One of the beauties of yoga is that there is no one type of yogi. Why we come to the mat, the teachers we connect with, and the yoga styles that serve us can be vastly different. One way to deepen your practice is to explore those differences through the lens of personality.

I started practicing yoga eight years ago after teaching the martial arts for nearly 30 years. In the beginning, I had to select a style of yoga that was right for me. Because my day job is to write, speak, and teach people about personality, I quickly discovered that, like the martial arts, each form of yoga has its own unique personality. Some are more relaxing, others more intense. Some flow, others focus on precision.

During my work travels, I’ve visited some 50 studios offering everything from paddleboard yoga and AcroYoga to traditional disciplines like Ashtanga and Anusara (and admittedly, I passed on naked yoga classes). Each style of yoga seems to have personality traits that reflect the founders and their traditions. Likewise, each teacher and student shines their personality onto the practice.

To differentiate between personality styles, first identified in ancient Greece and China more than 2,000 year ago, I will use birds to symbolize the four styles and make them easy to remember. As you will see, we can look at yoga through the lens of these styles:

• Eagles are all about results and winning. As yogis, they can be hard-driving, goal-oriented, and competitive. They try the most challenging version of every pose and always push deeper and further (sometimes to their detriment…). They never, ever, skip a Chaturanga Dandasana [Low Plank] and are rarely found resting in Child’s Pose. Eagle instructors will be darned if they don’t get you into that headstand you’ve been struggling to hold.
• Parrots enjoy being around others and are quite talkative. They are the playful, enthusiastic, social birds of the yoga community. Parrots chat up the room before and after practice. They tend to enjoy pumping music, energetic poses, and variety. If no one has put their mat front and center, count on a Parrot to do it. If you have an instructor who is effusively positive and talks throughout Savasana [Corpse Pose], they’re likely a Parrot.
• Doves care about others and connect with people on a deep personal level. They are gentle, loving, and peaceful souls in the studio. They are content to sit through long meditations and restorative poses that require patience (a trait often lacking in Eagles and Parrots). They tend to position themselves in the back row, out of view, and don’t like being rushed or pushed. Dove teachers keep yogis safe and comfortable, often beginning instructions with, “If it is available to you…”
• Owls are driven by the need for information and accuracy. They are analytical, inquisitive, technical yogis who want to do every pose “right.” What angle should our arms be at? Inhale or exhale? Inner or outer spiral? Owl yogis have questions and like clear, detailed answers. Watchful teachers, they spot alignment issues across the room and make subtle, hands-on adjustments. They tend to have rules about how to organise the studio’s blocks, straps, mats, and blankets.

If you read those descriptions and think, “I’m a combination of all four styles”, that’s because you are. We all have the four birds in us, just to different extents. We call someone an Eagle if most of their thoughts and behaviors are Eagle-ish. Some people have so much of two birds that it’s more accurate to call them a Dove-Parrot, Eagle-Owl, or another combination.

Given these personality differences, it’s no surprise that we often gravitate to one discipline of yoga over others. Eagles are often found in hot yoga studios and fitness-oriented classes that test their will and endurance. Parrots often prefer vinyasa classes that weave breath, movement, and sound together in dynamic ways. Doves often enjoy yin yoga classes with long holds, deep relaxation, and quiet introspection. And Owls usually thrive in Iyengar classes that stress precision, alignment, and fine-tuning.

When we recognize personality styles in ourselves, our teachers, and the disciplines of yoga, we can use that awareness to deepen our practice. We can even use yoga to cultivate a more flexible, Chameleon-like personality that adapts to different people and situations.

For example, if you’re an Eagle who always picks the sweatiest classes, the real challenge for you might be a yin class. Moving slowly, patiently, and gently might push your comfort zone far more than physical exertion. A Dove teacher might lead you to be kinder to your body, while an Owl teacher might drill techniques that empower you to access poses once beyond reach.

Conversely, as a Dove, you might uncover your untapped potential by stepping into an unforgiving hot yoga class. And as an Owl, you might benefit from being rushed in a flow class where no one has time to do things perfectly. As a Parrot-Eagle, I can have fun anywhere and push myself hard enough, which is why Anusara classes taught by a detailed Owl have been so expanding for my inner Parrot.

Yoga is often a respite for our personality, a sacred moment away from ordinary life. It can also be a vehicle for self-discovery and growth, especially when it expands our personality. My wish for readers is that personality styles inform how and why you practice. As a side bonus, now that you know the four birds, you will see Eagles, Parrots, Doves, and Owls everywhere.