Every yoga branch is different. If you want to find a yoga branch that suits your personal style, evaluate some of its key components, like the key benefits and how you practice it.
There are six branches of yoga. Each branch has unique qualities that set it apart from the rest.
Continue reading this article to learn about the different branches of yoga, including what they are and how you can practice them.
The different branches of yoga
No matter what type of yoga practice you seek, there’s a yoga branch for everyone. The six branches of yoga filter your practice into unique categories so you can find a yoga flow to fit your needs.
Raja yoga
Raja yoga is a classical form of yoga focusing on self-discipline. It aims to control thoughts through meditation and concentration.
Primary practices of raja yoga
Meditation is one of the best examples of raja yoga since it focuses on controlling the mind. Furthermore, the act of svadhyaya (self-study) is another great way to practice raja yoga, since it influences strict self-discipline by studying yogic texts (Vedas).
Jnana yoga
Also known as the yoga of knowledge, jnana yoga is an intellectual yoga that combines physical yoga with the path to the intellectual self.
Primary practices of jnana yoga
To practice Jnana yoga, you must first collect knowledge about the Self. Ask important questions about yourself and investigate spirituality to gain deeper awareness. Furthermore, walking barefoot, eating cleaner, and giving up unnecessary material possessions are great ways to reconnect with the natural environment and gain spiritual awareness.
Tantra yoga
Tantra yoga interconnects various types of yoga to hone the physical and spiritual body.
Primary practices of tantra yoga
Combining various elements of the eight limbs of yoga concurrently is an essential way of practicing tantra yoga. For instance, incorporating visualization techniques during your vinyasa practice to balance chakras.
Hatha yoga
Hatha yoga is the most common yoga we see in Western society. It focuses on deliberately positioning your body into various poses to increase strength or flexibility. Furthermore, research suggests hatha yoga has many mental benefits like decreased anxiety.
Primary practices of hatha yoga
There are several types of yoga, such as ashtanga or vinyasa. You can practice them in yoga flows or by performing these poses individually. Yoga instructors assert that spending at least a few minutes each day on hatha yoga is enough to make an impact on your mental and physical body.
Bhakti yoga
Bhakti yoga is a deeply spiritual practice. There are nine limbs of devotion, recognizing the Divine in everything.
Primary practice of bhakti yoga
The deeply spiritual practice requires concentration and self-study of Hindu texts, which liberate mental suffering. Spend at least a few minutes every day reading the Vedas, chanting, and dancing to deepen your spiritual practice and understand the feeling of selfless service.
Mantra yoga
Mantra yoga focuses on liberating the mind through spiritual transformation by using mantras.
Postures of mantra yoga
You can incorporate mantras into nearly any yoga posture. Mantras are repetitive chants you can repeat silently or chant aloud during your yoga routine.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a long-time yogi or someone just beginning your yoga journey, take some time to explore the different branches of yoga so you can find one that you enjoy the most. Once you find a branch you enjoy, you can indulge in the various postures.
