There are many different types of yoga, depending on which element of the eight-step path is emphasized more strongly. For example, Hatha yoga, which is most common in the West, emphasizes physical exercises, while Bhakti yoga emphasizes service to God (Bhagavan). Kriya yoga used to be given to the second caste (ksatrias) as they were the leading personalities of the society and thus did not have time to do the long yoga practice along with the affairs of the state, so their path was accelerated by the masters with special exercises if they were found worthy. Kriya yoga and Kundalini yoga both belong to the type of astanga yoga, from the name astanga meaning ascending yoga process. In these types of energetic y ...