive. In the Karma, state work is thought as worship to God. A person achieves stability of mind and becomes spiritual.

Laya Yoga
Laya is dissolution or disappearance of oneself in the harmony of the absolute. It turns off the mind so that the individual does not act under his mind's command, but according to the will of God.

Saptanga Yoga
It is a combined discipline of the seven limbs (Sapta-anga), that is, six purifying practices; posture, seal, sensory inhibition, breath control, meditation and ecstasy.

Yantra Yoga
Yantra Yoga focuses on the mind through the yantra, that is, geometric representations of the cosmos.

There are many more types of yoga that help in self realization and salvation. You should try out the different types of yoga and find out the one that suits your body and mind. Different types of yoga are beneficial in improving one's life and also physical health. There are many yoga classes that teach great yoga exercises. Speak to the yoga teacher and find out the different yogas you can learn to improve the quality of your life.