Different Types of Yoga Today

Amrit Yoga

‘meditation in motion’ – a practice which integrates joyful inner stillness with effortless outer action. The principle objective of Amrit yoga is to help one to learn to live in harmony and, as they refer to it, ‘alignment’.

Anahata Yoga

Anahata yoga was developed by Ana Costa, who refers to it as a ‘meditative interpretation of Hatha Yoga.’ This yoga type is characterized primarily by a flow of exercises, postures and short meditations. The practice itself is not designed to be physically taxing, but mainly to encourage full breathing, calmness, and an ‘opening of the heart centre’.

Ananda Yoga

Still one of the less common types of yoga today, ananda yoga is a gentle practice that combines breath awareness, affirmations and yoga postures. Its methodology is to move from body awareness through energy awareness to, finally, silent, inner awareness.

Anusara Yoga

Of the many modern styles of yoga, anusara yoga is of relative recent advent. It was founded in 1997 by John Friend, and combines a strong emphasis on physical alignment with, according to their website, a ‘philosophy that believes in the intrinsic goodness of all beings’.
Anusara classes are put forth as being light-hearted as well as accessible to students of differing abilities.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is among the most common styles of yoga being practiced today. This yoga style is a rigorous system of ‘yoga-based’ physical exercises, which were developed by K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore India. These exercises were specifically designed to build strength, flexibility, and stamina.

Bikram Yoga

Of the common types of yoga being practiced today, Bikram yoga is certainly among the most well-known. Performed in a room heated to 40.5 degrees Celsius, with 40 percent humidity.

Children’s Yoga

Children’s yoga may not really be considered one of the specific styles of yoga, although the term ‘children’s yoga’ (or kid’s yoga) is popular now and applied generally to yoga classes or practices specifically designed for children.

Dru Yoga

Dru yoga takes its name from the Sanskrit and druvam,  which means ‘fixed’, ‘immovable’or ‘in one place’. This word essentially refers to a state of stillness within the mind, which remains unaffected by the external world.
This style of yoga is based upon soft, flowing movements, coupled with controlled breathing and visualisations.

Forrest Yoga

Ana Forrest, creator of Forrest Yoga, has spent 30 years developing Forrest Yoga specifically to address current day stresses and challenges, both physical and emotional.
Forrest Yoga uses intense pose sequences with the aim of “awakening each of the senses,” and helping you to “connect to your core.” The methodology involves the use of heat, deep breathing and vigorous sequences, as well as holding positions for longer periods of time.

Gitananda Yoga

It’s based upon the traditional ashtanga yoga as passed down through the lineages of the great saints and sages of ancient India.

Hot Yoga
Hot Yoga has become a well-recognizable style of yoga itself.
Hot yoga is performed with much the same approach as Bikram yoga.

ISHTA Yoga
A lesser known of the modern types of yoga, ISHTA yoga was created in the late 1960s and  stands for the Integrated Science of hatha, tantra and ayurveda.

Iyengar Yoga

The founder of this, perhaps the most recognizable of all the modern types of yoga,

jiva is the word that refers to the ‘individual soul’. Mukti means ‘freedom’ or ‘liberation’.
This yoga style was first popularized in New York City and today finds popularity with many Hollywood celebrities and famous personalities.

Kripalu Yoga

This practice emphasizes proper breath, alignment and the coordination of breath and movement.

Pre / Post-Natal Yoga

‘Pre’ and ‘Post Natal’ yoga are not particular types of yoga, per se. They are generic terms which are used to refer to any yoga practices designed for women during pregnancy or after delivery.

Siddha Yoga
Siddha yoga isn’t necessarily properly classified under types of yoga. It is more of a‘yoga movement’ than any particular style of yoga.

Taoist Yoga

Taoist yoga is not one of the styles of yoga that would fit properly into the yoga tradition, but its practices are certainly in keeping with the many of new yoga styles around today. Taoist yoga is a system of vigorous exercises designed to develop strength, flexibility and balance, and to enhance the flow of energy in the body.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa is a general term used within many different types of yoga. It simply means a‘breath-synchronized movement’.

Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is another modern cross-discipline system of exercises that isn’t necessarily in keeping with traditional types of yoga. In effect, this system represents an application of a Chinese taoist analysis to some of the mechanical practices.