Ashtanga Yoga refers to the system taught by Indian yoga master K. Jois’s Ashtanga comprises a series of poses done in sequential order, linked together with the breath. Ashtanga yoga translates as “eight-limbed yoga” and refers to the eight limbs outlined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, which include moral and ethical guidelines, postures, breathwork, sense withdrawal, concentration, and meditation. Vinyasa Yoga, in which movement is synchronized to the breath, is a term that covers a broad range of yoga classes. This style is sometimes also called flow yoga, because of the smooth way that the poses run together and become like a dance. The breath becomes an important component because the teacher will instruct you to move from one pose to the next on an inhale or an exhale. Yin Yoga is a slow-paced style of yoga with postures or asanas that are held for comparatively long periods of time-five minutes or longer per pose is typical. Yin Yoga poses apply moderate stress to the connective tissues, the tendons, fascia, and ligaments—with the aim of increasing circulation in the joints and improving flexibility. Yin Yoga poses are also designed to improve the flow of qi, the subtle energy said in Chinese medicine to run through the meridian pathways of the body. Improved flow of qi is said to improve organ health, immunity, and emotional well-being.
