Yoga 101

No seriously. YOGA 101. This entry is not about fulfilling my resolution. Not yet anyway. It’s about yoga itself: what it means, where it comes from, how the various types differ, and why it’s on my to-do list.

I’ve had a lot of people ask me why this or why that from the list. Why a haunted hotel? Why fly a plane? Why ride a mechanical bull? (Seriously? Does that one really need to be answered?). Why yoga? So I will give you what you want: an answer to your why’s, one resolution at a time.

But first, a little bit about yoga itself.

I am no expert, not even by the most liberal of standards. These are things I discovered as I researched about yoga. The quick and dirty-get to the heart of the matter-meat on the bones-kind of stuff. What I have learned without doubt is that yoga is a very complex art and belief system that cannot be explained away in a single blog entry. But if you’re interested in understanding it a bit better, read on.

In Sanskrit, yoga means effort, and it’s derived from the root yuj, or to yoke/concentrate on/join; it is a type of meditation in Hinduism and Buddhism. One who practices yoga is called a yogi. Within yoga there are various branches, the most popular of which, in western culture, is Hatha Yoga.

Ha meaning sun, tha moon. It improves physical and mental health through breathing techniques, meditation and postures. It is what we think of when those of us from the west picture yoga. Downward Facing Dog this, Happy Baby that, Feathered Peacock one, Half Frog the other.

But there are so many other types. Mostly practiced in the East.

Raja Yoga

Also known as “royal yoga”, Raja Yoga is mainly focused on using the mind to conquer the body. It does this through self-discipline, pushing us to forgo our obsessions with objects.

Karma Yoga

Not to be confused with Kama (sutra)—a very different type of posturing.

This is the “discipline of action” wherein the yogi acts according to his or her duty on earth without seeking desires, and acting entirely without motive.

Jnana Yoga

This is the “path of knowledge” which will lend to salvation by following 4 rules. Viveka—differentiating between real (or eternal) and unreal (or temporary); Vairagya—detaching oneself from the temporary; Shad-Sampat—finding the six virtues (control of the mind, control of the senses, letting go of things that are not one’s duty, endurance, faith, and perfect concentration); and Mumukshutva (longing to detach oneself from temporal limitations) [1]

So why yoga?

All of the yogis I know tell me that it has changed their life. They feel healthier, both body and soul, and happier. I’ve taken yoga classes in the past, but have never quite experienced what they have.

My initial plan was to take a class in each one of these branches, to see how they differed and determine which one worked the best for me. Unfortunately, many are not offered where I live. None that I could find, anyway. And the more I researched, the more I learned that these types of yoga are not learned in a single class. People go to school in these disciplines, become scholars in the various forms.

Instead, I’ve decided to take a few different classes in Hatha Yoga: traditional, deep stretch, and (drumroll please…..) candlelight flow. Clearly the one I’m most excited about is yoga set to candlelight. Not for the romanticism. Because we all know there’s nothing sexier than sweating in a classroom full of strangers. But rather for the calm that candles induce. There is something so soothing about them. And that’s what I’m seeking. At least in part. Tranquility and serenity—synonyms for the resolution that I’m hoping yoga will help me check off my life’s list: peace.

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[1] From Wikipedia