...The word "yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit word "yuj" which means "to yoke". This roughly translated means "the union of the Individual Soul with the Universal Soul". yoga is an ancient spiritual practice originating in India more than 5000 years ago. Its practice can be viewed either as physiological mastery (exercise), spiritual mastery, or both. There are four major branches of yoga.

*Bhakti yoga ~ The yoga of devotion to a deity.
*Jnana yoga ~ The yoga of intellectual endeavor and knowledge.
*Karma yoga ~ The yoga of action in the world.
*Raja yoga ~ The yoga of meditation.

There are many sub-branches including Anahata, Hatha, Kriya, Anusara, Kundalini, Anuyoga, Iyengar, Mahayoga, Ashtanga, Natya, Sivananda, Ati, Krishnamacharya, Pranava, Swara, Bikram, Kripalu and many more. The goals of yoga are expressed differently in different traditions. Kripalu yoga is one of the many styles of teaching Hatha yoga and is the style we'll be discussing here.

Kripalu yoga can be described as the reciprocity of mind, energy and physical body. The prana or life force is the subtle current of rhythmic energy pulsations within the physical body. Every single act of the physical body is strongly affecte...more

Yoga Teacher Certification - Where to Get a Recognized Yoga Teacher Certification

...learn the subject proficiently with the help of DVDs, CDs, books, the website and e-books. Having a prior knowledge of yoga will make it easier for you to understand and complete the course. Of course, the important point to maintain in your quest to obtain a Yoga Teacher Certification is continued practice till perfection.

Once you have completed the online course, you wi...more

Hot Yoga - Bikram's Twenty Six

...ct way just to stretch and keep my aging body flexible and strong.

Once I was dressed in the little bit of shorts, I opened the door to the yoga studio and was met with a rush of hot, stultifying air. Oh goody. I walked to an open space, spread my mat, lay on my back, and understood exactly what she meant by asking me to at least stay in the room. I was already dripping sweat, and we hadn't even begun the class.

Ninety minutes and twice through the 26 poses later, I was indeed still in the room. In the non-competitive, supportive atmosphere I had been completely guided to go to my edge, but not so far that I would be turned off by struggle. In fact, I was exhilarated. I lay on my back at the end, eyes closed in the peaceful, very hot room, and knew I'd be back for more.<...more

The Many Forms Of Yoga

...s really quite a generalized term. Hatha encompasses many different forms of yoga, though a Hatha course will usually move at a slow pace. In many ways, Hatha is the best introductory yoga course. Also, you will find that Vinyasa is another form of yoga that beginners will enjoy due to the breath-synchronized movements and slow poses. In great contract to Hatha and Vinyasa is Iyengar ... though this type of yoga is closer to its true roots. What are the different types of yoga poses involved in Iyengar?

Iyengar is really based upon bodily alignment. Those that practice this form of yoga do so in order to hold various poses for long peri...more

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