And you thought she was mad? The woman in her early forties, you chanced upon in the park, sticking her tongue out, talking to herself? Don?t be surprised to find more have joined her in what you thought to be a ?fit of lunacy.? Don?t blame yourself, for you are only used to seeing the regular joggers and occasionally the laughter club members throng the park. Facial yoga is the latest to hit fitness lovers. They are practicing it religiously to erase wrinkles, lift sagging skin and maintain skin elasticity. They are doing it in office breaks and even while driving cars. Botox may just fear a run for its money!

Yoga instructor Annelise Hagen elaborates on the different techniques in her book The Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles with the Ultimate Natural Facelift. The technique includes stretching the face muscles that include blowing out the cheeks, sticking the tongue out and blowing exaggerated kisses.

Call it the latest in Desktop Yoga, if you must. People want to get the benefits of the 5,000-year-old science in quick-fix sessions. They are seeking tailor-made solutions for their problems ? be it physical fitness, inner peace or spiritual enlightenment. As yoga studios cater to their demand, most initiators can be found attempting to decode the different strings of yoga like Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Divya Yoga and Isha Yoga? that have emerged of the four classic streams of Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

The trend is easily discernible. A group of 15 corporate executives, including the CEO of Novartis India attended the Inner Engineering program at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore couple of weeks back. The program entails Suryanamaskars, asanas and Shambhavi Maha Mudra. The management group from Novartis is just a couple of the 75,000 people who attend the program every year across the world.

Structured by Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, what probably makes people instantly connect with the program is its philosophical base ? it reflects that spiritual life does not deny social or world responsibilities. Instead they should be used as vehicles for personal growth and self-realisation. ?Patanjali, the father of yoga offered it in the form of sutras. He only gave the essential formula, which is just like a thread. It is for each guru, or each realised being to make a garland out of it,? says Sadguru. Generally, people cite lack of time for doing yoga or meditation. Shambhavi is scientifically structured and takes just 20 minutes to be completed. The other kriyas take only about 35 minutes.

?It?s offered scientifically as a technology for people to experience. People practicing Shambhavi Maha Mudra have found balance between the challenges of a hectic career and the inner longing for peace,? adds Swami Suyagna of Isha Foundation.

Meanwhile, executives in Delhi are exploring Transformational Yoga at The Grand Hotel. A synthesis of Hatha, Tantra, Raja, Mantra, Ashtanga and Kundalini Yoga developed by Swami Vidyanand, it claims to clean the four outer bodies, namely, physical, vital, mental and psychic, and awaken the spiritual body. ?Yoga is not just about physical exercise. It should help you overcome anger, fear, stress?This sequence of asanas just takes 15 minutes to recharge yourself. It has been specially designed for people with little time to spare, ? says Swami Vidyanand who keeps shuttling between his Honk Kong and India centres.

Corporates seem to be taking to yoga big time. For instance, Bharat Thakur?s Artistic Yoga has developed specific modules to help companies arrest attrition, improve productivity and creativity of employees. ?Sony Ericsson, Microsoft, Fidelity, Tata Unisys, Apollo Tyres and Infosys? are just few of the names that Bhavin Thakkar can rattle off candidly where such workshops have been conducted on invitation. Popular demand made Fitplaza initiate it. ?The best thing about this form of yoga is that it helps in spot reduction. The session begins with warm-up and stretching and is followed by a rigorous 40-minute regimen for the specific body part one wants to concentrate on,? says Jagpreet Kaur, its spa and gym manager. ?Stressful lifestyles, daring deadlines, the competitive nature of work tends to take a toll on us. The modules have been designed to address the mind, body and the soul,? says Thakkar, in charge of the Delhi centre for Artistic Yoga. However, he begs to differ slightly. ?Doing something is better than nothing. But a 60-minutes session I feel, is ideal,? he says.

Simplicity certainly sells big in this industry. Millions in India today are part of the Swami Ramdev cult. ?Just like nanotechnology has the potential to send nano particles within the body system to treat the afflicted parts, Pranayam takes oxygen to each and every part of the body and cures the diseases,? he remarked at the recently held Global Knowledge Millennium Summit on Bio and Nano Technology. Some piece of mind here!

Flavoured Yoga

Hatha Yoga

Part of Raja Yoga, it emphasises a series of physical postures combined with breathing exercises. It is slow-paced and gentle. The asanas help one in gaining stamina and concentration necessary for effective meditation. These are essential for attaining spiritual awakening.

Bikram Yoga

This series of 26 asanas in a temperature-controlled studio was thought out by Bikram Choudhury. According to Bikramyoga.com, it uses the tourniquet effect i.e. stretching, balancing, and creating pressure all at the same time. The blood supply in the arteries and veins is cut off, creating pressure. When released, a lock gate effect is created, causing blood to rush through veins and arteries, thus flushing out the system.

Iyengar Yoga

B K S Iyengar must well be credited to take the ancient discipline to the masses and to the West. The use of props such as wooden gadgets, mats, etc set it apart. It primarily focuses on aligning the body, mind and emotions. It shows how all the eight aspects of Astanga Yoga are integrated.

Transformational Yoga

It is based on the premise that every individual has the capacity to experience pure consciousness characterised by good health, emotional balance and mental and spiritual clarity. Developed by Swami Vidyanand, it uses a select set of asanas along with breathing techniques and chants to achieve the desired result in a short time.

Artistic Yoga

Developed by Bharat Thakur, it works at every level. At the physical level, it helps in bringing about flexibility, strength and endurance. At the mental and spiritual levels it helps bring awareness of the body and alertness. Meditation brings about a complete transformation.

Divya Yoga

That Swami Ramdev has become a household name in India would be a gross understatement. His verbosity, coupled with simplicity of technique has created an enviable cult, with urban and rural followers alike. A sequential practise of the seven Pranayams, with allotted time periods that he devised, became an instant hit to cure almost anything.

Isha Yoga

A scientifically structured program, Isha yoga combines Shakti Chalana kriyas ? a dynamic process of balancing energy movement, Shoonya meditation ? a potent process of conscious non-doing, and a clear approach to life. His weekend program ?Inner Engineering for Effortless Living? and the ?Wholeness program? have created many loyalists in the corporate world.