yoga styles

This is a brief overview of some of the yoga styles available in Australia. Styles are listed alphabetically. If you require a more detailed explanation click on the link at the end of each review.

Ashtanga Yoga

The term ‘ashtanga yoga’ has two current meanings. Its original meaning is to refer to the eight limbs of yoga set out by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras. In one sense, then, all approaches to yoga based on Patanjali’s system are ashtanga yoga. However, in a second more limited meaning Ashtanga Yoga is the name of a particular style or school of yoga developed by Pattabhi Jois at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore India from the late 1940s and now well established in the west.

Ashtanga Yoga is a dynamic, flowing, energetic style of yoga where the breath is synchronized with a progressive series of postures (asanas) to create intense internal heat. The Ashtanga method groups the asanas into six series: Primary, Intermediate and Advanced A, B C, and D. At each level a set of asanas are performed in a strict and continuous sequence, and students are required to master each series before progressing to the more advanced series.

The Primary series concentrates on alignment, while the advanced series require high levels of strength and flexibility. Students learn and practice each series through one-on-one instruction in a class setting.

Ashtanga yoga is physically demanding, and is most suitable for those who are younger, reasonably fit and/or prepared for a highly dynamic and energetic practice. Ashtanga yoga results in improved circulation, a strong body and a calm mind.

For further information, visit http://www.ashtanga.com Certified Ashtanga teachers in Australia are listed at: http://www.ashtanga.com/html/australiaNZ.html or search at http://www.find.yoga.com.au Illustrated introductions and DVDs of each series are also easily available through online suppliers.

Bikram Yoga

Bikram yoga, sometimes called ‘hot’ yoga, was developed by Bikram Choudhury who taught in India and Japan before moving to the USA. The most distinctive feature of a Bikram yoga class is the heat: Bikram yoga practice rooms are heated to approximately 40.5 degrees C. (105 degrees F.) to improve joint and muscle flexibility and encourage a detoxifying sweat. In dry climates, humidity may also be added to the room.

Every beginning Bikram yoga class follows an unchanging sequence consisting of 26 postures, which includes two breathing practices. All of the 26 postures in the Bikram sequence are done twice, with the first set being performed for approximately twice as long (up to about a minute) as the second. Classes begin and end with a breathing practice (pranayama and kapalbhati, respectively). The Bikram asana series includes a full range of standing, seated and supine poses.

To find a class in your area, visit http://www.bikramyoga.com/ClassFinder.htm, click on ‘International’ and scroll down to Australia. The website www.bikramyoga.com includes a wide range of information on Bikram yoga including photographs of each of the poses in the beginning sequence.
Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class is also available in book and CD formats.

Background to Bikram yoga

Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram yoga, was born in Calcutta, India, in 1946. At an early age, Choudhury began studying yoga under Bishnu Ghosh, brother of Paramahansa Yogananda, the author of The Autobiography of a Yogi. After being seriously injured in a weightlifting accident, Choudhury developed Bikram yoga under the guidance of Ghosh. After teaching in India and Japan, Choudhury moved to Los Angeles, founding the Bikram Yoga College of India™, which now has a worldwide network of 400 affiliated studios and over 3,000 teachers.

What to expect at a Bikram yoga class

If you decide to attend a Bikram yoga class, dress lightly and bring a mat, towel and water to class. Do not eat for at least two hours prior to practicing Bikram yoga. Bikram yoga is suitable for students of all ages and fitness levels but if you are heat-adverse or pregnant, consult your doctor before attending a Bikram class.

Bikram yoga in Australia

Bikram yoga has become more well know in Australia over the past decade with several studios now open in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia. All Bikram yoga teachers are required to attend a nine-week training programme in Los Angeles, California, which includes 500 hours of study.
Although there is a CD available to assist home practitioners, most students will find it difficult to replicate the heat and humidity found in a studio practice room.

Dru Yoga

The word Dru comes from the Sanksrit dhruva which means ‘perpetual stillness’. The aim of Dru Yoga is to help people to find a point of stillness inside themselves that remains constant throughout the ups and downs of life. Dru was first taught in the West by a small group of colleagues at Bangor University, North Wales, from the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Known also as the “yoga of the heart”, many of Dru’s postures and sequences are designed to stimulate the nadis (energy pathways) around the heart centre. Dru Yoga combines asana (posture), pranayama (the science of breath) and the ancient Eastern tradition of mudras (hand gestures). The keystone of Dru Yoga is a process called Energy Block Release, where students learn to rebalance the emotions at the same time as they exercise and energise the muscles. A typical Dru Yoga class consists of the stages of Activation, Energy Block Release, Sequences, Postures, Mudras and Sequences, Relaxation, Pranayam and Meditation.

Dru Yoga uses a soft, gentle approach to the physical movements. They are performed slowly and with awareness, often with many repetitions of each movement.

To locate a Dru Yoga teacher, call the National Dru Yoga office based in Canberra on (02) 6161 1462 or email enquiries(at)druyoga.com.au.

CDs and books are available from the Dru website (www.dru.com.au/shop)

Dru Yoga – Stillness in Motion by Chris Barrington, Anita Goswami and Annie Jones is a recent, useful introduction.

Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is a generic term that refers to any style of yoga that combine asanas (physical exercises and postures), pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation. Sometimes the term is misused to refer only to the physical (asana) component of yoga. The word ‘hatha’ is a compound of the Sanskrit words ha (meaning ‘sun’) and tha (meaning ‘moon’), and Hatha yoga teaches a balanced approach to achieving excellent physical and mental health, happiness and equanimity.

The earliest Hatha yoga text is the 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Yogi Swatmarama. In the 20th century distinct styles of Hatha yoga emerged, including Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bikram, Power, Dru, Integral, and Satyananda yoga.

Hatha yoga classes are usually physically gentle, and adaptive to all students, including older people and those with limited flexibility or strength. Few props or supports are used. The teacher leads students through classical yoga asanas, including standing poses (e.g. Dog pose, Triangle pose), balances (e.g. Tree pose), backbends (e.g. Camel pose) and optional inversions (Head stand, Shoulder stand). Each class typically involves a period of meditation and relaxation, and sometimes chanting.

Hatha yoga classes are often offered through community colleges and gyms and provide an excellent introduction to yoga.

Hatha Yoga Illustrated by Martin Kirk, Brooke Boon, and Daniel DiTuro (2005) is a recent, useful introduction.

Background to Hatha yoga

Although traditional Hatha Yoga is a holistic yogic path, including moral disciplines, asanas (postures), pranayama (breath control), and meditation, the Hatha yoga predominantly practiced in the West consists of mostly asanas (postures) and some relaxation/meditation.

Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind and body through a combination of physical exercises (the asanas), controlled breathing (pranayama), and the calming of the mind through relaxation and meditation. Asana practice improves the body's physical health, strength and flexibility, as well as quietening the mind so that meditation and relaxation can be practised effectively.

All the modern ‘named’ schools are essentially versions of Hatha yoga. Some (e.g. Ashtanga yoga, Power yoga) emphasise the practice of physically demanding postures, while others (e.g. Satyananda yoga) are more influenced by the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and emphasise the meditative and moral aspects of yoga.

Many modern schools of Hatha Yoga have been founded by the students of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who taught from 1924 until 1989. His students included BKS Iyengar (Iyengar yoga), Sri K Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga yoga), and Krishnamacharya’s son TKV Diskachar (Viniyoga).

What to expect at a Hatha yoga class

A class advertised as Hatha yoga will generally not be affiliated with any of the named schools of styles. Classes may be one to two hours long and you can expect the teacher to lead and guide you in a range of asanas, often beginning with the Sun Salutation sequence.

The class will always include a period of guided relaxation and may include chanting and/or meditation. Hatha yoga can be practised by anyone at any age. The asanas develop flexibility and strength, and the relaxation/meditation elements of the class incorporate techniques to relieve stress and bring the mind and body into balance.

Hatha yoga in Australia

Many people learn Hatha yoga by attending classes through community colleges or gyms. Videos and self-instructional books are also useful ways to get started although it is best to seek out a qualified teacher to learn the basic techniques. However, once you have some experience you can certainly practice Hatha yoga at home, and it has always been intended as a way of living that can be easily incorporated into anyone’s daily routine.

Iyengar Yoga

Background to Iyengar yoga

Iyengar yoga is named after the esteemed Indian yoga teacher B K S Iyengar. Known to his followers as ‘Guruji’, BKS Iyengar, who recently turned 86, has been practicing yoga for over 70 years. With his daughter Geeta and son Prashant, BKS Iyengar has trained hundreds of yoga teachers and taught thousands of Indian and foreign students through his international teaching tours and at the Ramamani Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India.

BKS Iyengar became known in the west through his classic text Light on Yoga, first published in 1966 and constantly in print since then. Iyengar describes his style of yoga as “pure, authentic, traditional yoga”, based closely on the 8 limbs of yoga set out in the classical yoga text, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras:

yama: universal moral commandments
niyama: self purification by discipline
asana: yoga postures
pranayama: rhythmic control of the breath
pratyahara: withdrawal from the domination of our senses
dharana: concentration
dhyana: meditation
Samadhi: profound meditation.

Although Iyengar yoga is an integrated system of moral, physical and spiritual development, most attention in Iyengar yoga classes is given to the practice of asanas and pranayama, making Iyengar yoga one of the more physically-oriented styles of yoga.

Distinctive aspects of Iyengar yoga

BKS Iyengar was committed to making yoga accessible to all people – no matter what their age, state of health, genetic inheritance or cultural background. To this end, BKS Iyengar incorporated the use of supports of “props” in his asana practice. Props include ropes, pillows, bolsters, blocks, sticks, benches, mats and blankets, all of which allow students to experience the benefits of the yoga poses without strain or risk of injury. Gradually some students may move away from props to attempt poses independently.

Iyengar yoga is also distinctive for its emphasis on alignment (correct positioning of the body), timings (holding postures for varying amounts of time), sequencing (correct ordering of asanas) and linking (connecting one asana to another). The result is a very precise, well-disciplined and systematic style of yoga.

What to expect at an Iyengar yoga class

Classes usually rotate through the families of asanas on a four-week cycle. Week One emphasizes standing poses. For example, as a beginner you will be introduced to simple standing postures such as the ‘triangle' pose (Utthita Trikonasana ).

The standing poses develop strength, stability, stamina, concentration and alignment. Week Two concentrates on forward bends, asanas which promote flexibility and quietness. Week Three emphasises backbends – strong, exhilarating poses that open up the chest. Week Four focuses on passive chest openings and restorative poses, leading to pranayama (breathing) practices.

This sequential learning of asanas gives you a solid all-round base on which to build you practice. No two classes will be identical as teachers sequence, time and link the asanas differently on each occasion.

You will also be encouraged to use props according to your needs. Props will also be used to introduce you gradually, and under careful supervision, to the inverted poses such as the headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) and the shoulder stand (Salamba Sarvangasana).

Iyengar yoga in Australia

Iyengar yoga is the most well represented style of yoga in Australia, with hundreds of certified Iyengar teachers based around the country, often in dedicated Iyengar Yoga studios.

All Iyengar teachers must complete a rigorous two-year or three-year teacher training programme, and must maintain ongoing practice and professional development to retain or upgrade their ‘Certification’. For a list of Certified Iyengar yoga teachers/schools around the country, visit: http://www.iyengaryoga.asn.au/find/teachers.html

For more information

For general information about Iyengar yoga and the work of the BKS Iyengar Yoga Association of Australia, visit www.iyengaryoga.asn.au.

For a list of Iyengar yoga teachers/schools around the country, visit: http://www.iyengaryoga.asn.au/find/teachers.html

Light on Life and The Tree of Yoga by BKS Iyengar are two very accessible introductions to Iyengar’s approach to yoga and its benefits in ordinary life.
Iyengar’s Light on Yoga, Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Light on Pranayama are more technical and in-depth explorations of the different limbs of yoga.

Power Yoga

Background to power yoga

In the late 1980s, American yoga teachers Beryl Bender Birch and Bryan Kest began using the name ‘power yoga’ to refer to a Westernised version of ashtanga yoga – a dynamic, movement-oriented style of yoga based on the teachings of Sri Krishnamacharya and his disciple Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.

According to Birch, renaming the practice helped change the perception among Westerners that yoga was just a mild body practice that required and developed little fitness. The popularity of power yoga in America and other Western countries has been fostered by a cadre of ‘celebrity’ power yoga instructors including Birch, Kest, Baron Baptiste and Rodney Yee.

Distinctive aspects of power yoga

The most distinctive feature of a power yoga class is the emphasis on connecting postures via a seamless flow. This is achieved by holding postures for relatively short periods of time (five to ten breaths) and by linking movement to the breath. Because of the emphasis on flow, a power yoga class will generally focus less on technique and precise alignment.

Both ashtanga and power yoga are physically demanding, aerobic styles of yoga. But unlike ashtanga, which is traditionally practiced according to a set asana sequence, the sequencing used in power yoga classes may vary dramatically. In addition, unlike the traditional self-led (Mysore) ashtanga practice, power yoga classes are generally led by a teacher.

Some power yoga studios will heat their practice rooms to approximately 28-30 degrees Celsius. According to power yoga master Baron Baptiste, heating the room encourages a healing sweat and helps students build and maintain a liquid quality to their movements.

What to expect at a power yoga class

A typical power yoga classes is 90 minutes long and starts with a series of integration postures such as child’s pose (balasana) or standing forward bend (uttanasana). Integration postures are followed by a flowing series of poses (vinyasa) based upon the ashtanga sun salutation (surya namaskara) sequence. The vinyasa is repeated several times at the beginning of practice to warm the body and is then used throughout the practice to link together discrete poses or sets of poses.

Classes will usually include a full range of yoga postures performed in sets (e.g. balancing, back bending and inversions) and conclude with a rest period (savasana). Some teachers may follow a set routine while others will vary the practice from class to class. Other techniques used by some power yoga teachers include: ujjayi pranayama (victorious breath), gaze (drishti) and core stabilisation (uddiyana bandha).

Although power yoga lives up to its name as a dynamic and challenging practice, many studios offer classes specifically geared for beginners, or offer instruction in how to modify poses to suit differing abilities. Most teachers will also assist students during class by demonstrating poses and by offering adjustments.

Power yoga in Australia

Over the past five years, power yoga has become increasingly popular in Australia, with studios across the country now offering classes. There is no centralised directory for power yoga in Australia. To find a class near you, perform an Internet search using the search terms ‘power yoga’ or ‘dynamic yoga’.

Because of a lack of onshore training programmes, most Australian power yoga teachers have received their training overseas through a combination of teacher training courses and extended practical workshops. In 2006 Canada-based power yoga teacher Wade Imre Morissette convened Australia’s first onshore power yoga teacher training course, which comprises 200 hours of study.

There is no special certification system for power yoga teachers in Australia but many overseas teacher training programmes adhere to Yoga Alliance guidelines, which require a minimum of 200 hours of study.

For more information

Baron Baptiste’s Journey into Power provides a good overview of a basic power yoga practice, including theoretical foundations and photographs and detailed information on more than 50 asanas. This book also includes an easy-to-follow cleansing diet programme.

Beryl Bender Birch’s Power Yoga and Beyond Power Yoga are also popular introductions into the practice.

Satyananda Yoga

The Satyananda slogan “head, heart and hands” captures the wholistic aims of Satyananda Yoga, which is one of the major yoga traditions represented in Australia. Satyananda Yoga traces its lineage from the influential Indian yogi Swami Shivananda, through to its founder, Swami Satyananda, and on to its current guru, Swami Nirandrananda. Satyananda Yoga offers a systematic, step-by-step path that draws on all the branches of yoga: hatha yoga (postures), raja yoga (meditation), karma yoga (selfless service to the community), jnana yoga (intellectual understanding), mantra yoga (chanting) and bhakti yoga (devotional practices).

With two large ashrams at Mangrove Mountain (north of Sydney) and Rocklyn (near Melbourne), Satyananda Yoga offers a year-round program of residential retreats and workshops, catering for beginners to advanced students of yoga. Satyayanda teachers also offer classes across Australia. Find your nearest Satyananda yoga teacher or centre at: http://www.satyananda.net/Classes%20and%20Workshops.

A Registered Training Organisation, Satyananda Yoga offers an extensive training program, including a Diploma of Satyandanda Yoga Teaching and modules in Yogic Studies. Residential programs place strong emphasis on karma yoga (selfless service to the ashram community) and chanting and devotional practices.

A Satyananda yoga class is typically one hour long and consists of asanas (postures, pranayama (breathing practices), meditation (on the body, breath and sound), and guided deep relaxation, known as Yoga Nidra. In Yoga Nidra, the student is taken through a systematic relaxation of all levels, from the physical to the psychic, where the awareness remains active. It is described as “a little like dreaming while awake”.

Extensive information about Satyananda Yoga is available on their well-maintained website: http://www.satyananda.net/home.php

Satyananda Yoga Teachers' Association Inc. (SYTA)
www.syta.org.au
Is a professional association of yoga teachers which supports its members to teach yoga in the Satyananda tradition, maintaining high professional and ethical standards. Their website provides a directory of yoga classes in the Satyananda tradition as well as information for members & others.

Viniyoga

The name Viniyoga has come to be applied to the yoga taught by TKV Desikachar, the son of Krishnamacharya who was one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century. The term Viniyoga is traced back to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, where it is translated as “the proper application based on the situation”.

Desikachar's method of teaching is closest to his father's own teaching style, which is to evolve context sensitive yoga programs that are tailor made to suit each individual, based on their needs and abilities. The unique features of this tradition include its holistic approach to using yoga in a holistic manner, not only as a complimentary healing modality, but also a stepping stone for spiritual development. While some people tend to refer to this teaching as Viniyoga, Desikachar prefers to say that he only teaches "Yoga" in the tradition of Krishnamacharya".

Viniyoga seeks to teach all the branches of yoga in ways that are appropriate to the physical and other needs of the individual student at the time.

In practice, this often results in a more gentle form of yoga, since the needs of beginners and those with injuries, illness, stiffness or other constraints are catered for in classes or individual lessons. Asana sequences may be co-ordinated with the movement of the breath and not held for very long.

Depending on the needs of the students and their situation, other yoga practices, such as breathing, meditation, chanting, self-reflection or devotion, may be considered by the teacher to be more appropriate. Thus, there is no standardized Viniyoga class format, but its attention to individual needs makes Viniyoga appropriate for students who may find the physical demands of other yoga styles too demanding.

Viniyoga is closely associated with Yoga Therapy, where a Yoga Therapist works one-on-one with a student to evaluate their current needs and design an appropriate, staged program.

Australian Viniyoga teachers do not always self-identify by that name (since Desikachar has himself resisted the label). But a search for yoga schools “in the tradition of Krishnamacharya and Desikachar” will locate Australian teachers.

Viniyoga schools in Australian capital cities:
Sydney: http://www.yogasanga.com.au/
Melbourne: http://www.yogapractice.com.au/
Perth: http://www.yogaksetram.com.au/

Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is a Taoist-influenced style of yoga recently popularised in America by teachers such as Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers. The most distinctive aspect of a yin yoga class is the emphasis on stretching the body’s connective tissues (e.g., ligaments, tendons and fascia) through extended holding of poses. Although yin postures are based upon classic yoga asanas, yin yoga uses plain-English names for poses and the shape of the poses and the techniques used to achieve them may differ due to yin’s emphasis on relaxing the musculature.

Yin yoga classes are suitable for all levels of students and are an excellent complementary practice to more energetic yoga styles like ashtanga or power yoga. Yin yoga is relatively new to the Australian yoga scene, so finding a led class may be difficult, especially if you live outside a major metropolitan area. Luckily, yin yoga is ideally suited for home practice. For general information about yin yoga, visit www.yinyoga.com.

Yin Yoga: Outline of a Quiet Practice by Paul Grilley provides an accessible introduction to the practice, including basic principles, sample asana routines and photographs of a selection of yin yoga postures.

Yoga in Daily Life

Yoga in Daily Life (YDL) is a wholistic yogic tradition which aims to improve practitioners’ health as well as to develop their physical, mental and spiritual harmony. YDL is based on the system developed by its guru, Paramhans Swami Maheshwarandanda, known as “Swamiji”. Swamiji stresses that peace and contentment can only arise when we bring all levels of being – and all aspects of our actions – into balance. The YDL approach therefore involves body postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), relaxation and contemplation, and emphasizes the cultivation of a positive way of thinking and self-awareness.

The YDL system also embraces the full range of yogic disciplines, including karma yoga (selfless service by YDL adherents), bhakti yoga (devotional practices), jyana yoga (intellectual activity on spiritual questions) and raja yoga (meditational practices). YDL might also be described as an “engaged” yoga tradition, as YDL is active in community health initiatives around Australia (such as free Yoga in the Park http://yogainthepark.org, and yoga for prisoners and the disabled) and volunteer fund-raising programs in Australia and overseas.

To find a YDL centre or teacher, visit: www.yogaindailylife.org.au/classes/index.htm.

YDL yoga and meditation retreats are held regularly, catering to both beginners and advanced practitioners. The physical practices of Yoga in Daily are suitable for all ages and levels of physical ability.

Yoga Chi Gung

Yoga Chi Gung is a combination of teachings from India, China, Japan and Tibet. It has also been influenced by other modalities, such as Awareness Through Movement, Alexander Technique and Tibetan and Japanese Reiki.

It is a simple yet powerful, body-friendly system of self-development in the internal arts. Yoga Chi Gung helps the individual to cultivate self-awareness and it engenders health of the body and mind. Similarly it is a way of unblocking and increasing life energy. It also improves emotional strength and stability, mental clarity and physical vitality.

The movements are fluid and gentle and appeal to all ages, with a body-friendly approach. This allows individuals to cultivate an attitude of harmony and relaxation in the body and mind. It greatly improves the blood and lymphatic circulation throughout the body. A variety of postures stretch, strengthen, massage, and tone the muscles and tendons, making them
both stronger and more flexible.

Chi Gung offers a method of disciplining the mind and body. With daily practice the body's maximum capacity can be realized, and a more peaceful and relaxed attitude developed.