Gentle Wonder of Integral Yoga

An integral yoga class includes chanting, breathwork, and meditation, as well as physical poses. Integral Yoga combines a wide range of yogic practices—doing asana, studying spiritual texts, helping others, chanting mantras, and sitting in meditation—that lead to harmony and happiness. It was founded by Swami Satchidananda (1914-2002), an Indian monk and student of Swami Sivananda. He spread his teachings throughout the West with the slogan, "Truth is one, paths are many." Many practitioners view the physical poses as a path to quieting the body and mind for deep meditation. Integral's gentle poses and emphasis on meditation make it an ideal practice for the elderly, people with back pain or chronic illness, and pregnant women. For more on this and other yoga, please visit YogaJournal.com