Ashtanga:
Popularized by K. Pattabhi K Jois, Ashtanga yoga is a fiery, athletic
system aimed at purifying, stretching, and strengthening the body by
building up tapas, or heat, through vigorous sequences of postures
linked by Sun Salutations. The system is based on four increasingly
challenging series of asanas. Jois says he discovered the series in a
Calcutta library, recorded in Sanskirt on a crumbling leaf manuscript.
Anusara: The word Anusara means “Flowing
with Grace” or “Aligning with Nature.” Grounded in bio-mechanical
principles, this style of yoga, founded by John Friend, focuses on opening
the body, heart, and spirit in
ways that are therapeutic and empowering to the whole being.
Iyengar:
Named after its founder, B.K.S. Iyengar, this form is renowned for its
precise attention to alignment and anatomical detail. Props such as
straps, sandbags, blankets, and wooden blocks enable even the inflexible
or elderly to benefit from the poses. Due to its precision, Iyengar yoga
is particularly useful as a tool for physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Restorative: This class is based on
supported postures that relax, nurture, and gently stretch the body. The
blend of movement and relaxation will help bring your system back to
balance.
Somatic: Somatic yoga blends the somatic
exercises developed by Thomas Hanna with the principals of classical
yoga. It is a yoga that works as much as possible with the brain rather
than using the body to manipulate the body. Visualization is used to
enable the person to develop a motor program for posture. It is considered
that when postures are difficult, it is because there are chronic muscle
contraction patterns preventing movement in desired direction. Therefore,
it is necessary to release the contracted muscle before the postures can
be done effectively. Students are encouraged to use the brain’s
organizational capacity
to contract appropriate muscles and lengthen others.
Vinyasa Flow: Meaning sequential. A series
of postures linked together utilizing the breath. These classes all use
the movements of the sun salutation, the meditative engagement of the
eyes, and pranayama breathing to create a continuous flow of postures.
White Lotus Flow: Ganga White’s flowing yoga
is also a modified Ashtanga practice. Postures are synchronized with
breath sequences whose pace and difficulty vary from class to class. This
form gives a good overall workout, and concludes with pranayama and
meditation.
