What is om? Most people who have heard of the word om think that it’s a chant that is performed by Indian mystics and those who practice yoga. Well the truth is that the word om is much more than a mere chant.
The actual spelling of the word om is ‘aum’. Did you know that the word amen is derived from aum? Aum is a sound that signifies all aspects of the universe around us—birth, growth, and destruction. Chanting the word om can help you to connect with the universe on a very primal level.

On a more basic level, the om chant can help you to improve your concentration and impart a sense of calm and serenity. This is why the chanting of the om is regularly used in yoga, especially during meditation and breathing.

Since yoga is such an ancient form of fitness and healing, there are numerous schools of yoga that have developed through the millennia. While some schools are more oriented towards physical fitness by employing a series of Asanas, others lay more of an emphasis on spiritual and mental development. Yet others follow a balanced approach that lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Let us take a look at some of the forms of yoga that follow this balanced approach.

Jivamukti yoga. The word ‘jiva’ means life and ‘mukti’ means liberation. Jivamukti yoga is a form of yoga that was developed in 1984 by David Life and Sharon Gannon. It is a derivation of the Ashtanga (Eight Limbed) school of yoga. Jivamukti yoga is a complete yoga form that involves study of the yoga scriptures, yoga asanas, Pranayama, meditation, and chanting.

Integral yoga. The term integral yoga was first coined by the famous Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo in the early 1900s. This concept of integral yoga, which was outlined in his book The Synthesis of Yoga, envisages a synthesis of all the different aspects of yoga into one. This concept of integral yoga was later brought into practice by a famous yoga guru, Swami Satchidananda. In fact, integral yoga is now widely taught in the US and other parts of the world in yoga training centers run by Swami Satchidananda’s followers.

Ishta yoga. Ishta is actually an acronym that stands for Integrated Science of Hatha Tantra and Ayurveda. This variation of yoga was developed in South Africa by the late 1960s. Ishta yoga is a balanced form of yoga that seeks to encompass the good points of all the different styles of yoga. It lays an emphasis on self discovery and analysis through the process of Pranayama.