Whether you're new to yoga or have been practicing for years, Joyful Yoga NH offers a wide array of classes to meet your needs and help reconnect your mind, body, and spirit! We welcome you with an open heart. In this blog, we cover what yoga is, why it's important and different types and styles of yoga.
What is Yoga?
You may think it's silly but let's reflect on what yoga is and where it came from. As summarized in the Oxford Dictionary, Yoga is an ancient practice that originated from a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline focused on breath control, meditation, and specific postures widely practiced for health and relaxation.
Why is Yoga Important?
Just like with any physical form of exercise, Yoga helps improve an individual's physical health through various styles, method, postures, and body movements meant for deep stretching and strengthening. Unlike a physical workout, however, Yoga also improves mental and spiritual health incorporating breathing techniques and meditation applied throughout the physical practice of yoga. The benefits of yoga include building muscle strength, flexibility, better breathing, heart health, reducing stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain, improving sleep and overall well-being ultimately increasing happiness and quality of life.
Is Yoga for Everyone?
Regardless of your body's abilities, age, size, etc, yoga can be practiced by anyone. It is important to find a studio and instructors that are certified to help you explore your body's full range of motion in each of our classes. Our philosophy blends your body, mind, and spirit together to open you up to yourself, releasing tension, and bringing each client to a true state of relaxation resulting in improved health and happiness.
Are there Different Types of Yoga?
There are different styles of yoga that describe the type of physical and meditative yoga practice. Styles vary from a gentle, traditional hatha yoga to a vinyasa 'flow' style which may be more fast-paced. Here at Joyful Yoga, we offer several styles of yoga as follows;
Hatha Yoga - Western styled yoga mostly can be categorized as Hatha Yoga which represents the practice of physical yoga postures. The word hatha is translated as willful or forceful meaning anyone practicing has a strong focus on postures. Hatha Yoga focuses on the balance of both physical and mental and is considered yoga for all levels.
Vinyasa Yoga - Vinyasa yoga, while categorized under Hatha yoga, is a sequence of moves and postures that are fluid and connected to the breath. Moving from one posture to another is called a ‘flow’and levels of Vinyasa can be targeted for beginners up to a high-paced class where some knowledge of yoga postures may be helpful.
Yin Yoga - Yin yoga is a very focused style specifically targeting deep connective tissues such as your fascia, ligaments, joints, and bones by holding postures for a longer period of time.
Yoga Nidra - Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation practice that takes individuals through the layers of their consciousness, focusing on body sensing and breath awareness, resulting in an extremely relaxed state almost taken to a sleep state to reset all senses and is a form of mind-body therapy.
Shakti Sculpt - This style of yoga combines traditional yoga poses with strength training and blending flow with non-traditional music.
To view a list of all of our classes and styles offered, click here.
What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga therapy is a deeper level of yoga that provides a personal, one-on-one approach designed for clients to experience a journey unique to themselves directly aligned with their needs. Yoga therapy allows clients to work on their inner selves, physical advancement or recondition the body in a positive direction. Often, yoga therapy is paired with other medical professionals such as physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists with the goal of providing a complementary approach to healing. Joyful Yoga NH is experienced working with conditions such as arthritis, back, knee and hip issues chronic pain and musculoskeletal issues. Our programs also help with anxiety, depression, low energy, stress from work, home, or life and are centered to achieve greater awareness or coping with life directional changes.
If you're looking for a personalized yoga therapy program, please contact us today!
Yoga Studio Near You
Finding the right yoga studio to practice comes down to researching what studio is near you, the environment, styles, and classes offered. At Joyful Yoga NH, your safety and experience is our number one goal and we ensure that our environment is accessible to all in a no-judgement, safe studio. For more information about our studio, please visit our website or stop in to tour our studio today!