What's the Best Style of Yoga?

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As mentioned previously, there is a balanced practice in a Sivananda ‘style’ class that incorporates both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Since our Western society tends toward emphasizing the sympathetic almost entirely- we are a society, especially in the U.S., of ‘Type A’ personalities, or aspiring to be ‘Type A’, we need a perspective change to remain healthy. Yoga is about balance, and balance is a good word to consider when evaluating so-called yoga ‘styles’.

Prayers are said at the start and finish of class, with a relaxation on both ends. This brings a meditative mood to the class, right from the start. The entire yoga class in a Sivananda ‘style’ is pointed at the 15 iminutes of meditative savasana (corpse pose) at the end. By specifically relaxing at the end of most postures, the beginning and the end, one learns through repetition how to quickly recover the body’s lactic acid from the effort of the previous pose, and also to mentally relax quickly by connecting to the abdominal breath. In this regard, it’s very effective.

Since Sivananda Yoga is a classical yoga tradition, it also grasps the concept that the word asanas means literally ‘without motion’. In this way, the majority of time spent in class in yoga postures is in holding them, rather than transitions or variations of the 12 basic positions. The most advanced yogis we have seen tend to hold basic postures longer and longer, rather than do endless variations.

This again points to relaxation- relaxation is defined as having less and less thoughts. Through yoga poses, as taught by the Sivananda tradition, one purges the thoughts and subsequent tension from the body and then more and more from the mind as well. When one’s mind is calm, yoga poses are quite natural and easy. It is this ease that points then to physical ease during meditation in a seated pose- the main point of the practice of yoga asanas to begin with.

Even the philosophy of yoga is inclusive and actually, in the end, is not an ‘achievement’ and therefore cannot create the tension of incompleteness all our ‘Type A for Achievement’ goals imply. Yoga’s basic precept is that you are one with everything and others also, i.e. The Self.