Spiritual Yoga Styles

People that participate in a spiritual yoga style are mainly interested in the benefits that yoga can have on the mind in terms of a greater religious understanding and a greater union of the mind with the body. The most popular form of the spiritual style of yoga is Kundalini.

As with most forms of exercise, the mental and physical benefits, as well as any other materials needed to successfully study a specific style of yoga, will ultimately depend on the type of yoga that you choose. However, there are several items that are common across many of the various styles of yoga.

According to the teachings of yoga, different parts of the body supply the entire body with different energies. These energies can be released through mental or physical focus, but usually through a combination of both. Overall, the practice of spiritual yoga is meant to break the relationship of the mind with the body. However, to do this a participant has to first learn to control both with the other.

By studying yoga in a spiritual style, one must study and adhere to the laws and the tenets set forth by the teachings in order to be successful. If the laws are followed and the participant has freed their mind, they are prepared to what believers call "transcendence."

Brief Overview of the Laws of Yoga

An overview of the spiritual approach would not be complete without a basic look at the rules that a participant is expected to follow. Yoga is divided into eight branches or steps that a follower must perfect:

Restraints: There are five moral rules that fall under the restraints category. These are to practice pacifism, honesty in both words and acts, continence (control), and a refusal of gifts or charity.

Observances: The mind must be pure, seek joy, accepting, studious, and alert.

Postures: The physical aspect of yoga which is in turn, meant to support the mind.

Control of Breath: Argues that concentration is dependent on the follower's ability to hold their breath. For the sake of brevity, breath is believed to release a type of energy into the body that can cause the follower to lose control of their mind and thus, abandon yoga.

Withdrawal of the Senses: A culmination of the efforts of all previous rules. This may only be obtained once the previous rules are perfected.

Concentration: Actually means the ability to slow the natural processes of the mind in order to focus on only one thing.

Contemplation: The perfection of concentration.

Enstasis: The follower has accepted that they are now simply a part of the one being that is mankind. Their mind is completely separated from their body.

By completing this set of rules, followers believe that they will obtain the following powers:

• Ability to understand any animal.


• Ability to read the minds of other beings.


• Invisibility and Levitation.


• Ability to predict their death.


• Super-human strength and hearing.


• Complete knowledge of the universe.


• Understanding of the human anatomy.


• Ability to assume another human's body.

Benefits of Spiritual Yoga

Studies have suggested that meditation (a key component of spiritual yoga) can greatly increase the ability of the mind to concentrate, process information, and reduce reaction time. In addition, cases of depression and anxiety were lower in people that regularly meditated than those that did not.

Any type of yoga can be approached in a spiritual way. More often than not, participants that applied a spiritual style to other activities were successful based on a recent study involving religion and sports.

Is Spiritual Yoga for You?

If you are looking for more out of your exercise plan and want to have a more personal attachment to physical activity, you may want to try a spiritual approach. While people that don't observe religious beliefs may find this hard, any type of approach that incorporates a deeper meaning (besides self improvement) is considered to be a spiritual approach.

As many experiments have concluded that doing so is more often than not successful, this style of yoga could be very valuable to anyone wishing to put a little something else into their exercise.

Facts and Statistics

3 out of 10 people say that they at some time have felt that something beyond themselves was pushing them on to meet their exercise goals during yoga.

A study using EEG and other methods of measuring brain waves concluded that when a spiritual focus was applied to exercise, the psychological benefits were greatly increased when compared to those that did not. In addition, the specific benefits obtained by the individuals maintained a spiritual focus included mood, focus, and a sense of accomplishment.

When you control your breathing while exercising, breath becomes more regular and any form of activity becomes approximately 56% more effective. Remembering to breathe while lifting the body rather than holding your breath is important for muscle oxidation and the prevention of strains.

About 70% of all people that practice yoga claim that they do so to improve their outlook on life rather than just for the immediate physical and mental benefits. About 25% say that they are looking for a deeper meaning in yoga.