A few centuries after Patanjali synthesized the knowledge of Yoga (See this subject on the page 'The Science of Yoga'), the evolution of Yoga followed some interesting paths. Great adepts were beginning to investigate the body's hidden potential. Previous generations of yogis did not pay special attention to the body, they were more interested in contemplating to the point of being able to step out of the body consciously, their goal was to leave the world behind and merge with the reality of the spirit. But with the influence of alchemy, which was the spiritual precursor to chemistry, came a new generation of yoga masters creating a system of practices designed to rejuvenate the body and prolong its life. They considered the body as a temple of the immortal spirit, and explored through advanced yogic techniques the possibility of energizing the physical body to such an extent that its biochemistry was altered and its basic matter was reorganized to make it immortal.
It was then that the discipline of Hatha Yoga was developed as a physical aspect of yoga that also served as a vehicle for meditation. Hatha Yoga prepared the body, and particularly the nervous system, for stillness, creating the necessary physical strength and endurance that allowed the mind to remain calm. This has also led to the development of several branches and schools of Tantra Yoga, of which Hatha Yoga is just one approach. Over time, the techniques were diluted and divided. Practitioners to suit their different needs and personalities have chosen to emphasize and practice separate components of the total yoga system. Some preferred just the exercises, ignoring the mantras, others chose breathing techniques with mantras, etc. This led to the recognition of 22 schools of yoga, less than half of which are widely practiced today.
The 22 recognized yoga schools:
Karma Yoga: The Yoga of selfless action without thought of reward. Bhakti Yoga: The path of devotion, commitment and surrender to the Divine. Jnana Yoga (or Gyan Yoga): The path of intellectual discernment. Hatha Yoga: The Yoga of polarities. Cultivating the body. Anubhava Yoga: The discipline of the experience of non-being: the highest yogic practice of immersion within the self. Ashtanga Yoga: The 8-branch discipline described by Patanjali.
Dhyana Yoga: The discipline of meditation. Guru Yoga: Merging through focus, surrender and acquisition of virtues in relation to a teacher. Japa Yoga: The discipline of mantra recitation 108. Kriya Yoga: The discipline of bringing actions to fulfillment and completion within the being. Kundalini Yoga: The discipline of developing consciousness and potential. The science of serpent power. Laya Yoga: The path of dissolution. Merge the finite into the infinite.
Mantra Yoga: The discipline that uses sounds that protect and project the mind. Naad Yoga: The discipline of inner sound, primordial vibration. Siddha Yoga: The discipline of adepts to develop extraordinary powers and capabilities. Sâmkhya Yoga: The discipline of clear understanding within the nature of things. Indian philosophical system. Raja Yoga: The discipline of royal unity. MahaYoga. Sahej Yoga: Practice of a state of fluid ease and grace where all polarities are seen to serve the one. Method to obtain self-realization. Shakti Yoga: The techniques of an approach to Yoga that gives strength, power and creativity. Tantra Yoga: The discipline with psychophysical techniques to cleanse the subconscious and promote clarity of the soul. Tratik Yoga: The discipline of fixing the eyes on a sacred object or portrait of the teacher. Yantra Yoga: The discipline of focusing the mind on geometric representations.
Currently, the 8 most common types of yoga are:
Hatha Yoga: A discipline focused on working the body using asanas, alignment and breathing, whose objective is the union of solar and lunar polarities.
Ashtanga Yoga: This is the 'Yoga of the eight limbs', a dynamic and demanding practice, which synchronizes breathing with a successive set of asanas. Its objective is to detoxify and purify the body.
Iyengar Yoga: A discipline named after its founder BKS Iyengar. It is a form of Hatha Yoga that emphasizes detail, precision and alignment, using props to help perform the asanas.
Kundalini Yoga: A discipline to develop consciousness and awaken kundalini energy, working in depth on our spiritual side with kriyas, mantras and dynamic and energizing meditation techniques.
Power Yoga: This is an intense yoga discipline derived from the practice of Hatha Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga that focuses on strengthening and flexibility of the body.
Hot Yoga: This discipline, also derived from Hatha Yoga, is a practice with a fixed sequence of 26 asanas conducted in a room heated between 37 and 40 degrees.
Restorative Yoga: This is a therapeutic yoga method focusing on physical, mental and emotional relaxation, using materials known as “yoga props” that support the body to remain in the asanas.
Vinyasa Yoga: This is a discipline derived from Hatha Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga in which the asanas are united sequentially, flowing in repetitive sequences changing from one posture to another.