Yoga and the Types of Yoga
The word yoga is one which is associated with different practices and belief systems, mostly delving into the areas of physical fitness and that of Hinduism as well. Basically, the term yoga refers to spiritual practices in India, whose origins date back to ancient times, but also encompasses an area in physical well being, dealing with overall physical fitness in a person.
Yoga in Brief
The yoga word is actually Sanskrit in origin. It comes from the root yuj, which translates to either to unite, to control or to yoke. Conjunction, union, joining or jointing would be the premise of yoga therefore, particularly as a discipline of meditation and asceticism, allowing for profound insight to the nature of what is. In Hinduism, yoga stands to be quite held with high regard, as the practice calls for believers to set their minds into such meditative states.
As being applied in religions, yoga isn't limited to India based religions alone, as other belief systems apply Yoga practices, as well as yoga's application in non religious practices.
Types of Yoga
When talking about the types of yoga, one would be discerning the major branches of yoga, filling in the various types of yoga which is known to prevail today. The types of yoga would include Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
Karma Yoga in the types of Yoga is also known as Buddhi Yoga, and is known to be based on the many teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, which is a scripture of Hinduism. The adherence to duty or dharma, would be the focus of Karma Yoga. Another of the types of Yoga would be that of Jnana yoga, which is known to refer to the "path of knowledge", as the word Jnana means "knowledge". Hatha Yoga would be another of the types of yoga practices, and is known to be the most popular of all other types of yoga.
Also known as Hatha Vidaya, Hatha yoga was basically introduced by Yogi Swatmarama in the 15th Century in India. In the list of types of yoga practices, Hatha Yoga is seen as the preparatory stage, allowing for higher meditation practices to take place. Raja Yoga, in the types of yoga branches is known to be the most classic of yoga practices, and is often termed as classical yoga or simply yoga in itself.
Bhakti yoga is known to be the type of yoga where loving devotion to the Bhakti, or God, is given emphasis. It is among the types of yoga practices which have sub-categorizations, defining its class in the types of yoga.
So there you have it. Yoga and the types of yoga practices in brief.
