Eternal India Encyclopedia

Ancient Concepts, Sciences & Systems

Eternal India

encyclopedia

BHAKTI YOGA

This is the yoga of devotion. It is the channeling of emotions

into devotion, directed towards a deity or a guru. Everyone has

emotional tendencies by nature and instead of suppressing them,

these emotions are given an outlet. The Bhakti yogi thus absorbs

himself completely in his object of devotion losing his ego and indi-

viduality. Emotional and mental problems disappear, concentration

increases and the path to higher awareness and self-realisation is

opened. Meera Bai, Tulsidas, Tukaram are

Bhakti yogis.

JNANA YOGA

This is the path of enquiry. Some people have a strong tendency

to enquire about the nature of life. They refuse to accept any

answer unless it is based on personal experience. For them Jnana

yoga is recommended. Jnana yoga is not exactly the path of

intellect. It attempts to transcend the limitations of the intellect or

logical faculties of each individual.

In this path one asks questions about the essence of existence

and one's true nature. Effort concentration and total absorption in

the enquiry are preconditions for success in this path. The path of

Jnana yoga is open for everyone. J.K. Krishnamurthi, Ramana

Maharshi, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa are

jnana yogis.

RAJA YOGA

This is the path of introspection. It is the path in which one

attempts to explore the different realms of the mind; conscious,

subconscious, superconscious and beyond. It progressively at-

tempts to transcend the outer environment of the physical body,

and direct the awareness to the inner environment. Each person

has consciousness, either it can be directed outwards or inwards.

Either one can be conscious of the external surroundings or the in-

ner world. Usually one's attention is on outer objects. If perception

of the external is cut off, as is attempted in raja yoga, then the con-

sciousness must be directed inwards. Swami Vivekananda, Sri

Aurobindo, Mukhtananda, Nityananda are all

Raja yogis.

Patanjali Yoga is identified with raja yoga directly, for they are

regarded as synonymous. The system of Patanjali Yoga consists

of eight steps or limbs which the aspirant must master on the path

of self-realisation.

Yamas

(self-restraints)

Niyamas

(self-observances)

Ascinas

(postures)

Pranayama

(regulation of prana through breath control)

Pratyahara

(disassociation of consciousness with the outside

environment)

Dharana

(concentration)

Dhyana

(meditation)

Samadhi

(identification with pure consciousness)

HATHA YOGA

The basic aim of hatha yoga is to build a firm, strong, healthy

body and ensure a free flow of prana within the psychic channels of

the body. Hatha yoga aims at harmonising prana in the body so that

in turn the physical body will automatically become healthy and re-

ceptive to higher vibrations. It treats the body as an instrument to

be kept in the best possible condition.

Hatha yoga is not only meant to bring about mental and physical

health. It also involves awareness in many of its practices and as

such is a means to meditation in itself. According to the Hatha Yoga

Pradipika, the classical text-book on this subject:

"Those people who practise only physical exercises (in hatha

yoga) without mental and spiritual aspirations will fail to achieve

the best results". Goraknath, Matsya Chandra and Swami Satya-

nanda are Hatha yogis.

KUNDALINI YOGA

Is a system of yoga concerned with the awakening of the

psychic centres known as

chakras

which exist within all of us.

These chakras are centres of bioplasmic energy and are related to

different levels of awareness.

This force or power one attains in the form of higher awareness

is symbolised by Kundalini, a serpent like energy, that is said to

reside in the lower regions of the trunk. This form of yoga is also

known as laya yoga.

MANTRA YOGA

Is the yoga of sacred hymns. Mantra yoga utilises the power of

sound as a method of inducing introspection and to evoke mental

manifestations. A particular mantra is repeated over and over again

verbally or mentally producing mental tranquillity, concentration and

awareness of the inner processes of the mind.

Mantra yoga is also known as Japa yoga.

Dhyana

(meditation yoga) is also classified as a path of yoga. It

refers to the higher stages of all forms of yoga.

Meditation

: When people do meditation, they use mantra to calm

their mind. They sit and repeat mantras aloud. The mantra At/Mis

a king of mantras. AUM is "Sabdha Bramha" (creator of all

sounds). AUM is mentioned in many ancient texts and yogic scrip-

tures like in

Bhagavad Gita, 'Om ithyekaksharm Brahma'

means

the letter AUM itself denotes Brahma. One can practise more and

more mental AUM - chanting as one progresses in yoga. AUM

chanting is a systematic method of withdrawing one's awareness

from the outside world and directing it inwards to explore the mind.

The pronounciation of AUM is very important.

During Japa, one has to chant mantra (or name of the favourite

god - Eshtadevata) and rotate the beads of the mala. These act as

a point of reference for awareness.

There are many other forms of yoga like the

Shiva yoga, siddha

yoga, sankhya yoga, buddhi yoga, sanyasa yoga, maha yoga

and so

on. All these are excellent systems in themselves. There is also

another path of yoga called

swara yoga

which lies outside the

purview of the five main branches of yoga. It is concerned with the

flow of air through the two nostrils, and it is also related to the

position of the sun and the phases of the moon, the time of sunrise

and so on.

THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOGA

Yoga was evolved and developed by the ancient sages, not only

in India but all over the world. The earliest historical evidence of