Types of Yoga

^{by Sangeetha Rajah}

There are many different types of yoga that are described in the scriptures. Most of them have been lost (along with the scriptures they were contained in) over the course of history. Below is an enumeration of the types of Yoga still available with us today.

1. Abhâva-Yoga: A concept found in the Purânas meaning the power of nonexistence; the higher yogic practice of plunging into the Self without any external support such as mantras.

2. Adhyâtma-Yoga: A concept characteristic of the Upanishads meaning the unifying discipline of the inner self; synonymous with the practice of Yoga.

3. Agni-Yoga: The integrative discipline of fire. The joint action of manas, the mind and prâna, the life force causes the awakening of kundalini, the serpent power within the body.

4. Ashtânga-Yoga: The unifying discipline of the eight limbs (i) Yama, moral discipline (ii) Niyama, self-restraint (iii) Aasana, various postures (iv) Praanaayaama, breath control (v) Pratyaahara, withdrawl of senses and mind from the sensory objects (vi) Dhaarana, concentration (vii) Dhyaana, meditation and (viii) Samaadhi

5. Asparsha-Yoga: The discipline of non contact expounded by Gaudapâda in his Mândûkya-Kârikâ.

6. Bhakti-Yoga: The collective discipline of love and devotion that is extolled in the Bhagavad-Gîtâ, the Bhâgavata-Purâna, and in the scriptures of the Vaishnavas and Shaivas.

7. Buddhi-Yoga: The discipline of the higher mind, first mentioned in the Bhagavad-Gîtâ.

8. Dhyâna-Yoga: The profound discipline of meditation.

9. Ghatastha-Yoga: The discipline of the ghata, the body; it is mentioned in the Gheranda-Samhitâ.

10. Guru-Yoga: The discipline relative to one's teacher.

11. Hatha-Yoga: The discipline of the force exercised by asanas, the physiological activity and pranayama, the breath control.

12. Hiranyagarbha-Yoga: The discipline of Hiranyagarbha or the one with the Golden womb, considered to be the founder of the Yoga tradition.

13. Japa-Yoga: The centralizing discipline of recitation of the mantras.

14. Jnâna-Yoga: The exercise of wisdom and knowledge, which is the approach of the Upanishads.

15. Karma-Yoga: The discipline of self-surpassing action as expounded in the Bhagavad-Gîtâ; the theory of action and reaction, cause and effect.

16. Kaula-Yoga: The instructions of Tantric Yoga of the Kaula school.

17. Kriyâ-Yoga: The exercise of rituals as mentioned in the Yoga-Sûtra of Patanjali; the combined practice of tapas, asceticism, svâdhyâya, study and îshvara-pranidhâna, the worship of the Lord.

18. Kundalinî-Yoga: The discipline fundamental to the Tantric tradition; the exercise of the serpent power, kundalinî-shakti.

19. Lambikâ-Yoga: The yogic approach that stimulates the uvula to augment the flow of amrita or saliva.

20. Laya-Yoga: The yoga that features the absorption or dissolution of the elements ere their natural dissolution at death.

21. Mahâ-Yoga: The concept that is found in the Yoga-Shikhâ-Upanishad which combines the practice of Mantra-Yoga, Laya-Yoga, Hatha-Yoga, and Râja-Yoga.

22. Mantra-Yoga: The practice of numinous sounds that help protect the mind.

23. Nâda-Yoga: The discipline of the inner sound.

24. Pancadashânga-Yoga: The training of the 15 limbs:

(i) yama, moral discipline
(ii) niyama, restraint

(iii) tyâga, renunciation
(iv) mauna, silence
(v) desha, right place
(vi) kâla, right time
(vii) âsana, posture
(viii) mûla-bandha, root lock
(ix) deha-samya, bodily equilibrium
(x) dhrik-sthiti, stability of vision
(xi) prâna-samrodha, control of the life force
(xii) pratyâhâra, , withdrawl of senses and mind from the sensory objects
(xiii) dhâranâ, concentration
(xiv) âtma-dhyâna, meditation upon the Self and
(xv) samâdhi, ecstasy.

25. Pâshupata-Yoga: The yogic discipline of the Pâshupata sect found in some Purânas.

26. Pâtanjala-Yoga: The discipline of Patanjali, better known as Râja-Yoga or Yoga-Darsana.

27. Pûrna-Yoga: The cultivation of wholeness or integration. It is the name of Sri Aurobindo's Yoga.

28. Râja-Yoga: The yoga synonymous with Pâtanjala-Yoga, Ashtânga-Yoga.

29. Samâdhi-Yoga: The yoga ecstasy or eternal bliss.

30. Sâmkhya-Yoga: The discipline of insight, a reference of which is found in the Mahâbhârata.

31. Samputa-Yoga: The tantric practice of maithunâ or sexual encounter.

32. Samrambha-Yoga: The concept found in the Vishnu-Purâna which states the discipline of hatred as a principle that enable one to become what one continually contemplates; it can even be charged with negative emotions.

33. Sanyâsa-Yoga: The procedure of renunciation, which is often pitched against the concept of Karma-Yoga in the Bhagavad-Gîtâ.

34. Saptânga-Yoga: The discipline of the seven limbs (i) Shat karma, the six purifying practices (ii) âsana, posture (iii) mudrâ, seal (iv) pratyâhâra, , withdrawl of senses and mind from the sensory objects (v) prânâyâma, breath control (6) dhyâna, meditation and (7) samâdhi, ecstasy.

35. Shadanga-Yoga: The discipline of the six limbs as stated in the Maitrâyanîya-Upanishad (i) prânâyâma, breath control (ii) pratyâhâra, withdrawl of senses and mind from the sensory objects (iii) dhyâna, meditation (iv) dhâranâ, concentration (v) tarka, logical analysis and (vi) samâdhi, ecstasy.

36. Siddha-Yoga: The discipline of the experts found in the Tantras.

37. Sparsha-Yoga: The discipline of contact or touch exercised with breath control and mantra recitation; it is a Vedantic Yoga mentioned in the Shiva-Purâna.

38. Tantra-Yoga: The practice of the Tantras based on the serpent power in the body, the kundalinî.

39. Târaka-Yoga: The yoga based on the phenomena of light; the discipline of târaka, the deliverer.

40. Yantra-Yoga: The power of focusing the mind upon yantra, geometric representations of the cosmos.

REFERENCE

www.abc-of-yoga.com