Paths of Yoga I

Home
>
Yoga
>
Paths of Yoga I

With dozens of Hollywood celebrities following in their Guru's lotus footsteps and the sick Western commercial behaviour exploding Yogas popularity to a system that simply enhances people's health, Yoga remains a system of spiritual unity of mind, body and soul among millions of Indians and many others from Eastern beliefs, as it has been for over five thousand years. As a result, some forms of yoga have gained significant popularity outside India, particularly in the West during the past century.

Yoga is a form of mysticism that developed on the Indian subcontinent in the Hindu cultural context. The origins of Yoga are difficult to track due to the lack of recorded testimony. One of the closest meanings of Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word "Yuj" which it is generally translated as "union" or "integration" of the individual soul with the cosmos, or higher self.

Since the goal of Yoga dwells above any bodily consciousness, it has both a philosophical and a practical dimension to achieve that ideal state. On one hand, the philosophy of yoga manages the relation of both the individual soul and the cosmos. This universal philophy enjoins the practitioner to pursue his or her own path to enlightenment. And on the other hand, its practice can be any exercise or activity that approaches the yoga practitioner to self-realization.

Four Paths of Yoga

Special practical yoga techniques have been developed by experts in yoga. Traditionally, they have been classified into four categories or paths: the path of meditation (Raja Yoga), the path of devotion (Bhakti Yoga), the path of selfless service to the Divine (Karma Yoga), and the path of intellectual analysis or the discrimination of truth and reality (Jnana Yoga).

These Yoga techniques cover a broad range, encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual activities.

? Raja Yoga involves psycho-physical meditational techniques to attain experience of the truth and finally achieve liberation described in Hindu thought to be moksha. The basis of ashtanga yoga is the Yoga sutras (Sanskrit Verses) of Patanjali. We will consider the different aspects of yoga while remaining under the guiding principles of Patanjali's Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga). Raja Yoga is a comprehensive yoga system which deals with the refinement of human behavior and personality through the practice 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 of awareness and concentration through Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal) and Dharana (concentration); and developing the creative aspect of consciousness for transcendental awareness through Dhyan (meditation) & Samadhi (absorption in the universal identity).

? Bhakti Yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called Bhakti. Traditionally there are 9 forms of bhakti yoga. Sravana (hearing of 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 servant with God), Sakhya (cultivation of the friend-Bhava) and Atmanivedana (complete surrender of the self). The nine modes of Bhakti are the ways in which a devotee attains the Supreme Ideal of life. A devotee can take up any of these paths and reach the highest state. The path of Bhakti is the easiest of all and is not very much against the nature of human inclinations.

? Karma Yoga focuses on the adherence to duty (dharma) while remaining 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 the outer activities as a Sacrifice to the Lord of all works, offered to the eternal as Master of all the soul's energies and austerities," the Bhagavad Gita says. Following the practice of Karma yoga, an individual becomes true spiritual seeker and realizes his true nature as Atman and he lives in this world, works for this world and still stays untouched from the grossness of the mundane pleasures, thus doing immense good to the society while on his path to salvation and spiritual freedom.

The Swami Sivananda Yoga Venanda Center sums up karma yoga into five actions:

Right Attitude It's not what you do that counts, it's the attitude while doing it that determines if a job is a karma yoga job, i.e. a liberating job, or a binding job.

Right Motive Same as attitude. It is not what you do that counts but your real motive behind it.

Do your duty. Give your best. Give results.

? Jnana Yoga. This is the most difficult path, requiring tremendous strength of will and intellect. Taking the philosophy of Vedanta the Jnana Yogi uses his mind to inquire into its own nature. We perceive the space inside and outside a glass as different, just as we see ourselves as separate from God. Jnana Yoga leads the devotee to experience his unity with God directly by breaking the glass, dissolving the veils of ignorance. Before practicing Jnana Yoga, the aspirant needs to have integrated the lessons of the other yogic paths - for without selflessness and love of God, strength of body and mind, the search for self-realization can become mere idle speculation.

Jnana yoga teaches that there are four means to salvation:

Viveka - Discrimination: The ability to differentiate between what 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 of activities that are not duties), Titiksha (endurance), Shraddha (faith), Samadhana (perfect concentration).

Mumukshutva - Intense longing for liberation from temporal limitations.

Alma De la Cruz, a staff mystic employed by http://www.psychicrealm.com, has a profound personal history where she has unabashedly delved deep into the heart of occult mysteries for an extensive period of her life. Her name literally means "Soul of the Cross" in Spanish. Currently she is working publishing a manuscript that delves into the mysteries of Hispanic new age beliefs incorporating old insights with new spiritual methodologies. Check out her bi weekly metaphysical column: http://www.newagenotebook.com where she takes a new twist, incorporating Latin shamanistic philosophies with leading edge occult beliefs.

In The News:

ABC News (blog)
Can You Do Yoga if You Aren't Flexible?
ABC News (blog)
I always thought that of yoga as something only done by young, lithe ballet enthusiasts. It was definitely not something practiced by uncoordinated, middle-aged guys who can't touch their toes. Put me in the latter category and add to that that I'm ...
How we work out: Stiff Guy YogaBaltimore Sun

all 2 news articles »

Laptop Week Review: Lenovo Yoga 13
TechCrunch
The Yoga can be rightly termed the perfect Windows 8 machine. Touchscreen access was surprisingly smooth and responsive but it wasn't mandatory. This is a handsome, cleverly designed laptop that works as both a keyboard-based and touch device.

and more »

NBC 7 San Diego
Encinitas Yoga Trial: Parents Argue School Is Violating Separation Of Church ...
Huffington Post
The district instituted a yoga program in its elementary schools' physical education curriculum last September, after receiving a half-million dollar grant from the K.P. Jois Foundation. The district hoped that yoga “would help the elementary school ...
California judge weighs whether yoga is a religionFox News
Yoga Lawsuit: Schools Accused of Spreading GospelNBC 7 San Diego
Yoga on trialAljazeera.com
U-T San Diego -Christian Post -Opposing Views
all 24 news articles »

Yoga For Allergies: Simple Moves That Will Give You Sinus Relief
Huffington Post
Yet another reason to say "namaste": A small 2010 study found that regular yoga practice may reduce inflammation in the body. "Inflammation, which can be triggered by stress, can worsen allergy attacks," says immunologist Gailen D. Marshall Jr., MD ...

Is Yoga Constitutional?
First Things (blog)
Last month, I wrote about a controversy surrounding the White House's inclusion of a yoga garden in its annual Easter Egg Roll. The problem is this: yoga is a Hindu spiritual practice. Arguably, therefore, state-sponsored yoga is a religious ...

Winners all around in Encinitas yoga trial?
U-T San Diego
From his body (and oral) language, it appears that Meyer, who's disclosed that he's done yoga (and has not converted to Hinduism), likely will rule in late June that the district is not promoting religion via its modified yoga program. He may concede ...

and more »

ABC News (blog)
Yoga, Meditation Benefit Both Brain and Body
ABC News (blog)
Though the practices of yoga and meditation have their roots in ancient cultures, they've both become modern day movements. More than 20 million Americans meditate regularly, according to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. More than 13 million ...
Dahn Yoga Empowers Individuals to Reach Out into Local Communities as ...PR Web (press release)

all 3 news articles »

Constitutional issues play out in Encinitas yoga trial
U-T San Diego
Yoga has its origins in classical Hinduism and traditionally was divided into three practices: Karma yoga, Jnana yoga and Bhakti yoga. Karma yoga dealt with action and its consequences. Thus, practitioners of Karma yoga focused on doing things like ...

and more »

Yoga offered to county workers in courthouse hallway
The State Journal-Register
With a sweeping view of downtown Springfield including the Hilton hotel behind her, Sangamon county yoga class instructor Aasne Daniels conducts a lunch-time workout from the 7th floor hallway at the Sangamon County building on Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

Yoga Extravanganza to Benefit Arlington Free Clinic
Sun Gazette
Yoga instructors from across the community will come together on Sunday, June 2 from 11a.m. to noon to offer instruction for all levels and raise funds for the Arlington Free Clinic. The event will be held at the clinic, 2921 11th St. South. Following ...

Google News

Paths of Yoga I

Yoga Yoga