Yoga
favor one or the other kind of non-dualism. The last category is the Post-Classical Yoga. This category of Yoga affirms the ultimate unity of everything in the world. In this Yoga, it is believed that everyone or everything else is an aspect or expression of one and the same reality. The different categories and theories of Yoga have aided the process of crossing this physical fitness program over to the American culture.
There are several types of Yoga fitness programs that have evolved in the United States. The first of these is the Ananda Yoga, which focuses on gentle postures intending to move energy up to the brain and prepare the body for meditation. This Yoga also focuses on proper body alignment and controlled breathing. Controlled breathing involves three different types according to its rate. There is the normal and natural steady breathing without any particular effort. There is also the deep breathing, which involves bringing breathing speeds to a minimum with some extra efforts. And finally there is the last controlled breathing method which is fast breathing with extra efforts to increase breathing speed.
The next Yoga program is called the Ashtanga Yoga, a fast paced series of sequential poses that focuses on strength, flexibility, and building heat. Breathing, focal point meditation, and equanimity (the quality of being calm and even-tempered; composed) are all important also. The third Yoga program is called Bikram Yoga, which calls on 26 different poses that are always repeated in the same order. Bikram Yoga studios are heated to approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit to simulate the climate in India. This heat also serves to make the muscles very flexible.
Integral Yoga, a traditional type of yoga, combines postures, breathing exercises, meditation, chanting, prayer, and self-inquiry. ISHTA (Integral Science of Hatha and Tantric Arts) was developed by South African teacher Mani Finger and popularized by his son in the United States, Alan. This Yoga focuses on opening energy channels throughout the body with postures, visualizations, and meditation. The Iyengar Yoga calls for poses that are held for a longer period of time. This type of Yoga is renowned for its attention to body alignment. Props such as straps, sandbags, and wooden blocks are commonly used. Iyengar Yoga creates body awareness, strength, and flexibility. People with physical problems have been helped by this type of prescriptive therapy for their ailments. Kripalu Yoga is a gentle, introspective practice that urges practitioners to hold poses to explore and release emotional and spiritual blockages. Goal-oriented striving is discouraged and precise alignment is not as important as in some other traditional Yoga programs. The last Yoga program is called the Kundalini. This practice concentrates on awakening the energy at the base of the spine and drawing it upward. In addition to postures, a typical class will also include chanting, meditation, and breathing exercises. “Breath of fire” is fundamental to Kundalini Yoga programs. With all these different types of Yoga [next page]