I have been an advocate for yoga for more then 10 years. I have tired many forms. Bikram (also known as Fire Yoga), although effective for what it is, was not my first choice. I have friends who love cooking in the 105 degree heat. In this experience I felt like I was doing yoga in the sauna and found it difficult for me to hone in on the meditative aspects.
Vinyasa, means breath-synchronized
movement, tends to be a more vigorous style based on the performance of
a series of poses called Sun Salutations,
in which movement is matched to the breath. A Vinyasa class will
typically start with a number of Sun Salutations to warm up the body
for more intense stretching that's done at the end of class. Hatha can seem similar to Vinyasa at times.
Ashtanga, which means "eight limbs" in Sanskrit, is a fast-paced,
intense style of yoga. A set series of poses is performed, always in
the same order. Ashtanga practice is very physically demanding because
of the constant movement from one pose to the next. In yoga
terminology, this movement is called flow. This can feel effective like Bikram, but for me not as meditative.
Iyengar, this style of
practice is most concerned with bodily alignment. In yoga, the word
alignment has to do with the way your body is positioned in each pose to avoid injury and get the most you can from the pose. In this type of practice poses are held longer then others. There is also more use of props including blankets, blocks and straps to help with alignment.
Kundalini is on the breath in conjunction with physical
movement, with the purpose of freeing energy in the lower body and
allowing it to move upwards. All asana practices make use of
controlling the breath. Unlike Ilyengar, Kundalini is quicker movements.
There is so much about all of these out there in print and in cyberspace, but this is my mini breakdown. Personally, I feel like I do a combination of a few of these. I really enjoy the long held poses, and breathing techniques, but I have also used some implements like the blanket, blocks and straps to extend stretches. There was a period of time when I actually had a yoga room in my house, but with the studio turning 3 years old this year I realize I haven't remained as consistent and my yoga room as turned into a guest room.
Hatha yoga, also called Hatha Vidya, comes from a Yogi of 15th century India. In this treatise Swatmarama introduces Hatha Yoga as preparatory stage
of physical purification that the body practices for higher meditation. Hatha Yoga is what most people in the West associate with the word "Yoga" and is practiced for mental and physical health throughout the West. Yoga is also recognized as a stress reducing practice.
Personally, I think I benefit from yoga in multiple ways. I believe that I feel more grounded in my day if I start with some sort of Sun Salutation. I think that when I am able to have a consistent practice I feel more connected with my physical body, which has something I have always struggled with. Yoga seems to lay an excellent foundation for posture and flexibility. Just writing this reminds me of the importance of my practice that I had been so good a consistently doing. I am now feeling even more motivated to work on evolving my own lifestyle once again to make it fit.
Namaste!
If you are looking to explore your options here in Portland, here are some places I or friends have tried and really liked:
1021 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR - (503) 231-0994
6214 SE Lincoln St, Portland, OR - (503) 231-4163
4831 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR - (503) 284-0555
2043 SE 50th Ave, Portland, OR - (503) 235-9642
