In this world of quick thrills and push-button pleasures, we are all accustomed to looking outside for happiness and contentment. What if you were told that real happiness comes from within you and not the outside? You would be surprised and the next question you would ask is a big HOW. Yoga can help you dive deeper into your true self and bring about a unity of mind, body, and spirit. you should join a yoga school to experience the numerous benefits of this ancient art.
Yoga and its numerous techniques like meditation have been a part of different cultures and religions for thousands of years. This sacred art has helped millions connect with the higher dimensions of life and unlock their true potential. Moreover, if you have a hectic schedule filled with stress and worry, yoga is the only thing that can relieve you of this discomfort.
Do you think that yoga is just about sitting in a cross-legged position with eyes closed? Think again. There are numerous yoga styles depending on the final goal behind the practice.
11 Major Yoga Styles You Should Know About
Before jumping in on the wagon to join a yoga school it is beneficial to familiarize yourself with the different yoga styles. There are numerous yoga styles, some are more relaxing while others challenging your mind and body.
With every style of yoga, you would also come across different styles of teaching sacred art. Yoga experts recommend that you should try different yoga styles before finalizing any particular yoga style.
That being said, given below are 11 major styles of yoga.
1. Vinyasa Yoga
The word Vinyasa means to place in a special way and in this case, it refers to the different yoga postures. Vinyasa yoga is amongst the most athletic form of yoga that came into being during the 1980s from the Ashtanga yoga style.
In this style of yoga, you synchronize your breathing with body movement and transition effortlessly from one yoga pose to another. Enroll in a registered yoga school to learn about the various styles of Vinyasa yoga.
2. Iyengar Yoga
Founded by B.K.S Iyengar, Iyengar yoga focuses on proper body alignment with precise movements. As a student of Iyengar yoga, you practice a variety of yoga postures while controlling your breath.
Iyengar Yoga has poses that you have to hold onto for longer periods. This style of yoga relies heavily on yoga props to help you perfect a specific form and go deeper into the practice. It is the best yoga style if you are looking for yoga with some relaxation.
3. Ashtanga Yoga
The word Ashtanga in the Sanskrit language means eight limb path and it is a style of yoga popular in Mysore. The Ashtanga yoga style includes physically demanding poses. If you are a beginner, you should not get into this yoga style without registering with a yoga school.
4. Yin Yoga
Yin-Yoga is a slow-paced style of yoga that requires you to hold onto seated poses for longer periods. It is more of a meditative style of yoga that helps you rediscover inner peace and bliss.
The Yin Yoga style is best suited for yoga beginners as you can hold each pose from 45 seconds to a maximum of 2 minutes. Moreover, the Yin Yoga classes are relaxed so there is no need to rush from one pose to another.
5. Prenatal Yoga
As the name suggests, Prenatal yoga is for expectant mothers. It is designed to help women do yoga in all trimesters of pregnancy. Prenatal yoga is the best style of yoga as it focuses on breathing, and works out the pelvic floor muscles which prepare the woman’s body for childbirth.
The Prenatal yoga style includes the use of yoga props to help expectant mothers find balance and ensure stability during yoga practice. You can look for a yoga school specializing in Prenatal yoga to prepare for a less painful delivery.
6. Jivamukti Yoga
Jivamukti Yoga, founded in 1984 by Sharon Gannon and David Life is basically a Vinyasa-Flow-Style that also includes spiritual teachings. The core of this yoga style includes connecting with the Earth as a living being so you have to adapt to a vegetarian lifestyle.
You usually start the Jivamukti yoga class with a series of chants. Later, you do a series of Jivamukti yoga poses that follow the five tenets of Jivamukti yoga.
7. Hatha Yoga
The word Hatha is a Sanskrit word that encompasses the majority of all physical yoga postures. This is the most famous yoga style that also refers to other styles of yoga like Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga.
Hatha Yoga classes are the best option if you are a complete beginner as these are slower in comparison to other styles of yoga. Enroll in a reputed yoga school to know more about Hatha Yoga.
8. Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini Yoga is the best yoga style if you want to unlock the dormant Kundalini energy in your body. The Kundalini yoga classes focus more on your core with fast-moving and challenging poses and breathing exercises. These classes usually include mantra chanting and meditation sessions to help you unlock the hidden subtle energies in your body.
9. Bikram Yoga
Founded by Bikram Choudhary, Bikram Yoga consists of a set of poses in sauna-like settings with temperatures up to 105 degrees and 40% humidity. Bikram Yoga includes a total of 26 body postures with each performed twice under the guidance of a Bikram yoga expert. You should enroll in a yoga school to learn more about this yoga style.
10. Restorative Yoga
If you want to relax and wind down after a tiring day at work, try Restorative yoga. This style focuses mainly on relaxing your entire body and freeing the mind of all negativity. Many of the poses in this yoga style can be modified to help you relax the body and mind.
Moreover, you can also utilize yoga props like blankets, pillows, and bolsters for added support when doing Restorative yoga.
11. Anusara Yoga
The modern-day version of Hatha Yoga and similar to Vinyasa yoga is Anusara Yoga. Founded by John Friend, this yoga style is based on the Universal Principals of Alignment. The Anusara Yoga focuses more on spirals and how you should move each body part.
However, you must learn any of these yoga styles at a registered yoga school to reap the full benefits of this sacred art.
With that said, it is time we find out the reasons why joining a yoga school is worth your time and effort.
Why You Should Join A Yoga School? – 7 Reasons
Firstly, there are numerous yoga schools around the world. However, you should always look for a Yoga Alliance registered yoga school to learn true yoga.
Yoga Alliance is a non-profit global organization and working to represent the interest of the global yoga community. The organization has also set down the standards for all yoga schools to operate. Learning yoga from a school under their umbrella provides you an advantage above others.
Given below are seven reasons why joining a registered yoga school is worth it.
1. Learn Proper Alignment
Every individual is different. You might be able to understand visual instructions while the person next to you might understand auditory instructions. The yoga teachers at a registered yoga school are trained in teaching every type of student according to their preferred method of learning yoga.
2. Deepen Yoga Practice
If you are someone with some years of experience in yoga practice, joining a yoga school will be icing on the cake. The teachers help you practice yoga asanas with proper alignment which helps you deepen the current yoga practice.
Moreover, you also spend time learning yoga beyond its physical aspect. There are regular classes that introduce you to yoga philosophy and the origins of this sacred art. You also learn to practice challenging yoga asanas with ease.
3. Satisfies Your Yoga Curiosity
YouTube and other online resources might provide you information on almost everything. However, nothing can match the age-old knowledge and experience of the yoga gurus who you meet at a yoga school.
4. Avoid Yoga Injuries
Practicing yoga on your own might save you some money. However, a single misalignment can send you straight to a hospital’s ER. The yoga school has highly trained staff that helps you remain safe. In other words, you learn to do yoga without risking your body muscles and joints.
5. Reconnect With Yourself
As said above, yoga goes much beyond the mat. It is a spiritual art that helps you re-establish that connection with divinity that you lose due to a busy and hectic life. You become conscious of your lifestyle choices and start focusing on what matters the most.
6. Learn New Skills
Although you would be learning to hold yoga poses for a longer period, joining a yoga school does offer you another major benefit. Apart from learning yoga asanas, you also work on the right body alignment and balance when doing yoga.
On the other hand, the staff at the yoga school also helps you learn the techniques of organizing a yoga class to help others reconnect with their true self.
7. Form Life-Long Bonds
Joining a yoga school is not all about practicing yoga asanas and other techniques. The place also gives you the opportunity of a lifetime to meet people from other countries. You get to know new life experiences which widens your perspective on the world around you and other people.
These are some of the major benefits of joining a registered yoga school. However, before you sign in the registration form you must find out if the school is worth the time and money.
The 7 Tips To Choose The Best Yoga School
A yoga school is a considerable investment of time, money, and effort. You would be spending the majority of time at this place so it is a good idea to find out if the place is worth it.
With that said, given below are seven parameters on which you should decide if a particular yoga school is worth it or not.
1. Active Participation
Many yoga schools strictly adhere to yoga practice and the guidelines set by them. You want to invest in a yoga school that provides you a chance to be more open towards others and not just stick to the schedule. Therefore, you should always look for a place that encourages active community participation and spreads this ancient knowledge.
2. Look For Certifications
Always look for a yoga school with teachers who have earned their Yoga Alliance certification. You do not want to end up in a place where the former students have been made the teacher without proper certification. In other words, someone teaching yoga without the proper knowledge or certification would always put your body at risk of an injury.
For starters, there are three different levels of yoga training requirements, namely, beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Always look for an RYS (Registered Yoga School) with RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) before saying yes.
3. Check Out The Syllabus
Always remember that different levels of yoga training have different syllabus. For example, the beginner-level 200 hour yoga course has a different curriculum than the intermediate-level 300 hour course.
Find out how many hours are dedicated to each section of the syllabus and what is the teaching methodology followed by the yoga school teachers.
4. The Pricing
Every yoga school has a different structure and stages of yoga classes. You want to select the best yoga school but at the same time, also have to consider the budget. Therefore, it is beneficial to find out the fee structure before registering for the course of your choice.
5. Check User Reviews
While looking for a yoga school you should also check out their website. Look for the reviews given by the earlier students of the school. Check online for business review forums and look into the ratings of the yoga school. Needless to say, the more positive the rating, the better the quality of yoga education.
6. Neat & Clean Place
Many yoga schools get rejected by clients for poor ventilation and insufficient practice space. Remember, yoga is about attaining good physical and mental health. Therefore, you must choose a place that helps you dive deeper into your true self.
7. Friendly Trainers
We are all stressed out from the demands of daily life and yoga offers us much-needed relief. The yoga school is there for commercial reasons. However, that does not give the yoga teachers a right to treat you poorly. Try to get a trial class at the yoga school and look at the behavior of the yoga teacher towards the students. It will give you a clear idea of what to expect once you join the class.
That being said, you might wonder what exactly makes joining a yoga school worth the time and effort.
Benefits Of Joining A Registered Yoga School
Yoga schools have been a part of numerous cultures and religions for years. Unfortunately, with time we forgot the benefits that a yoga school offered us. Fortunately, yoga is now widespread on a global level owing to the hard work done by yoga masters from around the world.
Many reasons make joining a registered yoga school worth your time and effort. Read further to know what these are.
1. Best Way To Relieve Stress
Although stress does help you perform well in school and at the workplace, too much of anything is always a bad thing. Moreover, the first thing you do under stress is holding your breath for a longer time.
On the other hand, joining a yoga school gives you the skills and techniques to carry on the day without stressing out over trivial matters. The numerous yoga asanas you practice lower your blood pressure and stress level.
2. Helps Sharpen The Mind
There is a multitude of healthy products and supplements in the market that promise to improve your mental strength. However learning, yoga at a yoga school does not make any such claims but provides a major boost to your brainpower and sharpens the memory.
3. Improves Sleep Quality
Do you find it hard to fall asleep at night even after a tiring day at work? Joining a yoga school can help you get back those lost Z’s. The yoga sessions at the yoga school uplift your mood which has a good impact on your sleep quality.
4. Calms Your Mind
Numerous scientific and medical studies have made it evident how daily yoga practice impacts your brain’s functioning. Learning and practicing this sacred art under the guidance of highly trained yoga teachers relieve you of unnecessary worries. In the long run, this improves your overall mood and keeps your mind calm in a chaotic situation.
5. Eases Pain
If you suffer from stiff neck, back and knee pain then joining a yoga school can help you a lot. Numerous yoga asanas relieve you of chronic pain and also minimize the frequency of painful migraines.
6. Develops Flexibility & Balance
Attending a registered yoga school would help improve your flexibility and body balance. You can say goodbye to that imbalance experienced while walking and standing up with yoga. However, remember you do need to spend a considerable time before reaping the benefits.
An important thing you should consider before enrolling in a registered yoga school is understanding the different levels of yoga training.
Three Levels Of Yoga Training
Yoga courses come in all shapes and sizes whether you are a complete beginner, posseses some experience, or even if you are an advanced yoga practitioner.
Given below are the three major levels of yoga training you need to complete to become a certified yoga teacher and share this sacred art with others.
1. 200 Hour
Are you a complete beginner to yoga without any prior experience? Enroll in the 200 hour yoga course. This is a foundational yoga course that lays down a solid foundation of your understanding of the basics of this sacred art. Enrolling in a yoga school in India would help you understand the basics of this ancient technique.
However, the 200 hour yoga course has a vast curriculum that includes;
Doing yoga alignment
Body adjustment techniques
Tools for maximizing yoga practice
Concept of body posture imbalance
Ashtanga yoga
Different types of yoga asanas
Importance of Mantras
Once you are done with this beginner-level yoga course it is time to level up.
2. 300 Hour
Do you want to move ahead from a yoga beginner to an intermediate practitioner? Enroll in the 300 hour yoga training course. This yoga course is a combination of the traditional and modernistic approaches to yoga.
Still, the 300 hour yoga course has a lot to offer including;
Bodyweight and correct body alignment in yoga
Shatkarma and different yoga poses
Various yoga asanas
Introduction to Hatha Yoga
Kundalini Yoga
Introduction to Mantra Yoga
Different meditation techniques
Pranayama techniques
Yoga teaching methodology
Now that you are done with both the beginner and intermediate-level yoga training, it is time to go for the advanced yoga training.
3. 500 Hour
The combination of 200 and 300 hour yoga training courses is the 500 hour program. You become a certified yoga instructor after completing this course. This is where spirituality also enters the realm of yoga.
The 500 hour yoga training course includes lessons on;
Different paths of yoga
Different yogic breathing techniques
Lessons on yoga anatomy
Types of Yoga Mantras
Yoga teaching methods
Yoga Bandhas & Mudras
Apart from choosing a place to sit, it is important you must find the right place to kickstart the yoga training journey.
Welcome to Rishikesh! The Yoga Capital Of The World!
Without any doubt, you should look for yoga training in Rishikesh to get complete knowledge of this ancient art.
Why Rishikesh?
As stated above, Rishikesh is the Yoga Capital of the World! The reason being the sacred art of yoga took birth in this holy city. It is here that millions of yogis and spiritual seekers attained the highest state of their being, aka Nirvana.
With that said, given below are three reasons why you should look for a registered yoga school in Rishikesh.
1. The Land Of Spirituality
As said above, Yoga goes much beyond the mat. It is also a spiritual art that connects you with higher dimensions of life. The city of Rishikesh, located on the banks of the holy river Ganges and in the lap of the mighty Himalayas. Nothing can beat the vast amount of spiritual energy you experience the moment you enter this holy city.
2. Homes To Countless Yoga Ashrams
Before you decide to move ahead and enroll in any other yoga school, know that Rishikesh is the hub of yoga. Here, you will come across numerous yoga schools run by yoga gurus with years of knowledge of this ancient art. Therefore, you get a chance to learn from the best.
3. Get Closer To Nature
Located in the foothills of the Himalayas and the holy river Ganges, Rishikesh provides you the perfect landscape to lose yourself in the lap of nature. You get the golden opportunity to let go of the city noise and become one with nature.
Conclusion
Yoga gives you a unique opportunity to dive into your true self and unlock your true potential. Enroll in Yoga Alliance certified yoga school to learn and master this sacred art.
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