What is Satyananda Yoga?

Cheryl Dennett
If you are looking for an exercise program that is great for beginners, yoga is for you. It is easy to start and can be made more challenging very easily. There are several types of Hatha yoga to choose from. Hatha yoga is any type of yoga that uses physical practices to achieve the goals of yoga. One type of Hatha yoga is Satyananda.

Satyananda yoga takes a very holistic approach to the goals of yoga. Classes will include asana, pranayama, meditation, dep relaxation, and internal cleansing techniques. A yoga asana is the posture or pose. And, pranayama is the rhythmic control of the breath. It is the fourth stage of yoga and the hub around which the wheel of yoga revolves. This type of yoga has something that will appeal to most practitioners of yoga, since it includes the devotional, intellectual, and physical aspects.

The development of awareness of the self is encouraged by Satyananda yoga. A variety of postures are offered in classes, including those that will help limber the body and are aimed to build and streamline your energy flow. If you are attracted to the spiritual and philosophical aspects of yoga, Satyananda yoga will be very appealing to you.

There is one living guru of this type of Hatha yoga. Swami Naranjan was trained from childhood to run the Bihar School of Yoga. And, Swami Satyananda, who founded the school in 1963 and passed away in 2009. He was the author of over 80 books, some of which are recognized as the best yoga manuals even today. They have also been translated into many languages and been reprinted many times.

Swami Satyananda was very active in community projects and took yoga classes to jails, schools, and hospitals. He was also the first Indian guru to make a case for Westerners, most particularly Western women, to be allowed to take vows as swamis. A swami is a Hindu monk. The school founded by Swami Satyananda has a headquarters located in northern India. It is a government accredited yoga university and offers courses to degree level.

Satyananda yoga is the emphasis of spirituality and awareness of self. It is a more tradition approach to the goals of yoga. However, it still incorporates the physical poses and will help you get your body into better physical shape. Hopefully, this information will help you decide if Satyananda yoga is the right style for your lifestyle.

Published by Cheryl Dennett

In my mid 40's, college graduate, out of a job thanks to the wonderful state of the economy. I enjoy researching topics I am interested in and sharing the knowledge I have found. I have been a member of the...  View profile

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