Yoga in the West

Introduction

Though introduced in the 20th century, Yoga is rapidly acquiring popularity in the western countries. In fact, it has made its place in western people's daily routine. Students of the west yoga attend regular classes at the regional gym, view yoga DVDs, and also buy books to gather knowledge on Yoga. The healing effects of Yoga have greatly convinced the western mass. Currently, there are about 20 million yoga practitioners in USA.

More Facts on Yoga in the West

A third step of yoga happens to be the most popular form of yoga in the west. Each and every asana is based on a particular yoga symbol. Apart from ensuring physical fitness, the asanas also energize the people practising them. Certain popular yoga styles adopted by the countries of United States are as follows:

• Ananda Yoga: Donald J. Walters developed Ananda Yoda. It uses affirmations during asanas.
• Iyengar Yoga: B.K.S. Iyengar developed Iyengar Yoga which emphasizes alignment and symmetry.
• Amrit Yoga: Amrit Yoga is a combination of Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga. Yogi Amrit Desai developed Amrit Yoga.
• Viniyoga: Sri. T. Krishnamacharya, alomg with his son T.K.V. Desikachar, developed Viniyoga. This particular kind of Yoga is considered to be a milder form of Hatha yoga.
• Ashtanga Yoga: K. Pattabhi Jois developed Ashtanga Yoga. Power yoga is one of the several varieties of Hatha yoga.
• Kripalu Yoga: Yogi Amrit Desai developed Kripalu Yoga. It is a combination of Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga. KripaluYoga helps in developing inner awareness.

Modern Development of Yoga in the West

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, born in 1888, is one among the great men who introduced yoga to the west. Since its introduction, yoga has gained huge popularity in the west, and also undergone vivid changes. At present, the western practitioners of yoga focus more on the physical part of yoga than on its spiritual aspects. They mainly perform the yogic asanas to gain health and lead a healthy life, free of diseases.