Different Types of Yoga Taught at Ashrams
In order to contextualize the concept of living in an ashram, we must first observe some of the qualities that help to define various ashram environments in modern day yoga. Simply googling ashrams will give you thousands of results of ashrams located all over the world, many of which have unique and subjective views on how spirituality should be addressed. Below is a list which is a compilation of the major forms of yoga that exists today. While there are many varieties and variations of the practice of yoga, many of the present schools of yoga are derived from these primary systems.
Ashtanga yoga
Ashtanga yoga (the system of yoga developed by Patanjali and contextualized by the eight limbs or eight steps to yoga): Ashtanga yoga was composed by the methodologies and philosophy outlined in the yoga sutras written by Patanjali. This system is essentially derived of eight elements in which Patanjali believed would lead to the state of self-realization. The phases included asana, pranayama, dharana, dhyan and samadhi. The steps in their eight forms are as follows:
1. Yama: the principles that help to guide the actions and decisions in life.
2. Niyama: personal discipline implemented to maintain the practice of yoga.
3. Asana: a yoga posture or postures which help to stabilize the body and prepare the practitioner for higher practices.
4. Pranayama: breathing techniques which help to regulate the energy within the body known as prana.
5. Pratyahara: withdrawal of the senses from the external environment.
6. Dharana: concentration on an object or a point.
7. Dhyana: meditation in a constant state of awareness.
8. Samadhi: salvation and self-realization.
Hatha yoga
Typically people associate the word hatha as the physical side of yoga which is contextualized by the practice of the asanas or postures. While this belief is not directly incorrect, hatha yoga has a much broader base than simply that of the asanas. Hatha can be defined in one of two ways. The first is to break down the world hatha as ha meaning the chronic or vital force governing the physical body and tha representing the chitta or mental force. Another classical definition is to define ha the Sun element or masculine force and the tha as the moon elements or the female force. No matter which interpretation you choose, both help to denote a practice which balances polar forces within the body and mind to help balance them so that they can act as vehicles for the spiritual life.
The basic and primary goal of hatha yoga is to control the two polar energies within the body and mind and purify them so that the energy channels within the body can be awakened and prepared for self-realization. This energy which is to be awakened is known as kundalini which is considered the primal force dormant within every living being. By practicing hatha yoga, one is working towards the purification of the energies so that the chakras or energy centers along the spine may be awakened, opening the gates to self-realization.
Hatha yoga is comprised of a variety of and techniques including: the asanas along with six Shatkarmas also known as physical and mental detoxification techniques; mudras and bandhas which are recognized as psychological and psychophysiological energy releasing techniques; and pranayama which is a technique used to awaken atomic energy within the body. Higher states of awareness are later obtained through the practice of meditation and concentration which helps to improve the overall quality of the human mind and body.
Mantra yoga
Mantra yoga is originated from the Vedic sciences and is also a form of tantra. In fact it is believed that all of the Scripture is composed within the Vedas are mantra which can be chanted or sung to help obtain the ultimate salvation or union with supreme consciousness. Mantra yoga is constituted by these elements of chanting and singing, it is believed that through these practices alone self-realization can be obtained.
Bhakti yoga
Bhakti yoga is constituted by the elements of faith and devotion through which the individual spirit is merged with the divine. The faith is usually directed towards God or a supreme form of consciousness through which the individual can offer prayers and homage . Bhakti yoga is not limited to Hindu faith but can also include all world religions such as Christianity, Buddhism,Judaism and any other religion that devotes its practice and philosophy to a form of God. A bhakti Yogi can pray to Jesus, Buddha, or Allah with the same success as one who devotes himself to Ram, Krishna, or Shiva. Even a guru can be an object of worship for which a disciple devotes his practice.
An important element of bhakti yoga is that the devotee must have a strong emotional bond with the being with which they are praying to. It is also important for the devotee to direct all of his or her energy towards the object of devotion, opening the doors of their emotions to prayer. Most people suppress various emotions, and as a result this leads to various disorders within the body and mind. Bhakti yoga helps to relieve these emotional blocks and help purify the mind for higher states of consciousness.
When practiced continuously, bhakti yoga reduces the power of the ego over the mind and body which helps to eliminate attachment and distractions and introduce in its place a strong sense of love and devotion. Through the practice of bhakti, one’s self-identity is lost as the supreme prevails which eventually leads to a state of self-realization.
Karma yoga
Karma yoga is a form of yoga which is primarily concerned with action and work. Through such activities, one loses his or her identity through active work which is devoid of selfishness and self-gaining prophecies. A very important quality of karma yoga is the selflessness which must form out of love and devotion as opposed to egotistical desires. This is difficult as it requires a specific mental frame set otherwise, yoga is not possible. Typically people work with an incentive or intention of achieving some reward for their efforts. In Karma yoga the ego must be totally annihilated through selfless service which is committed to serving the divine. Only when such a point of perception is practiced can the Yogi teach the meaning of, yoga.
There is usually a pattern which practitioners follow when adhering to the practice of yoga. In the beginning, practitioners usually have a strong sense of ego which usually, consciously or unconsciously, tries to attach his efforts towards receiving praise or recognition. However with continual practice such ideologies are destroyed as the practitioner gradually reduces the strength of the ego and replaces it with the supremacy of realization of the True self. In such a state of mind, the individual begins to worship God through the practice of action and service. No matter what the reward or loss may be, the individual is totally detached from the fruits of his or her actions and joyfully accepts whatever the divine’s will may be.
Jnana yoga
Jnana yoga is a path of wisdom and intelligence in which the practitioner works to achieve the wisdom of the super consciousness. The movement of the practitioner in Jnana yoga is from intellectual knowledge to practical wisdom which is experienced and realized on a daily basis. While many consider the the path of philosophy, jnana has strong roots in a process of self-discovery through which the individual gradually grasps the forces in underlying characteristics of the cosmos. In the beginning it may be an intellectual journey, however in the end it is a journey of experience and truly practical wisdom.
Literally translated, Jnana means knowledge, however under the context of yoga Jnana is understood as a practice of meditation on higher states of awareness which lead to a state of self-realization. Through discernment and logical deduction, Jnana yoga works from a level of human intellect to a state of super consciousness.
These are some of the elements which help to constitute Jnana yoga:
1. Disassociation with intellect and self-indulgence
2. Experience of true knowledge
3. moving from conceptual understanding to realization
4. discovering the characteristics of individuality and the ego
5. developing intuition
6. experiencing inner unity with the divine
7. knowing the qualities of nature and the truth
Kundalini yoga derived from tantra yoga
In kundalini and tantra yoga one works towards the release and control of shakti or the elemental force which exists within all of creation. This release of shakti is controlled by various practices which help to awaken the psychic centers or chakras within the body. The chakras are seven in number and primarily located along the length of the spine and within the cranium. Each of these centers control various energy pathways within the body. Through the purification and awakening of these centers, various transformations occur within the body and the mind which help to tune in the practitioner for higher states of consciousness. The chakras are usually awakened in a sequential order starting from the base of the spine and moving up into the skull. Each chakra is also associated with the different states of awareness starting from an animalistic sense of being and rising up into that of the highest state of consciousness.
As kundalini energy or shakti is released from its dormant state within the base of the spine, the practitioner begins to experience different stages of awakening which help to open consciousness. The stages are directly related to the various levels of chakras, eventually awakening the highest chakra in the cerebellum which opens the mind to the higher state of consciousness.
The typical practices associated with kundalini yoga include the asanas, pranayamas, and mudras, bundhas, kriyas, as well as various forms of devotion which all help to stimulate the centers of energy within the body. These practices all purify the energy passages which clear the way for kundalini energy to be awakened.
Kriya yoga
Kriya is derived from two Sanskrit syllables; kri and ya. Kri is typically translated as action of the elements where as ya is the soul. Combine these two together and you have the definition of kriya which is action of the soul. This definition implies that Kriya yoga is a process in which preliminary practices of meditation and various forms of concentration lead to total union of the soul with the divine. One of the primary aspects of forms of kriya yoga are practices which modify and control the breath, through breath, one is unified with the spirit.
Kriya originally was developed by Tantric yogis who used the practice for union with the divine. In total there are over 70 kriya yoga practices which are not only a variety of breathing exercises but also a wide array of meditation techniques, asana practices, and purification systems.
Many other forms of yoga also exist including, to name a few, Raja yoga, swara yoga, Tibetan yoga, and nadha all of which have their own unique practices and techniques. Along with the various systems of yoga exist a significant number of philosophies which help to conceptualize the ideologies on which the yogis depend upon for their understanding of the spiritual path. While ultimately the path is one as all journeys lead to the same destination, yogis developed a wide variety of techniques and disciplines to cater to the significant variations of human characteristics, personalities, traits, cultures, and self identities. Yoga is a practice for everyone, and while the processes that lead toward self-realization may vary, all systems of yoga systematically work toward the higher state of consciousness. It is believed that every path of yoga can give the spiritual practitioner the experience of divine consciousness. What matters most in the practice of yoga is not which path one follows but the devotion which one shows to their techniques and system. For this reason, many variations of yoga philosophy and practice were developed so that everyone could have the opportunity to have the experience of self realization.
Posted in Yoga Philosophy
