Yoga

Introduction

Yoga is a complete science of life that originated in Himalayan mountains many thousands of years ago. It is quite possibly the oldest system of personal and spiritual development still in existence. Yoga encompasses full development of the human potential (body, mind and spirit). The Sanskrit word yoga means "to join or yoke together" and is often translated as union. The goal being the highest state of union between a person's individual consciousness and universal consciousness.

The Ancient Yogis had a profound understanding of man's essential nature and of what he needs to live in harmony with himself and his environment. Through the process of meditation and disciplined experimentation, the Yogis formulated a methods for understanding and mastering the subtle forces that control our existence. They perceived the physical body as a vehicle, with the mind as driver, the soul as man's true identity. In order for these to be integrated, they must be fully understood and brought under conscious control. Out of their experience and knowledge developed methods that combine exercises for physical health with Breathing and Meditation techniques that ensure peace of mind.

The science of Yoga includes many different branches that have evolved from common roots. These different branches give a practitioner a range of possible paths to follow based on his/her personal preference. Often a practitioner will practice a combination of several different branches.

Main Branches of Yoga

Karma Yoga

Karma yoga or the path of selfless service, and none of us can escape this pathway. Karma in Sanskrit means action. The law of karma put simply is "current actions create the seeds for future actions". The objective of karma yoga is to act consciously and free of attachment to results, so that we are not trapped in the cycle of unending action/reaction. Using or knowledge of causuality, all of our present efforts become a way to consciously create a future that frees us from being bound by negativity and selfishness. Karma is the path of self-transcending action. We practice karma yoga whenever we perform our work and live our lives in a selfless fashion and as a way to serve others.

Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti yoga describes the path of devotion. Seeing the divine in all of creation, bhakti yoga is a positive way to channel the emotions. The path of bhakti provides us with an opportunity to cultivate acceptance and tolerance for everyone we come into contact with.

Bhakti yogis express the devotional nature of their path in their every thought, word, and deed—whether they are taking out the trash or calming the anger of a loved one. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., are good examples of bhakti yogis. The life and work of Mother Teresa epitomize the combination of the karma and bhakti yoga paths with devotional aspects of bhakti and the selfless service of karma yoga.

Jnana Yoga

Jnana yoga is the path of higher knowledge, it is the path of the sage or scholar. This path requires development of the intellect through the study of the scriptures and texts of the yogic tradition. The jnana yoga approach is considered the most difficult and at the same time the most direct. It involves serious study and will appeal to those who are more intellectually inclined. Within the context of our Western religious traditions, Kabalistic scholars, Jesuit priests, and Benedictine monks epitomize jnana yogis.

Raja Yoga

Raja means "royal," and meditation is the focal point of this branch of yoga. This path usually combines several of the other paths. This approach involves the practice of the eight "limbs" of yoga as outlined by Patanjili in the Yoga Sutras. Also found in many other branches of yoga, these limbs, or stages, follow this order: ethical standards, yama; self-discipline, niyama; posture, asana; breath extension or control, pranayama; sensory withdrawl, pratyahara; concentration, dharana; meditation, dhyana; and ecstasy or final liberation, samadhi. Raja yoga attracts individuals who are introspective and drawn to meditation.

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is the path involving physical mastery. It is the most popular branch of Yoga. The word "hatha" comes from the root words hakaram, meaning "sun" and tbakaram, meaning "moon." "Yoga means to join or unite, so "hatha yoga" is the union of the sun and moon. In other words, it is the science of harmonizing the positive and negative forces within the body, or balancing active and passive energies. Hatha Yoga considered the body as the vehicle for the soul. It uses Physical Poses or Asana, Breathing Techniques or Pranayama, Meditation in order to bring the body in perfect health and for the more subtle spiritual elements of the mind to emerge freely. The practice of Hatha Yoga will result to the union of the body and the soul, it aims to make the body perfect and fill it with life force.

Kundalini Yoga

Hatha yoga and kundalini yoga are intimately connected. Kundalini is the latent spiritual energy that sits at the base of the spine. Kundalini yoga is a path focused on opening the energy channels of the body and awakening this spiritual energy. The practices often involve the use Pranayama, mantra, yantra, and mudras.

Nada Yoga

Nada yoga is usually practiced in combination with one of the other branches of yoga. Nada yoga is science of sacred sound. It involves the use of sound as a spiritual practice for self realization. Mantra, Kirtan, and Japa would be considered part of Nada yoga.

Tantric Yoga

Probably the most misunderstood or misinterpreted of all the branches. Tantra is a path of ritual. In tantric practice we experience the Divine in everything we do. A reverential attitude is therefore cultivated, encouraging a ritualistic approach to life. It is amusing to note that, although tantra has become associated exclusively with sexual ritual, most tantric schools actually recommend a celibate lifestyle. In essence, tantra is the most esoteric of the yoga branches. It will appeal to those yogis who enjoy ceremony and relate to the feminine principle of the cosmos, which yogis call shakti. It is a path for those who are deeply moved by celebration, ritual, and other rites of passage.