THE FOUR PATHS OF YOGA
The four main branches of Yoga are:
Karma Yoga the yoga of action, the path of selfless service
Bhakti Yoga the yoga of devotion
Raja Yoga the yoga of mind control, the scientific approach
Jnana Yoga the yoga of knowledge, the philosophical approach
KARMA YOGA
This path involves the dedication of all work as an offering to
God, with no thought of personal reward. A karma yogi attempts to
see the Lord dwelling in all living beings. By renouncing the
fruits of ones action, the action becomes unselfish. By not
thinking of our own personal needs and desires, and by trying to
help everybody around us, including human beings, animals, the
planet and the whole world, the heart is expanded, egoism
destroyed, and One-ness realised.
Karma yoga can be practiced at all times, under all conditions,
anywhere there is a desire to do selfless service (home, office,
construction side, or ashram).
BHAKTI YOGA
Bhakti is the devotional approach of yoga, the approach of pure
love. In this Kali Yoga, bhakti is seen as the surest, safest and
easiest form of yoga to practice. The bhakta does not try to rid
himself of emotions, but seeks to channel and harness the emotions
by sublimating them into devotion. The aspirant treading the path
of bhakti attempts to realise the Truth by devotion to and love of
God in a personalized form. This is Ishwara, the Ishta-devata.
Prayer, chanting, japa (repeating a mantra or name of God),
hearing or telling stories of God and saints, puja, ceremonies and
rituals are the basic techniques of bhakti. A mystical
relationship with God (who may be seen as a friend, a child, a
mother or teacher) is sought and developed. Bhakti yoga rids the
aspirant of emotions and egocentricity and developing humility,
self-surrender and the feeling of being an instrument in the hands
of God.
There are four times when people tend to turn to devotion.
1. Those in distress, when all else has failed, turn to God as
their final refuge.
2. Curiosity is another impetus.
3. Those having the desire for gain, whether it is gaining love,
knowledge or wealth. God is petitioned as a benevolent parent who
will grant all favours if approached with love and devotion.
4. The highest bhakta is selfless, with the simple desire to love
and serve God. Only with this attitude will the ego disappear.
The danger in bhakti is that the devotee may become fanatical.
Although all religions teach that there is one God, each person
may have that tendency to believe that only his/her personal
relationship with God is the (only) correct one.
RAJA YOGA
This is the scientific, step-by-step approach to yoga.
Systematically the mind is analysed. Techniques are applied to
bring it under control and to achieve higher states of
consciousness. In the two sub-paths of raja yoga, i.e. hatha yoga
and kundalini yoga, the prana (life force) is mastered first, and
the dormant kundalini energy is awakened. Then the mind comes
under control automatically.
JNANA YOGA
This is the most direct of the four paths. It is the intellectual
approach to spiritual evolution. Through right inquiry (vichara)
and constant self-analysis (viveka discrimination), the mind is
used to examine its own nature. Jnana yoga is said to be the most
difficult path, not because it is superior, but because one must
be firmly grounded in the other disciplines before attempting it.
A sharp, keen intellect, unclouded by emotions, is necessary.
Through the study of Vedanta philosophy, the jnani tries to learn
to discriminate between what is finite, and therefore unreal, and
the infinite. Dispassion (vairagya) is then developed. Vedanta
maintains that liberation cannot be attained by ritual, action,
duty or charity only through personal intuitive experience.
Vedanta philosophy has a triple basis in scripture, reason and
experience. But it is not a matter of blind faith. While vedantins
take the scriptures as their authority, they must analyse and
understand all of the teachings using their own intellect.
However, the intellect can explain and understand only the finite.
After exhausting, through the process of discrimination and
negation, all that is unreal, the intellect too must be discarded.
Only the experience of the Real remains to be had. This is Self-realisation.
The jnani is always in danger of becoming proud of the
intellectual powers which he has developed. In order to keep a
balance and avoid the risk of becoming a dry intellectual, it is
advisable to balance jnana with bhakti.
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