St. Petersburg Yoga | Yoga | St. Petersburg | Hatha Yoga

ANUSARA YOGA

Anusara (a-nu-sar-a), means “flowing with Grace,” “going with the flow,” “following your heart.”

An Anusara class is based on a concise set of alignment principles called the "Universal Principles of Alignment. A central idea within the Universal Principles of Alignment is the 3 A's: Attitude, Alignment, and Action. This refers to a foundational concept within the Anusara method in which every pose is infused with a meaningful intention connected to the grand purposes of yoga, awareness of specific postural alignment, and balanced action between stability and freedom. The specific principles include Muscular Energy and Organic Energy, which are the two complementary forces that provide each pose with a balanced action. Other alignment principles include Spirals and Loops, which help to bring refinement and precision to each pose. Classes are designed using principles of sequencing. One of the principles includes progressively sequencing poses to help students of all levels advance in their practice.

FOUNDER: John Friend. To learn more visit: www.anusara.com

ASHTANGA YOGA: (See also Flow and Vinyasa Yoga Styles)

The practice of Ashtanga that is getting mainstream attention today is a fast-paced series of sequential postures. The system is based on six series of asanas which increase in difficulty, allowing students to work at their own pace. In class, you will be led nonstop through one or more of the series. You will be encouraged to breathe as you move from pose to pose. Be prepared to sweat.

An Ashtanga class will increase your heart rate, increase your strength and assist in weight loss and detoxifying.

WHO FOUNDED IT: The practice is based on the teachings of Sri T. Krishnamacharya. Sir K. Pattabhi Jois now teaches his disciples this same method that he learned from Krishnamacharya in 1927. For more information visit: www.ayri.org.

FLOW YOGA: (See also Vinyasa and Ashtanga Yoga Styles)

Flow Yoga is to move smoothly with unbroken continuity, as in the manner characteristic of a fluid, to circulate, as the blood in the body, to exhibit a smooth or graceful continuity.

A Flow class will increase your heart rate, increase your strength and assist in weight loss and detoxifying.

IYENGAR YOGA:

The Iyengar basic principles of movement are compatible with current developments in the field of physical therapy and in other modern bodywork disciplines. Combining classical yoga traditions with innovative refinements, Mr. Iyengar’s approach is marked by dynamism and precision. Iyengar Yoga is unsurpassed as a way to build strength, stamina and flexibility while cultivation a sense of graceful peace and well-being.

In an Iyengar class, poses are typically held much longer than in other schools of yoga, so that practitioners can pay close attention to the precise muscular and skeletal alignment this system demands. Also specific to Iyengar, which is probably the most popular type of yoga practiced in the United States, his use of props, including belts, chairs, blocks, and blankets to help accommodate any special needs such as injuries or structural imbalances. For more information, visit www.iyisf.org.

WHO FOUNDED IT: Iyengar Yoga is a method of Hatha Yoga developed over a period of 60 years by B. K. S. Iyengar of Pune, India. He is ne of the worlds most acclaimed yoga masters. He is the author of Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama, The Art of Yoga, The Tree of Yoga and Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. He currently teaches with his daughter, Geeta and his son Prashant at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune, India.

KRIPALU YOGA:

Kripalu is a challenging approach to asana practice that emphasizes meditation and breath work and encourages inward focus and spiritual attunement. Practicing Kripalu Yoga can initiate a gradual process of physical healing, psychological growth, and spiritual awakening. The three stages of Kripalu Yoga include: willful practice (a focus on alignment, breath, and the presence of consciousness); willful surrender (a conscious holding of the postures to the level of tolerance and beyond, deepening concentration and focus of internal thoughts and emotions); and meditation in motion ( the body’s complete release of internal tensions and a complete trust in the body’s wisdom to perform the postures and movements needed to release physical and mental tensions and enter deep meditation). For more information, visit: www.kripalu.org.

WHO FOUNDED IT: Kripalu was formed in 1966 to promote yoga and uplift the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of individuals. For more than 40 years, The Kripalu Center in Massachusetts has remained a place where people come together to deeply inquire into the core issues of life, explore new and healthier ways of being, and put inspiration in practice.

KRIYA YOGA:

Balance is the word that symbolizes Kriya yoga. The balance of all things and the balance in all things. Moderation in all things. The practice of Kriya Yoga embraces a technique that specifically highlights the bond between mind and breath. This principle is maintained that breath influences the mind and vice versa. Thus, Kriya Yoga considers breath control as a self control, and the mastery of breath is the mastery of self. Kriya Yoga encourages inward focus, spiritual attunement and living our yoga daily. For more information visit: www.yogakriya.org.

WHO FOUNDED IT: Sri Goswami Kriyananda is the Guru and Spiritual Preceptor of the Temple of Kriya Yoga. He has been guiding seekers on the spiritual path for over 55 years. His warm humor and profound insights have inspired thousands to awaken their minds to knowledge, their hearts to kindness, and their lives to service. Read his inspirational advice on life at: www.yogachicago.com.