List of yoga schools
Encyclopedia
The term "Yoga
" refers to the system of meditation
also known as Raja Yoga
as introduced by Patanjali
(2nd century BC), as well as to derived systems, specifically Hatha Yoga
as introduced by the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
(15th century), and the various schools and disciplines derived from that.
More generally, yoga is also a term for "religious path" or "spiritual exercise" in Hinduism
, Buddhism
and Tantrism: see Three Yogas
, Six yogas of Naropa
, Mahayoga
, Anuyoga
, Yoga (disambiguation)
.
The following is a list of the schools or sub-disciplines within these traditions, as well as entirely modern systems inspired by the general concept of "yoga
".
new religious movements.
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
" refers to the system of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
also known as Raja Yoga
Raja Yoga
Rāja Yoga is concerned principally with the cultivation of the mind using meditation to further one's acquaintance with reality and finally achieve liberation.Raja yoga was first described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and is part of the Samkhya tradition.In the context of Hindu...
as introduced by Patanjali
Patañjali
Patañjali is the compiler of the Yoga Sūtras, an important collection of aphorisms on Yoga practice. According to tradition, the same Patañjali was also the author of the Mahābhāṣya, a commentary on Kātyāyana's vārttikas on Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī as well as an unspecified work of medicine .In...
(2nd century BC), as well as to derived systems, specifically Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga
Hatha yoga , also called hatha vidya , is a system of yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a Hindu sage of 15th century India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika....
as introduced by the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Hatha Yoga Pradipika
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classic Sanskrit manual on hatha yoga, written by Svami Svatmarama, a disciple of Swami Gorakhnath. Said to be the oldest surviving text on the hatha yoga, it is one of the three classic texts of hatha yoga, the other two being the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva...
(15th century), and the various schools and disciplines derived from that.
More generally, yoga is also a term for "religious path" or "spiritual exercise" in Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Tantrism: see Three Yogas
Three Yogas
The Three Yogas in the context of monotheistic Hinduismare three religious paths for the human spirit to achieve union with Ishvara, Supreme Being, i.e. God...
, Six yogas of Naropa
Six Yogas of Naropa
The Six Yogas of Nāropa , also called the six dharmas of Naropa and Naro's six doctrines , are a set of advanced Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tantric practices and a meditation sādhana compiled in and around the...
, Mahayoga
Mahayoga
Mahayoga is the designation of the first of the three Inner Tantras according to the ninefold division of practice used by the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism....
, Anuyoga
Anuyoga
Anuyoga is the designation of the second of the three Inner Tantras according to the ninefold division of practice used by the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism...
, Yoga (disambiguation)
Yoga (disambiguation)
-Sanskrit word:Yoga , a Sanskrit word with a general meaning of "connection, conjunction, attachment, union".*Raja Yoga, a system of meditation in classical Vedanta philosophy**Hatha Yoga, a school within this system which emphasizes physical exercise...
.
The following is a list of the schools or sub-disciplines within these traditions, as well as entirely modern systems inspired by the general concept of "yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
".
Modern Hinduism and Neo-Hindu revival
The term "Yoga" has been used for various philosophies and concepts in the context of Hindu revivalism and Neo-HinduNeo-Hindu
"Neo-Hindu" refers to Hinduism-inspired new religious movements,* in India, see Hindu revivalism* in the West, see Hinduism in the West-See also:*Hindu denominations#Newer movements*List of new religious movements...
new religious movements.
- 1906: YogaYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
- Sri Tirumalai KrishnamacharyaSri Tirumalai KrishnamacharyaSri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya was an Indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer and scholar. Often referred to as "the father of modern yoga," Krishnamacharya is widely regarded as one of the most influential yoga teachers of the 20th century and is credited with the revival of hatha... - 1920: Agni YogaAgni YogaLiving Ethics has also another equivalent but less widespread meaning Agni Yoga — a philosophical and ethical teaching which embraces all sides of being — from cosmological problems, down to daily human life...
- Nicholas RoerichNicholas RoerichNicholas Roerich, also known as Nikolai Konstantinovich Rerikh , was a Russian mystic, painter, philosopher, scientist, writer, traveler, and public figure. A prolific artist, he created thousands of paintings and about 30 literary works...
and his wife Helena RoerichHelena RoerichHelena Ivanovna Roerich was a Russian philosopher, writer, and public figure. In the early 20th century, she created, in cooperation with the Teachers of the East, a philosophic teaching of Living Ethics . She was an organizer and participant of cultural and enlightened creativity in the U.S.,...
(theosophyTheosophyTheosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
) - 1921: Integral YogaIntegral yogaIn the teachings of Sri Aurobindo, Integral yoga refers to the process of the union of all the parts of one's being with the Divine, and the transmutation of all of their jarring elements into a harmonious state of higher divine consciousness and existence.Sri...
- Sri AurobindoSri AurobindoSri Aurobindo , born Aurobindo Ghosh or Ghose , was an Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru, and poet. He joined the Indian movement for freedom from British rule and for a duration became one of its most important leaders, before developing his own vision of human progress...
, The Synthesis of Yoga - 1946: Kriya YogaKriya YogaKriya Yoga finds mention in the ancient spiritual texts of Patanjali Yogasutras "Tapah svadhyayeshvara pranidhani kriyayogah" . It was later revived by Yogiraj Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri in the 19th century. Subsequently Paramhansa Yogananda in his Autobiography of a Yogi reported the same for his...
- Paramahansa YoganandaParamahansa YoganandaParamahansa Yogananda , born Mukunda Lal Ghosh , was an Indian yogi and guru who introduced many westerners to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his book, Autobiography of a...
, Autobiography of a YogiAutobiography of a YogiIn 1946, Paramahansa Yogananda , published his life story, Autobiography of a Yogi, which introduced many westerners to meditation and yoga... - 1948: Yoga of SynthesisYoga of SynthesisSwami Sivananda's approach to yoga was to combine the four main paths - karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga and raja yoga along with various sub-yogas such as kirtan and hatha yoga. This is reflected in the motto of the society that he formed, the Divine Life Society...
- Swami SivanandaSwami SivanandaSwami Sivananda Saraswati was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism... - 1949: The Yoga of PowerThe Yoga of Powerthumb|210pxThe Yoga of Power: Tantra, Shakti, and the Secret Way is a book by Julius Evola. First published in Italian as Lo Yoga Della Potenza: Saggio sui Tantra in 1949...
by Julius EvolaJulius EvolaBarone Giulio Cesare Andrea Evola also known as Julius Evola, was an Italian philosopher and esotericist... - 1950s: Satyananda Yoga - Swami Satyananda SaraswatiSwami Satyananda SaraswatiSwami Satyananda Saraswati , was a sannyasin, yoga teacher and guru in both his native India and the West. He founded the International Yoga Fellowship in 1956 and the Bihar School of Yoga in 1963...
- 1964: Bihar School of YogaBihar School of YogaThe Bihar School of Yoga is an internationally acclaimed school of Yoga founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati in 1964 to fulfill the instruction given by his Guru, Sri Swami Sivananda of propagating the ancient wisdom of yoga from door to door and from shore to shore...
- 1994: Bihar Yoga BharatiBihar Yoga BharatiLocated near Munger, in the Indian state of Bihar, Bihar Yoga Bharati is a yoga institute for the study of yoga in a gurukul environment. BYB is dedicated to the Indian Rishi tradition, Vedic lifestyle and Sanatan Sanskriti of yoga....
- 1964: Bihar School of Yoga
- 1955: Ananda MargaAnanda MargaAnanda Marga, organizationally known as Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha , meaning the samgha for the propagation of the marga of ananda , is a social and spiritual movement founded in Jamalpur, Bihar, India in 1955 by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar .Ánanda Márga followers describe Ánanda Márga as a...
- Shrii Shrii Anandamurti - 1960s: Transcendental MeditationTranscendental MeditationTranscendental Meditation refers to the Transcendental Meditation technique, a specific form of mantra meditation, and to the Transcendental Meditation movement, a spiritual movement...
- Maharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh Yogi , born Mahesh Prasad Varma , developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of the TM movement, characterised as a new religious movement and also as non-religious... - 1970: Bikram YogaBikram YogaBikram Yoga is a system of yoga that Bikram Choudhury synthesized from traditional hatha yoga techniques and popularized beginning in the early 1970s. Bikram's classes run exactly 90 minutes and consist of a set series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises...
- Bikram ChoudhuryBikram ChoudhuryBikram Choudhury is a multi-millionaire Indian yoga guru and the founder of Bikram Yoga, a form of hot yoga performed in a series of 26 hatha yoga postures done in a hot environment. Choudhury is a student of Bishnu Ghosh... - 1971: Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and PhilosophyHimalayan Institute of Yoga Science and PhilosophyThe Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy was founded by Swami Rama of the Himalayas in 1971. The headquarters and main campus is located on in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, with branches distributed around the globe including Cameroon, India, Great Britain,...
- Swami RamaSwami RamaSwāmī Rāma was born Brij Kiśore Dhasmana or Brij Kiśore Kumar, to a northern Indian Brahmin family in a small village called Toli in the Garhwal Himalayas. He became the lineage holder of the Sankya Yoga tradition of the Himalayan Masters... - 1970s: Siddha YogaSiddha YogaSiddha Yoga is a spiritual path based on the Hindu spiritual traditions of Vedanta and Kashmir Shaivism. The Siddha Yoga path was founded by Swami Muktananda Paramahamsa . The present spiritual head of the Siddha Yoga path is Gurumayi Chidvilasananda...
- Swami MuktanandaMuktanandaSwami Muktananda is the monastic name of an Indian Hindu guru and disciple of Bhagavan Nityananda. Swami Muktananda was the founder of Siddha Yoga... - 1970s: Surat Shabd YogaSurat Shabd YogaSurat Shabd Yoga or Surat Shabda Yoga is a form of spiritual practice that is followed in the Sant Mat and many other related spiritual traditions...
- Sant Mat movementContemporary Sant Mat movementsContemporary Sant Mat Movements are esoteric philosophy movements active in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and especially India. These movements assert that Sant Mat shares a lineage with Sikhism and contains elements of thought found in Hinduism, such as karma and reincarnation...
, Kirpal SinghKirpal SinghSant Kirpal Singh was a spiritual teacher who was born in India in the village of Sayyad Kasran, in the western part of the Punjab which now belongs to Pakistan. Further biographical information is available... - 1970s: Sahaja YogaSahaja YogaSahaja Yoga is a new religious movement founded by Nirmala Srivastava, more widely known as 'Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi' and affectionately as 'Mother' by her followers . According to the movement, Sahaja Yoga is the state of self realization produced by kundalini awakening and is accompanied by the...
, a new religious movement founded by Nirmala SrivastavaNirmala SrivastavaNirmala Srivastava was the founder of Sahaja Yoga, a new religious movement... - 1981: Art of LivingArt of LivingThe Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, humanitarian and educational non-governmental organization . It was founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar with the vision of creating a stress-free, violence-free society...
- Ravi Shankar - 1992: Isha FoundationIsha FoundationIsha Foundation is a non-profit, spiritual organization founded in 1992 by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. It is based at the Isha Yoga Center near Coimbatore, India and at the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences at McMinnville, Tennessee in the United States. The foundation offers various yoga programs...
- Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev - 1997: Ananda yogaAnanda yogaAnanda Yoga, or , Ananda Yoga for Higher Awareness is a school of yoga advocated by Swami Kriyananda , a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda.Ananda Yoga's purpose is to prepare the student for meditation, and is based on Yogananda's Kriya Yoga teachings...
- Swami KriyanandaSwami KriyanandaSwami Kriyananda , born J. Donald Walters , is a direct disciple of the yogi Paramhansa Yogananda and founder of Ananda, a worldwide movement of spiritual intentional communities based on Yogananda's World Brotherhood Colonies ideal...
Styles of Hatha Yoga
- 1948: Ashtanga Vinyasa YogaAshtanga Vinyasa YogaAshtanga Vinyasa Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga is a system of yoga popularized by K. Pattabhi Jois, and which is often promoted as a modern-day form of classical Indian yoga...
- Sri K. Pattabhi JoisSri K. Pattabhi JoisSri Krishna Pattabhi Jois was an Indian yoga teacher. He was a student of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, and taught at his school, the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, in Mysore, India... - 1960: Sivananda YogaSivananda YogaSivananda Yoga, after teachings of Swami Sivananda, is a non-proprietary form of hatha yoga in which the training focuses on preserving the health and wellness of the practitioner. Sivananda Yoga teachers are all graduates of the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course, and students widely range in...
- Swami Vishnu-devanandaSwami Vishnu-devanandaSwami Vishnudevananda was a disciple of Swami Sivananda, and founder of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and Ashrams... - 1970s: Iyengar YogaIyengar YogaIyengar Yoga, created by B. K. S. Iyengar, is a form of Hatha Yoga known for its use of props, such as belts, blocks, and blankets, as aids in performing asanas . The props enable students to perform the asanas correctly, minimising the risk of injury or strain, and making the postures accessible...
- B.K.S. IyengarB.K.S. IyengarBellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar , is the founder of Iyengar Yoga, although he himself would not call it Iyengar Yoga. He is considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world and has been practising and teaching yoga for more than 75 years... - 1980s: Rocket YogaRocket YogaRocket Yoga, also known as ‘’The Rocket’’, is a style of yoga developed by Larry Schultz in San Francisco during the 1980’s. Rocket Yoga is rooted in the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice of yoga. It is combined with and restructured from the Primary and Intermediate Series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga...
- Larry SchultzLarry SchultzLarry Schultz was an American Yoga teacher and icon. Schultz is primarily recognized as the creator of Rocket Yoga.-Early life:... - 1980s: Forrest YogaForrest YogaForrest Yoga is a modern yoga style created by and named for Ana T. Forrest. Forrest Yoga focuses on healing physical and emotional injuries as well as helping people connect with their feelings and spirit.-Description:...
- Ana Forrest - 1983: Kripalu YogaKripalu CenterThe Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health is a non-profit organization that operates a health and yoga retreat in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Its facility is a former Jesuit novitiate and juniorate seminary built in 1957. The center has described itself as North America's largest residential facility...
- 1986: Jivamukti YogaJivamukti YogaJivamukti Yoga, co-founded by Sharon Gannon and David Life, is one of the nine recognized styles of hatha yoga. Jivamukti Yoga is a physical, ethical, and spiritual practice, combining a vigorous hatha yoga, vinyasa-based physical style with adherence to five central tenets: shastra , bhakti ,...
- 1997: Anusara YogaAnusara YogaAnusara yoga is a modern school of hatha yoga started by American-born yoga teacher John Friend in 1997. Friend derived his style from the Iyengar style of Hatha Yoga and re-introduced elements of Hindu spirituality into more health-oriented Western approach to Yoga.The emphasis of the school is...
- John Friend - 2001: ViniyogaViniyogaViniyoga is a Sanskrit word that has multiple meanings. Literal meanings include "separation", "detachment", and "leaving", but the common meanings include "employment", "use", and "application"...
- T.K.V. Desikachar - 2000s: TriYogaTriYogaTriYoga is a hatha yoga method with a "trinity emphasis on asana , pranayama and mudra ". The origin and continued development of TriYoga is guided by kundalini-inspired kriyavati siddhi as expressed through Kali Ray....
- Kali RayKali RayKali Ray , born on April 11, 1955 in Kentucky, is a yoga master and founder of TriYoga.Ray says that while in her twenties had a "spontaneous kundalini experience” while meditating which lasted over twelve hours... - 2006: Naam yogaNaam yogaNaam Yoga TM is a style of yoga developed by yogi, mystic and universal kabbalah master, Dr. Joseph Michael Levry that incorporates the practice of the Divine Word with yogic movement, stretching postures, breathing, mudras, and meditation. It is a spiritual science and art that merges Eastern...
- 2007: TriBalance YogaTriBalance YogaThe TriBalance Yoga Method is a form of hot yoga that integrates aspects of several styles, including Ashtanga Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Yin yoga, and therapeutic yoga. The style emphasizes mind-body-spirit union and action meditation....
- Cardiac yogaCardiac yogaCardiac yoga is a system of stress management and health promotion designed specifically to focus on the needs of a heart patient. Cardiac yoga is basically artery gentle yoga exercises tailored to the special needs of people who have various cardiac problems, live with a cardiac condition or...
- M. Mala Cunningham - Chair YogaChair YogaChair yoga is the term generally used to describe a gentle form of yoga that is practiced sitting in a chair, or standing using a chair for support. It is not recognized formally as a type of yoga distinct from other types, such as Iyengar Yoga or Ashtanga yoga...
Eclectic styles
- 1935: Kundalini YogaKundalini yogaKundalini yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline for developing strength, awareness, character, and consciousness. Practitioners call Kundalini yoga the yoga of awareness because it focuses primarily on practices that expand sensory awareness and intuition in order to raise individual...
described by Sivananda Saraswati - 1969: Kundalini YogaKundalini yogaKundalini yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline for developing strength, awareness, character, and consciousness. Practitioners call Kundalini yoga the yoga of awareness because it focuses primarily on practices that expand sensory awareness and intuition in order to raise individual...
- Harbhajan Singh YogiHarbhajan Singh YogiSiri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji , also known as Yogi Bhajan and Siri Singh Sahib, was a spiritual leader and entrepreneur who introduced Kundalini Yoga and Sikhism to the United States...
(Yogi Bhajan) - 1974: Naked YogaNaked yogaNaked yoga is the practice of yoga without clothes. The practice is gaining popularity, notably in western societies that have more familiarity with social nudity. While many practice naked yoga at home, there are a growing number of participants, including children, in group classes...
- 1985: Dahn yogaDahn yogaDahn yoga is a Korean "yoga" system and business founded in 1985 by Ilchi Lee. In Korean, dahn means "primal, vital energy," and hak means "study of a particular theory or philosophy." Dahn teachings are said to place equal emphasis on physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being...
("Korean Yoga") - Ilchi LeeIlchi LeeIlchi Lee is a South Korean author and the founder of a variety of mind-body training methods, including Dahnhak, Dahn yoga, Brain Respiration, Brain Education, and DahnMuDo... - 1991: Laya yogaLaya yogaLaya yoga , also called Kundalini Yoga, is the practice whereby the Kundalini energy is raised, and which is attainable through deep meditation . Laya Yoga helps the aspirant to attain union with the supreme consciousness...
- 1995: Laughter YogaLaughter YogaLaughter Yoga is a form of yoga employing self-triggered laughter. The "laughter" is physical in nature, and does not necessarily involve humor or comedy. Laughter Yoga combines unconditional laughter with pranayama...
- 2007: Zen YogaZen yoga-Many Founders, an Eclectic & Growing Practice:Many people use the words zen and yoga together to describe a feeling, a state of mind, an orientation toward yoga that is not usually associated with the yoga practices that have come to us from India...
- Bando yogaBando yogaBando yoga or Burmese yoga is a form of yoga from Myanmar usually taught alongside bando. Probably based on the internal training of Indian martial arts, it was used by ancient warriors of northern Burma to maintain health and protect from illness and disease...
or "Burmese Yoga"
Other
- Tsa lung Trul khor, a concept in Tibetan Buddhism described as "Yantra Yoga" by Chogyal Namkhai NorbuChogyal Namkhai NorbuChögyal Namkhai Norbu is a Dzogchen teacher who was born in Derge, Kham district on 8 December 1938. When he was two years old, Namkhai Norbu was recognized as the 'mindstream emanation', a tulku, of the great Dzogchen teacher, Adzom Drugpa , at five he was also recognized as a mindstream...
(2000) - Kum NyeKum NyeKum Nye and sKu-mNyé refer to a wide variety of Tibetan religious and medical body practices. The two terms are different spellings in the Latin alphabet of the same Tibetan phrase , which literally means "massage of the subtle body". Some systems of sku mnye are vaguely similar to Yoga, T'ai chi,...
, Tibetan practice, sometimes dubbed "Kum Nye Yoga" - Shin Shin Tōitsu-dōShin Shin Tōitsu-dōShin Shin Tōitsu-dō was founded by Nakamura Tempu and is also known as Japanese Yoga...
, a system of "mind and body unification" created by Nakamura Tempu in the 1940s which sometimes been dubbed "Japanese Yoga". - Taoist YogaTaoist yogaTaoist Yoga is the title of a 1999 book about Tao Yin, meditation techniques in Taoism.Traditionally and historically speaking, Daoyin practices are stretching exercises, and static postures, usually combined with breath-work...
, title of a 1999 book about Taoist meditation