The Four Types of Yogi

By Hannah Moran, Yoga Teacher and Director of Ops

There is a concept in Yoga called “Svadhyaya,” which translates to “self-study.” It is the fourth Niyama of the Yoga Sutras, a traditional yogic text written thousands of years ago. The practice of Svadhyaya encourages us to seek an understanding of our true nature.

There are many ways to practice Svadhyaya, both on and off the mat: meditation, journaling, and mantra recitations are some of the most popular forms. But today, I’m excited to tell you about a fun alternative way to practice self-study: The Skillpower Quiz.

Skillpower is a personality quiz developed by top university professors and scientists. This short survey contains 36 quick, easy, multiple-choice questions focused on defining a) what motivates you, and b) tips to increase your willpower (that is, your “inner fire,” so to speak). With a better understanding of these things, you’ll not only feel more confident in your yoga routine, but you might even find more success in accomplishing goals off the mat, as well. Not to mention – the quiz itself is kind of fun!

The results of the quiz will tell you which one of the four archetypes most closely aligns with your personality: the Thinker, the Maverick, the Doer, or the Giver.

Thinkers: These yogis tend to enjoy a routine of steady, reliable yoga with their favorite teachers. Thinkers might need a little extra convincing to try something new, and typically have a value-based attitude towards fitness trends. For thinkers, we recommend trying Original Hot Yoga or Inner Fire Flow classes.

Mavericks: These yogis are independent, confident decision-makers. They will book classes on their own without the help of our staff, and tend to appreciate honest and authentic interactions. Mavericks will likely enjoy any and all classes offered at Inner Fire Yoga, so long as they choose to explore it themselves. Mavericks may also be served well with Private Yoga Training so they can get some 1-on-1 attention.

Doers: The defining quality of Doers is their love of accomplishing goals. They often have a health-conscious mentality, and are usually open to trying new kinds of classes. Many Doers will probably love a spicy Power Flow class or an Original Hot 90, but we encourage Doers to balance that Yang energy with a healthy Yin Yoga practice.

Givers: Givers tend to like positive encouragement and typically respond well to external motivation. Our staff likes to be extra supportive to Givers, who tend to spend more time caring for others than for themselves. Givers are served well by Slow Flow and Yin Yoga classes, but usually very open to try other styles such as Original Hot Yoga.

Just like any personality quiz, this one is mega-simplified and only meant to give you a small taste of who you are, within the context of a much larger and more complex world. None of us are only one thing, and we all have a bit of every archetype within us. But more often than not, one speaks a little louder to us than the rest.

This fun quiz is just one of many ways to practice Svadhyaya, or self-study, and develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and how we operate in the world. After all, we can only stand to benefit by seeking to understand our true nature – even the world’s first yogis knew that :)

Which archetype do you think you are? Take the quiz and find out!