Different types of yoga practices in India

Yoga is an integral part of many lives now all across the world. It is not just any form of physical exercise or doing poses but also about maintaining mental and spiritual balance too. The various types of yoga and their asanas are meant to reduce stress and help to achieve a peaceful mind and body. Most of us have knowledge of yoga as few poses and pranayama but it is much more than that. India is the best destination to learn yoga because it provides the peaceful ambience and spiritual experience that we all are looking for. You will find numerous schools and centres where you can learn and relish most famous yoga styles from professionals. So lets start and try to understand the importance of various types of yoga that are practiced in India.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa Yoga is also often described as “Flow yoga” because it includes continuous flow and movement so that one can move from one posture to another smoothly. Each movement is coordinated with one’s breath. It requires a lot of practice because this yoga style is a physically demanding exercise. If you want to try something different then you should definitely do vinyasa yoga and it has many benefits too. It will help in reducing stress, anxiety and is a nice cardio workout.

Even if you are a beginner then also it will be great for you because you can find many yoga courses in India and get to learn the basics of pranayama too. There is a very famous school in Rishikesh called Vinyasa Yoga School where you can study this yoga style and transform yourself through yoga training.

Ashtanga Yoga 

“Ashta” means Eight and “Anga” means Limbs so it is an Eight Limb path which is really difficult and takes years of practice to become a yoga expert. It is also known as “Power Yoga” which is a very famous yoga style in India. In Ashtanga yoga, the same poses are performed as vinyasa yoga  in the exact same order but each pose gets progressively more tough. I think if you are a novice or not in a good shape then you should avoid doing this because Ashtanga yoga takes a lot of hard work and some poses need flexibility of bones and muscles.

But it has many health and mental advantages as it relieves tension and also helps you to lose weight because it burns more calories than other forms of yoga. In India, Mysore is the top destination to practice Ashtanga Yoga. For the most authentic ashtanga experience, you can visit yoga studios such as Mysore Three Sisters,Mysore Mandala Yogashala and Krishnamacharr Yoga Shala. While practicing yoga, you can also learn yogic philosophy and pranayama (breathing exercise) to help improve your practice. 

Hatha Yoga 

For all those who are looking to explore yoga then this is a great start. Hatha yoga includes all types of yoga that are based on physical training. It is mainly physical poses and asanas combined with breathing exercises. Its purpose is to  relax your mind and body which will also be useful for practicing meditation and learning correct breathing techniques. 

I love practicing Hatha yoga at home at least three to four times a week and it helps with my back pain problem and I see a positive impact on my emotional health as well. So I recommend you to practice Hatha yoga if you ever visit India. For a meaningful experience, you must visit Rishikesh as it is called the yoga capital of India and has various yoga centres which are best for practicing Hatha Yoga. And to learn authentic Hatha yoga, you must visit Isha Hatha Yoga centre in coimbatore. You will not be disappointed and will get new life experiences. I also do want to stay at Isha Yoga centre and enhance my yoga skills. 

 Iyengar Yoga

This is one of the most popular yoga styles in India because it also focuses on small details of every posture and works great for injuries or any joint problems. The participants hold each pose for a longer duration which helps in strength and flexibility. 

Tourists who are interested in yoga have many options to study this style in India. The relaxing atmosphere and the spiritual yoga training will help you learn better. So according to me, the best yoga schools where you can practice Iyengar yoga are Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh, Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai and Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune. You should immerse yourself in Yoga and master your skills. 

Kundalini Yoga 

Kundalini yoga is concerned with sequences of movements, meditation and breathing techniques to move energy through the body. It is a balance between physical work and spirituality and is most suited for those who want to develop their spirituality within. Its goal is to awaken the psychic centers or chakras, which exist in each person. 

From personal experience, i can say that you will feel a lot of difference in yourself if you do this yoga on a continuous basis. While doing meditation or chanting, it helps you to increase your concentration which allows you to handle situations with a clear mind. You can stay in ashrams of Rishikesh which offers many Kundalini yoga courses to increase your flexibility, mental strength and provide you an experience of inner joy, fearlessness, mindfulness.

There are many more types of yoga that are taught in India. If you are a yoga expert or even a beginner, India offers many courses that will work for you and help you in your spiritual journey.