What is Sivananda Yoga?

Yoga is a great form of exercise. And, one of the best things about it is that it exercises not only your body, but your mind as well. There are several types of Hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is any method that uses physical means to reach the goals of yoga. Most yoga taught in the United States is Hatha yoga. Sivananda yoga is one type of Hatha yoga.

This form of yoga is ideal for those who enjoy a mix of physical and devotional practices. Each clas will include some changing and breathing exercises, in addition to the yoga poses. Each class will include the same twelve postures. These are designed to stimulate the chakras. As the emphasis moves progressively up from the base chakra, each chakra is stimulated, up to the crown chakra. The yoga poses will start in a standing position and progress to a headstand. However, headstands are not always suitable for beginners. At the end of the routine, a final relaxation session.

Sivananda yoga is good for beginners because it allows them to get used to the same sequence in each class. It also gives beginners a chance to deepen their understanding of the postures that are involved. If more variety is desired in your yoga practice, it might be advisable to choose another type of yoga. Sivananda places less emphasis on alignment and more on chanting and breath work than most other types of Hatha yoga. It also emphasizes diet, positive thinking, and meditation.

The late Swami Vishnu Devananda was the founder of Sivananda yoga. He was the disciple of Swami Sivananda. This type of yoga is now mostly run by Western swamis who have more than eighty centers and ashrams around the world. They strongly embrace the spiritual aspects of yoga and are in various stages of renunciation. There are month long teacher training session located in the Bahamas and also retreats for practitioners.

No matter what type of yoga you choose, you will feel wonderful after each session. There is a right style of yoga for everyone. It is advisable to go to a class of several types of yoga before you decide on one path to follow. Videos should supplement, but not replace, yoga class. The feedback from the teacher is invaluable. Hopefully, this information will help you decide if Sivananda yoga is the right type of Hatha yoga for you and your level of physical health.