Do you know your Mooladhara from your Bindu?

1) The difference between Yoga and Pilates is that Yoga is a an ancient mind-body system of wellbeing that ultimately aims to still the mind. Pilates is a series of exercises aimed at strengthening the core.

2) There are eight chakras. From the base of the spine up to the crown they are… Mooladhara, Swadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishuddhi, Ajna, Bindu, and Sashara. When these are purified through Yoga practice the yogi is able to retain Prana (life force).

3) The eight limbs of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are a set of lifestyle and philosophical guidelines: Yama - abstinence, Niyama - observance, Asana - posture, Pranayama - breath control, Pratyahara - sense withdrawal, Dharana - concentration, Dhyana - meditation, Samadhi - contemplation or absorption.

4) Hatha Yoga is the type of Yoga most frequently practiced in Western culture. Ha means ‘sun’ and tha means ‘moon’, representing hatha Yoga’s attempt to combine both complementary forces.

5) The lotus pose is a sitting pose meant to resemble the perfect symmetry and beauty of a lotus flower. Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, and Shiva, a major god in Hinduism, are typically shown in this pose.

6) ‘Doga’ is a type of Yoga in which people use Yoga to achieve harmony with their pets. Dogs can either be used as props for their owners or they can do the stretches themselves. It reportedly started in New York in 2002 when Suzi Teitelman started ‘Yoga for Dogs’.