There are Five Branches of Yoga

1. Hat Yoga:

 The way of Physical discipline Hatha Yoga is for the purification of our body because a healthy mind lives always in a healthy body and when we have a healthy body and hence a healthy mind, we can view the soul better. Hatha yoga has the following two sections:

Yogic Kriyas (Shat Karmas) for purification of body:

• Neti 
• Dhouti 
• Nauli 
• Basti 
• Trataka 
• Kapalbhati 

Yogic Asanas:

• All the 32 Asanas and Jeevan Tatva
•  Yovan Tatva
•  Mudra
•  Pranayam
•  Pratyahar
•  Dhyaan
•  Samadhi

2. Raj Yoga: The way of mental discipline:

Yama: Yama means self-restraint. It has five parts -

Ahimsa: The message of love to the entire creation is Ahimsa. A full stop for any kind of violence, either through thought, words, or deeds.

Satya: Satya means truth - saying exactly what one sees with one's own eyes, hears with one's own ears and understand through one's own brain.

Asteya: Not to steal anything and not to be greedy of other's wealth or possessions.

Brahmacharya: Brahmacharya means celibacy. To keep one's sense organs, including the organs of procreation, under control and not to be tempted by the lustful enjoyments through thought, words and deeds.

Aparigraha: It menas non-covetousness. Hoarding of wealth, riches and other materials of enjoyment for selfish ends is Parigraha while the absence of these is Aparigraha.

Niyama: Niyama are also five -

Shoucha: It implies external and internal purity of every kind - the purity of mind as well as the body.

Santosha: Self satisfaction under all circumstances, favorable or unfavorable, and in joy and suffering both, the contentment.

Ttapa: Keeping the mind detached and under control. Following the way of Guru and obey the orders to do all the duties with perfection.

Swadhyay: Swadhyay signifies study of Yog Maha Divya Ramayana or spiritually elevating scriptures and a daily routine of Aarti (Prayer) and Bhajan Kirtan (Chanting).

Ishwar Pranidhan: It means surrendering everything to Prabhu ji (God) and carrying out His behests. Worship of Prabhu ji, chanting of His name, hearing about Him and thinking of Him as all pervasive, omni-present and omniscient.

Asana: Asana means sitting in a steady and easy pose which is comfortable and which keeps the body straight and firm. Regular practice of asanas results in the purification of veins and nerves and promotion of general health of the body. There are infinite number of asanas suitable for different categories of people.

Pranayama: On the attainment of full control over one's posture when the two movements of breaths, viz., inhalation and exhalation are stopped, it is called Pranayama. Filling up the lungs with external air is inhalation. It is also known as Puraka, and the expulsion or throwing out of internal air is known as the process of exhalation or Rechaka. Holding the inhaled air is called Kumbhaka or Pause. The Pranayam has three types -

• Rechaka (exhalation of the air) 
• Puraka (inhalation of the air) 
• Kumbhaka (holding the inhaled air): It has two types - Sahit and Kewali. Sahit-Kumbhak also further classified in to eight parts: 
  • Suraj Bhed 
  • Ujjayi Shitkaari 
  • Shitali
  •  Bhastrika 
  • Bhramari 
  • Murcha 
  • Plavini 

Pratayahar: Pratyahara is that state in which the senses get lost as it were in the mind through dissociation from their corresponding object. Dharana: Fixing the mind on a particular spot is called

Dharana: In other words Dharana consists in focusing or reverting the mind on any particular object which is sought to be medicated upon.

Dhyaaan: Here the object of realization being God, all the three limbs Of Dharana, Dhayana and Smadhi should be practiced with reference to Prabhu Ji (God). Incessant flow of the mental substance toward the object of meditation, like the flow of the Ganga towards the ocean or like the unbroken flow of oil which takes place when it is transferred from one vessel to another, is called Dhyana or meditation.

Samadhi: Samadhi, the absorption, depends upon the holy grace of that true Guru Who is the Creator, Who is Lovable and kind, Who fears none, Who is without hate, Who never dies, Who is beyond the cycle of births and death, Who is self illuminated. Who was True in the beginning, Who was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True, Who is also True now.

3. Karam Yoga: Yaga of Action:

• Action without attachment 
• Renunciation of fruits of action 
• Perfection in action 
• Self less action 

4. Bhakti Yoga: Yoga of love devotion:

• Sewa: The concept of service 
• Prapatti: Surrendering 
• Bhakti:  Love 

 5. Gyana Yoga: Yoga of Knowledge:

• The method of dialectic 
•  Free self-enquiry 
•  Discrimination and Detachment 
•  Desire for liberation 
•  Shravana & Manana (Listening & Following) 

 In today's world, people are more money-conscious than being health-conscious. Human body is far more precious than only material things - it is source of MOKSHA. Today a machine usually receives more human-attention than the body. If a person wants to live a perfectly happy and healthy life, he should be health-conscious first. One should not forget that a good health primarily depends on a healthy being, a healthy mind, a healthy body and healthy surroundings, together with healthy co-ordination between being and mind, between mind and body, and between body and surroundings.

Benefits of Yoga

• Yoga develops will power and inner stamina besides longevity. In Yoga, muscles and tissues are well prepared, owing to developed will-power, for the acceptance of jerks and shocks. Athletes, acrobats, physical culturists, boxers and weight lifters are susceptible to nerve injuries or stretching of muscles and tissues beyond their capacity. They retard their brain development due to insufficient supply of pure blood and oxygen, for these are diverted for feeding bumper muscles. Yogis have far greater disease-resisting inner stamina due to their developed thinking power and will power.
• Yoga develops entire personality as a whole, and does not confine itself to any particular body part or to the building up to the body strength alone or bumper muscles at the cost of important body organ like heart, brain, lungs, etc. 
•  Yoga can easily and safely be practiced with considerable ease by both young as well as old age-groups without involving much strain on their nerves, time and energy, or needing any monetary expense. It does not even require other participants as in games and sports
• Yoga tones up glands, both skeletal and viscera muscles, regularizes the functioning of various organs and correct organic and functional disorders ensuring vibrant health and lasting cure of chronic diseases. It also promotes and recuperates lost health and prevents future ailments. It also corrects postural defects of the spine.
• Stress and strain today's major problems which can easily be tackled through concentration and meditation, Pranayama and relaxation, Yoga postures like Shava Asana, Padam Asana etc. All tension-created ailments generally arise from frustration, worry, anger, emotional imbalances, sudden shocks etc. resulting in the failures of stress mechanism. The psychosomatic ailments cause a number of organic disorders. They are cured by few Yogic Asanas and Shat Karmas.
• Yoga Stretching exercises such as Pashchimotan Asana, Sarap Asana, Dhanur Asana etc. greatly improve blood circulation and also the muscles tone of blood vessels. They help removal of accumulated toxins and metabolic wastes from the body, and also excess weight, making the body firm and slender. Posture involving spinal cord bends and twists like Ardha Matsendra Asana, Ushtra Asana, Dhanur Asana etc., tone up the spine, providing the sympathetic nerves with fresh blood and energy, thus ensuring the general health as a whole. They also remove postural and digestive disorders. Further, the strengthening of the spine elevates the mind and the consciousness, besides creating an attractive personality. In a straight posture, life-force flows freely in the spine and nerves, giving greater strength, vitality and health. Glands are also toned up improving the hormonal secretions, thus ensuring both physical and mental health.
• Deep breathing in Pranayamas also have salutary effect on general health and vitality. They not only cure lung diseases like Asthma, tuberculosis, cold and cough, bronchitis, but greatly contribute to the promotion of general good health, and eradication of many functional diseases on account of the supply of pure oxidized blood to various organs, nerves and tissues, and the elimination of waste products in the form of carbon dioxide.