The Paths Of Yoga Explained

Primarily there are four paths of Yoga, they are: Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Karma Yoga. We will look at each yogic path in turn.

Jnana Yoga – The path of wisdom.
The word ‘Jnana’  is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Jna to know, meaning knowledge. Like all paths of yoga its purpose is to reveal the absolute nature of the practitioner.  it is based on the monotheistic principles of the Advaita, or non dual system of Spiritual philosophy. At the core of this teaching is the subject and object are expressions of the one absolute truth. Or in other words there is only One consciousness which manifests as the vast multitude of forms.

Firstly the student studies the teachings of Advaita (or other non-dual tradition), ideally from a Sat Guru, who is their living embodiment, or from the Scriptures.  This aspect is called sravanam, meaning listening. Secondly, the student contemplates upon the teaching. This is called manamam meaning reflection or contemplation. Finally through meditation on the absolute truth the student comes to its direct experience and ultimately knows themselves as that absolute truth. This is called nididhyasana, meaning meditation.

The path of Jnana Yoga is then one of using the intellect of mind, contemplation and self enquiry to attain direct experience of the true nature of the one consciousness, from which all manifestation arises.

Obviously this path appeals to the more intellectual type, and its trap is the mind remaining bound in intellectual  knowledge without direct experience. Knowing something because you’ve read in a book over and over again, is entirely different from directly experiencing the truth of it. Yet we live our lives defining ourselves by such beliefs. Contemporary non-dual teacher Adyshanti said “absolute certainty is delusion.”

It is for this reason that having a teacher who is established in the truth of the teaching is it so important. In the presence of such a teacher there is a subtle energetic transmission of the truth of the teachings. It is in the energy of this transmission that the teachings become alive and vibrant in the students resonating with that truth as yet unrealized within them, calling it forth into conscious awareness.

Bhakti Yoga – The  path of devotion.
Bhakti Yoga  is in some ways the other polarity to Jnana Yoga. The Bhakti yogi is all about love devotion and worship. From a philosophical point of view Bhakti yoga is dualistic, meaning worshipper and worshipped are seen as different. Of course the full realization of Bhakti yoga is the union of  the lover and their beloved as one.

The great Sufi poets Rumi  and Hafiz are wonderful examples of bhakti yogis. Bhakti yogis can be found in every religious and spiritual tradition.

Ideally through unwavering devotion the bhakti yogi comes to see God everywhere in everyone and everything. Life itself becomes the act of devotion and the individual will is surrendered to the will of the divine.  It is through this depth of surrender that the limiting consciousness of the egoic mind is dissolved and only the beloved remains.

Bhakti yoga is easily exploited by gurus who are not completely and entirely established in the true nature. Because of the deep emotional and energetic intimacy of the path of Bhakti, it is probably more important than any other path to have a Sat Guru, on who is entirely and completely established in the Absolute. Of course it is not necessary to have a guru to be a bhakti yogi.

Another potential distortion on the Bhakti path if the development of sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism.  in such instances the chosen form of devotion is seen as superior to other forms, the consequences of which are all too apparent in our world.

Raja Yoga – Control of Mind and Body.
Raja means king, so Raja yoga is often called the “Royal Road”. Raja yoga Claims that whoever has gained mastery over his mind and body can become free from them. Raja yoga  is another name for Ashtanga yoga or Patanjalis  eight limbs of yoga.  I have written about each of the eight limbs  individually here Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyhara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.

Karma Yoga The Path of Service.
Karma yoga, also called Seva  is the path of  selfless service,  the path of action. If we were to summarize the meaning of karma yoga it is to perform all action without any expectation of attachment to the results. When combined with Bhakti yoga, all actions are done in the service of God, as devotion.

In essence all the paths of yoga are a means of purification, removing the causes of the illusion of separation. The nature of the egoic mind is selfishness, the Karma yogi strives to perform each action in thought word and deed from a consciousness that isn’t not self oriented. It is a path well-suited to those would like to  be active and of service.

Obviously there is more to karma yoga than just the actions undertaken. Karma yoga requires the development of self-awareness, from which to recognize and surrender the increasingly subtle tendencies of the egoic minds tendencies to gratification and attachment to the actions and their outcomes.

Karma yoga in many ways seems to be the simplest and easiest of the four, but this is far from true. Karma yoga dissolves the egoic mind by giving it absolutely nothing to feed on. Its very nature is to feed on everything that we do think, feel, hear, see, smell, taste, in fact everything we experience. So Karma yoga  requires commitment and dedication within the very mundane nature of life. There are no grand philosophical treaties to espouse, there are no techniques or spiritual technologies to master.  There is in short nothing glamorous about it.  It is not a path for the fainthearted as can be testified by anyone who has tried to keep up with Amma or when she was alive Mother Theresa.

Of Course it is ideal to blend appropriate elements from each of the yoga paths as befits our tendencies and personality.

Other writtings on the paths of yoga can be found below

 

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