The different types of Yoga are Ashtanga Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Swara Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Kriya Yoga.
Ashtanga Yoga as developed by Patanjali lays out eight rules for an individual to follow. These include breath control, concentration, meditation, withdrawal of senses, yogic postures, personal discipline, principles and salvation.
In Mantra Yoga, a person aims to achieve unity with the Supreme Being by chanting mantras.
Hatha Yoga seeks to unify and awaken a person’s life force and mind force through a series of exercises and techniques to develop a strong and intensely focused individual.
In Bhakti Yoga, a person’s suppressed emotional energies are released and directed towards the realization of the object of his or her faith.
Karma Yoga is about working without any selfish desires. The person is totally immersed in the work oblivious to any distraction.
It is believed that the human body from top to bottom of the spine is connected by seven points of energy. In Kundalini Yoga, through exercises involving postures, meditation and breathe control the energies in these point are sought to be awakened. Once all seven become active, a powerful force called Kundalini situated at the base of the spine becomes active and bestows the individual with unlimited potentials.
Swara Yoga is the study of breath control to manipulate it and help an individual realize cosmic consciousness.
Raja Yoga is a purification of behavior in a human and his personality through specific guidelines as set by Patanjali.
Jnana Yoga is about reaching the highest state of meditation to gain inner knowledge of the self, surroundings and the Divine Force.
Finally, Kriya Yoga seeks to create activity in the consciousness so that all the senses of a human being achieve their true and full potential.