The Eight Main Branches of Yoga
Yoga may seem like it's a bunch of people stretching, perhaps in a hot room that makes them sweat. So is it only stretching? Is it weight loss, or a set of relaxation techniques? It is much more then these few things. Many people have the misunderstanding that Yoga is only this or that, but in reality it's many different techniques that attempt to pull the mind and the body together in unity.
Below are the seven principle areas and a short description:
Bhakti Yoga: The Yoga of devotion
Bhakti Yoga is a belief of a supreme being that transcends their lives. People that follow the belief believe that they can merge with this supreme being by showing devotion. Bhakti Yoga includes making offerings, singing hymns of praise and keeping your mind on the divine, supreme being.
Hatha Yoga: The Yoga of physical discipline
Hatha Yoga help's to purify and prepare the body for enlightenment. All the areas of Yoga seek reach enlightenment, but this area does it by focusing on the body instead of the mind or emotions.
Jnana Yoga: The Yoga of wisdom
Jnana Yoga is the teaching of nondualism, which is the belief that reality is singular and that your understanding of certain objects and things is a misconception. Once you reach enlightenment, everything becomes one and you become one with the immortal spirit.
Karma Yoga: The Yoga of self-transcending action
Karma Yoga teaches followers to act unselfishly, without attachment to any objects and to act with integrity. The teachers of Karma Yoga believe that anything you say or do has consequences which you must take full responsibility for.
Mantra Yoga: The Yoga of potent sound
Mantra Yoga uses a certain sound to harmonize the body and focus your mind. This can work with a single word, a syllable or a phrase. By humming this "mantra", you bring together your body and mind to form one entity.
Raja Yoga: The Royal Yoga
Raja Yoga is a tradition approach to enlightenment. It has eight limbs, including moral discipline, self-restraint, posture, breath control, sensory inhibition, concentration, meditation and ecstasy.
Tantra Yoga: The Yoga of continuity
Tantra Yoga is one of the most misunderstood branches of Yoga. People think that it only has to do with sex and different sexual positions. In reality, it's actually about rituals and visualizations of different deities.
Guru Yoga: The Yoga of dedication to a master
Guru Yoga is very rare in the west. The goal of Guru Yoga is to become one with your master. Your master, or the teacher has assumedly already reached enlightenment and your goal is to meditate on your guru until you merge with them.