Paths of Yoga I

by E-NewsCast Team
April 11th, 2010

With dozens of Hollywood celebrities following in their Guru’slotus footsteps and the sick Western commercial behaviourexploding Yogas popularity to a system that simply enhancespeople’s health, Yoga remains a system of spiritual unity ofmind, body and soul among millions of Indians and many othersfrom Eastern beliefs, as it has been for over five thousandyears. As a result, some forms of yoga have gained significantpopularity outside India, particularly in the West during thepast century. Yoga is a form of mysticism that developed on theIndian subcontinent in the Hindu cultural context. The originsof Yoga are difficult to track due to the lack of recordedtestimony. One of the closest meanings of Yoga comes from theSanskrit word “Yuj” which it is generally translated as “union”or “integration” of the individual soul with the cosmos, orhigher self. Since the goal of Yoga dwells above any bodily consciousness, ithas both a philosophical and a practical dimension to achievethat ideal state. On one hand, the philosophy of yoga managesthe relation of both the individual soul and the cosmos. Thisuniversal philophy enjoins the practitioner to pursue his or herown path to enlightenment. And on the other hand, its practicecan be any exercise or activity that approaches the yogapractitioner to self-realization. Four Paths of YogaSpecial practical yoga techniques have been developed by expertsin yoga. Traditionally, they have been classified into fourcategories or paths: the path of meditation (Raja Yoga), thepath of devotion (Bhakti Yoga), the path of selfless service tothe Divine (Karma Yoga), and the path of intellectual analysisor the discrimination of truth and reality (Jnana Yoga). These Yoga techniques cover a broad range, encompassingphysical, mental, and spiritual activities.•Raja Yoga involves psycho-physical meditational techniques toattain experience of the truth and finally achieve liberationdescribed in Hindu thought to be moksha. The basis of ashtangayoga is the Yoga sutras (Sanskrit Verses) of Patanjali. We willconsider the different aspects of yoga while remaining under theguiding principles of Patanjali’s Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga). RajaYoga is a comprehensive yoga system which deals with therefinement of human behavior and personality through thepractice the Yama (restraint) and Niyama (disciplines);attainment of physical health and vitality through Asana(postures) and Pranayama (pranic breathing techniques);management of mental and emotional conflicts and development ofawareness and concentration through Pratyahara (sensorywithdrawal) and Dharana (concentration); and developing thecreative aspect of consciousness for transcendental awarenessthrough Dhyan (meditation) & Samadhi (absorption in theuniversal identity).•Bhakti Yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice offostering of loving devotion to God, called Bhakti.Traditionally there are 9 forms of bhakti yoga. Sravana (hearingof God’s Lilas and stories), Kirtana (singing of His glories),Smarana (remembrance of His name and presence), Padasevana(service of His feet), Archana (worship of God), Vandana(prostration to Lord), Dasya (cultivating the Bhava of a servantwith God), Sakhya (cultivation of the friend-Bhava) andAtmanivedana (complete surrender of the self). The nine modes ofBhakti are the ways in which a devotee attains the Supreme Idealof life. A devotee can take up any of these paths and reach thehighest state. The path of Bhakti is the easiest of all and isnot very much against the nature of human inclinations.•Karma Yoga focuses on the adherence to duty (dharma) whileremaining detached from the reward. Karma means to do, action,including those acts done by the individual from birth to death.”Karma Yoga is the selfless devotion of all inner as well as theouter activities as a Sacrifice to the Lord of all works,offered to the eternal as Master of all the soul’s energies andausterities,” the Bhagavad Gita says. Following the practice ofKarma yoga, an individual becomes true spiritual seeker andrealizes his true nature as Atman and he lives in this world,works for this world and still stays untouched from thegrossness of the mundane pleasures, thus doing immense good tothe society while on his path to salvation and spiritualfreedom. The Swami Sivananda Yoga Venanda Center sums up karma yoga intofive actions:Right Attitude It’s not what you do that counts, it’s theattitude while doing it that determines if a job is a karma yogajob, i.e. a liberating job, or a binding job.Right Motive Same as attitude. It is not what you do that countsbut your real motive behind it.Do your duty. Give your best. Give results.•Jnana Yoga. This is the most difficult path, requiringtremendous strength of will and intellect. Taking the philosophyof Vedanta the Jnana Yogi uses his mind to inquire into its ownnature. We perceive the space inside and outside a glass asdifferent, just as we see ourselves as separate from God. JnanaYoga leads the devotee to experience his unity with God directlyby breaking the glass, dissolving the veils of ignorance. Beforepracticing Jnana Yoga, the aspirant needs to have integrated thelessons of the other yogic paths – for without selflessness andlove of God, strength of body and mind, the search forself-realization can become mere idle speculation.Jnana yoga teaches that there are four means to salvation:Viveka – Discrimination: The ability to differentiate betweenwhat is real/eternal (Brahman) and what is unreal/temporary(everything else in the universe.)Vairagya – Dispassion: After practice one should be able to”detach” themself from everything that is “temporary.”Shad-sampat – The 6 Virtues: Tranquility (control of the mind),Dama (control of the senses), Uparati (renunciation ofactivities that are not duties), Titiksha (endurance), Shraddha(faith), Samadhana (perfect concentration).Mumukshutva – Intense longing for liberation from temporallimitations.

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