Yoga for Mental Health: Part 2 Types of Yoga
Welcome back to part 2 of this series, “Yoga for Mental Health”. In this post we will be covering the various types of yoga that you will likely come across in practice. Please keep in mind that I will be providing an overview of each type of yoga but that there is more information out there about each of these types as well as other types of yoga that I may not cover.
The first type of yoga practice that I would like to jump into is known as Restorative yoga. This type of practice includes doing all of the yoga postures on the ground, this means there will be no standing poses so if standing postures are your jam then read on.
Restorative yoga focusing on relaxation, resetting the nervous system, and activating the “rest/restore” mode for the body. These poses are typically held anywhere from one to ten minutes and usually involve the use of props to help the body get into poses comfortably. Yoga props can include bolsters or supportive pillows, yoga blocks, straps, blankets, and eye pillows.
Note that many trauma-sensitive/informed yoga instructors will omit the use of straps as they can often be triggering to some clients.
Personally, I love the practice of Restorative yoga and it is something I do regularly, especially when I notice that I am feeling scattered or anxious. It really helps the body to slow down and activates the parasympathetic nervous system which allows me to feel calm and grounded.
The next type we will cover is known as Yin yoga which also incorporates all postures being done on the ground. Both Restorative and Yin yoga can be great for new yogis or for anyone who struggles with balance and standing postures. In Yin yoga, postures are typically held between one and five minutes and can be practiced with or without the use of props.
Yin yoga is usually focused on alignment and utilizes physical alignment cues to stabilize and find harmony in the body. The focus on physical alignment can elicit many benefits, including a meditative quality of focus, stability for the body and mind overall, and ability to breathe with more ease. This can be great for anyone who struggles with anxiety or concentration.
Another common type of yoga practice is Vinyasa. This form of yogas builds heat and physical strength, typically through warming up the body. It incorporates “vinyasa” movements (explained below), standing poses, balancing poses, backbends, inversions, forward folds, and final relaxation poses.
The “Vinyasa” movements are typically seen as moving through postures such as standing to forward fold to plank to tricep push up to back-bend to downward-facing dog. Although this may sound difficult, and it can be, many people enjoy the exercise-like quality of Yin yoga practices.
Similar in some ways to the Vinyasa style of yoga is a style known as Power Flow. This style often includes vinyasas and typically is fast paced. It also builds heat and strength and incorporates standing postures, balancing poses, arm balances, back-bends, and inversions. Note that this style can be physically demanding and is not often recommended for people new to yoga practices.
You may also come across types of yoga that are identified as “warm” which means that the room you are practicing in is typically heated between 80-90 degrees F as well as “hot” which is typically heated between 90-100 degrees F. Some people really love sweating everything out when practicing yoga and for some of you this won’t be your thing, that is perfectly okay. Find what style fits you best!
Finally, there is Slow Flow yoga which is often well-suited for beginners since the goal is to move slowly with intention and cues into each pose/posture. This type of yoga typically includes some vinyasa movements (though not as many as a vinyasa or power flow class), standing poses, balance postures, back-bending, and some inversions.
There is your basic overview for the various types of yoga you may see when starting your practice. Please remember that anyone can benefit from the practice of yoga so stay open minded and curious as you try different types to figure out what fits your needs best.
Stay tuned for part 3 of this series, “Yoga for Mental Health: Part 3 Theories of Yoga”.
