The 6 Branches of Yoga – How it applies to us now!

Yoga was originally developed in India, as an entire system to manage people’s wellbeing.

Something you probably never knew until now is that yoga isn’t just poses and breathing, there’s so much more to it.

Let’s break down these 6 branches of yoga, what they are and how they apply to us now, living in the 21st century.

Each branch has its own unique intention, philosophies and characteristics.

Understanding the 6 Branches of Yoga

1. Hatha Yoga – The physical path

Hatha Yoga is the most popular branch and probably the one you know about.

It’s the physical path and involves the poses (asanas) and controlled breathing (pranayama).

The goal is to balance the body and mind to relaxation, flexibility and purification.

This path of of transformation is through the physical body.

How it works for us today

In a time where our lives are more and more sedentary, we need guidance on how to fix the problems this lifestyle is causing.

Yoga postures can help us with stress reduction, increases flexibility and improves our physical wellbeing.

2. Raja Yoga – The royal path

This path focuses on meditation and mindfulness and is considered as Classical Yoga.

It is very precise and well thought out, it includes a way of living with morals and ethics (yamas and niyamas).

Raja Yoga is thought to be the highest form or ultimate yoga and connects us more to ourselves.

How it works for us today

We are constantly connected to technology and our brains need a rest.

Raja Yoga provides us with the tools to rest and restore our mental fatigue from this lifestyle.

Practicing meditation and mindfulness can help us to quieten down the noise in our heads so that we can have better balance and think more clearly.

3. Karma Yoga – The Path of action and service

We’ve all heard of karma but might not have realised it’s part of the yoga practice.

Karma Yoga is about selfless actions with no concern for the outcome, just giving or helping to be kind.

It encourages us to have integrity and give freely for the benefit of society as a whole, not wanting recognition or reward.

How it works for us today

Our culture has a huge focus on personal achievements, and this highlights an opportunity to consider the needs of others.

Acts of kindness, volunteer work or community service give us a sense of purpose in life.

It reminds us that life isn’t just about us getting things we want, but also thinking about taking action to help others too.

4. Bakhti Yoga – The path of devotion

This is known as the path of devotion to God and is seen to be the easiest path to follow.

It teaches us to build a strong, regular connection with the divine using chanting, rituals and prayer.

Research Gate study confirms that Bakhti Yoga “can support the achievement of physical and spiritual happiness“.

How it works for us today

Many of us are looking for meaning and connection and this offers us a path to a spiritual anchor.

We are given hope and a feeling of purpose and fulfillment if we pray, spend time devoted to our higher source.

5. Jnana Yoga – The yoga of knowledge

This is seen as the most difficult path to follow and involves self-enquiry and reflection of ourselves and the universe.

It’s a path in search of wisdom and knowledge.

How it works for us today

We are encouraged to be discerning, critical thinkers and aware as we try to work out what is right for us and true.

In a time where we are overloaded with information from the internet, Jnana Yoga teaches us to really have a good look at the information we are provided.

Make our own judgement call and find our own reasons for why we chose our path in life.

6. Tantra Yoga – The path of energy

The path of Tantra Yoga uses the power of meditation, postures, breathwork and ritual to summon our energies.

It gives us understanding of how much we are connected with the universe via our energy.

How it works for us today

In an age where holistic wellbeing is a priority for us all Tantra Yoga guides us in our approach.

Using our energies helps us to balance our physical, mental and spiritual lives for more balance overall.

How These Branches Work in Today’s World

Less stress

With our population having escalating stress levels and related illnesses, we can lean on the philosophies of Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga and others to manage our stress better.

Some of the rituals and practices assist us in feeling more in control of our mental and emotional wellbeing and empower us to build our resilience to manage life’s challenges.

Personal development

All of the yoga branches seek to develop us on a personal level and put us more in touch with our inner self.

Society values growth and self-discovery and the yoga intentions are the perfect road map to guide us there.

It allows us to better understand ourselves and our purpose for being here.

Sage Journals study states that “Karma Yoga offers the ways and means to transcendence from an ego-centric approach of work to realizing the spirituality at work. This study also suggests that Karma Yoga reduces stress and leads to the path of well-being”.

Research Gate says that “Karma-yoga is a way that causes redemption through action”.

Community involvement

Karma Yoga teaches us how to become involved in our community and to do it with the ultimate intention of selflessness.

The spirit of giving back and contributing to the greater good aligns with modern views on social responsibility and community building.

Overall well being.

Each of the yoga branches gives us input into improving our physical, spiritual, mental and emotional states.

Yoga gives a comprehensive guide to how to holistically be managing all areas of our wellbeing.

Spiritual exploring

While church used to care for our spiritual wellbeing it seems to be more of an individual approach these days.

Bhakti Yoga and others give us an introduction into devotion and being connected to a higher power, giving us a framework for exploring the spiritual world.

These practices give us comfort and meaning in a world that seems to be moving away from this.

Mind-body connection.

Hatha Yoga in particular focuses on connecting our mind with controlled breathing and postures to address the disconnect we sometimes feel.

Mindful movement connects our physical and mental wellbeing and makes us feel harmony at being ourselves.

FAQs About the Six Branches of Yoga

Which branch of yoga is best for stress relief?

They are all great for stress relief but start with Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga. Hatha focuses on physical postures and breathing, and Raja focuses on meditation and contemplation.

Which branch of yoga is best for weight loss?

Hatha Yoga and Karma Yoga are known as being the best for weight loss. Hatha focuses on physical postures and breathing, and Karma focuses on selfless giving and detachment from the response.

Which branch of yoga is best for beginners?

Hatha Yoga is the most popular and available yoga for beginners to start with. It focuses on physical poses and mindful breathing to make a start on being in alignment with your true self.

Do I need to be religious to practice Bhakti Yoga?

While Bhakti Yoga encourages you to spend time devoted to connecting to your higher power – there is no religion related. You can interpret the word ‘divine’, ‘higher power’ as anything that works for you.

Can Jnana Yoga be practiced without formal education?

Jnana Yoga encourages us to seek wisdom and self-reflection, but this doesn’t mean you need a degree or qualification to do so. It just takes some educating of yourself and time to contemplate your life with a deeper understanding.

Which branch of yoga is best for spiritual growth?

All six branches offer a path to spiritual growth. The main one’s to begin with are Jnana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga for spiritual growth. Jnana focuses on self-enquiry and reflection and Bhakti focuses on devotion and love for the divine.

How can I incorporate Karma Yoga into my daily life?

You can look for opportunities to help in your community with acts of kindness, volunteering or just contributing to your community without expectations.

Facebook often has people looking for help, food, clothes etc or friends at work who are struggling might like an act of kindness.

Is Tantra Yoga only about physical intimacy?

Tantric Yoga can sometimes be about physical intimacy, it’s a whole system that encourages meditation, breathwork and energy channelling.

The goal is to combine physical energy and universal energy for overall wellbeing.

Can I practice yoga if I’m not flexible or physically fit?

Absolutely! All of the practices are made to be adapted and altered for you and your needs. If it means that you take a slower pace and modify postures and breathing until you become more flexible and able to manage more, then so be it. It’s much better to slowly increase the intensity and regularity.