What is Raja Yoga ?

Rajyoga is the king of all Yogas. Raja means (King) and Yoga means(Communication). Raja Yoga is
communication between the self and the Higher Being (God). Raja Yoga is not physical exercise, rather
it is an easy mental exercise. Raja Yoga transcends the mind beyond the body and creates lasting
peaceful experiences.

Why is Raja Yoga Meditation Unique ?

Meditation is practised with the eyes open. There are no postures, physical exercise or breathing
exercise. We take our mind beyond the influence of the body. This creates an experience of freedom and
deep inner peace. The body automatically relaxes: "mind over matter.” There are no mantras. We learn
to make our mind our best friend and harness its power. This brings about newness in the way I think
about myself and the world I live in. Involves understanding the 'self' and the 'Supreme Being'

Gain freedom from Stress and Anxiety

Everyone wants to gain freedom from stress and anxiety and yoga has been promoted as a go to tool for
the ultimate relief. However though Yoga deals with the breathing process, meditation technique of
Rajyoga deals with the mind and its state of calmness. For example if someone is angry or shouting at
you then you cant deep breathing and practising yoga asanas but a calm mind is always useful to face
the situation.

Improve Personal Relationships

Improve Personal Relationships
Personal relationships can improve with 2 main aspects which is the core of Rajyoga Meditation
practice. 1) Each one of us is a soul and a child of one Spiritual Father, GOD. The soul has no religion
attached to it. 2) Everyone has weaknesses but there is also some quality in each one. Start looking at the
qualities and overlook the weaknesses. This is the only way to improve personal relationships.

Create a sense of Well-Being

A sense of well being can be created only when you have a calm mind, do good karma's, try to do things
in the right way, have good relationships and try to work on the self rather than trying to change others.
Rajyoga Meditation focuses on all these aspects and acts as a guide to bring them into practice.

Enhance Memory and Concentration

The best way to enhance memory and concentration is to stay in the present. Rajyoga Meditation
teaches to be in the present moment and focus on one thing at a time. Focusing on one thing at a time
adds value to the work and allows you to get the desired result. If Rajyoga Meditation is practised from
a very young age then it helps in enhancing the mind power and helps to excel in multiple areas such as
studies, sports, extra curricular activities, etc as it improves the self confidence.

Mind becomes more Clear and Focused

They say that the biggest achievement in life is not getting all the fame, money, assets, etc. The biggest
achievement is to find out the purpose of your life. The day you find that reason, life becomes more
beautiful and you start striking a balance between your wants and needs. It requires spending some time
each day with yourself in silence and listening to your inner self. Rajyoga Meditation teaches how silence
can play a major part in self transformation and world transformation.

Overcome Negative Habits

Negative habits get formed in the soul in various stages. Some are carried over birth, some are
developed from the home environment, some are developed from the surroundings you stay in, some are
developed from the company you keep. Rajyoga Meditation focuses on the core values of the soul i.e.
Knowledge, Love, Peace, Happiness, Bliss, Purity and Power. These are all positive values and if
imbibed in our lives then it drives out the negativity from within.
Improve Quality of Sleep

Sleep is the most important part for a healthy mind and body. Some reasons of not being able to sleep is
tension, anxiety, etc. Tension usually comes when we are on a wrong path and anxiety comes when we
think too bad about either others or about ourselves . Rajyoga Meditation teaches us to focus on the
right karma and think good about all.

Karma yoga

Karma yoga, also called Karma marga, is one of the several spiritual paths in Hinduism, one based
on the "yoga of action".[1] To a karma yogi, right work done well is a form of prayer.[2] It is one of the
paths in the spiritual practices of Hindus, others being Raja yoga, Jnana yoga (path of knowledge)
and Bhakti yoga (path of loving devotion to a personal god).[3][4][5] The three paths are not mutually
exclusive in Hinduism, but the relative emphasis between Karma yoga, Jnana yoga and Bhakti yoga
varies by the individual.[6]

Of the paths to spiritual liberation in Hinduism, karma yoga is the path of unselfish action.[2][7] It
teaches that a spiritual seeker should act according to dharma, without being attached to the fruits or
personal consequences. Karma Yoga, states the Bhagavad Gita, purifies the mind. It leads one to
consider dharma of work, and the work according to one's dharma, doing god's work and in that
sense becoming and being "like unto god Krishna" in every moment of one's life.[2]

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is the physical practice of yoga which focuses first on the asana
practice. Hatha yoga is part of the integral system of Raja yoga and focuses on the subtle
energy flow in the body known as prana. In this category we will offer courses that focus on
the anatomy of hatha yoga, gentle and restorative postures, and experiental courses for
beginners, immediate, and advanced.

What is the difference between raja yoga, hatha yoga and

kriya yoga?

Yoga: Yoga is a a physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline. There are many different
types of yoga though the west believes it to be a system of making difficult postures or asanas.

Here is a brief description of these different systems of Yoga.

Hatha Yoga: People in the west know this branch as it is what is they consider as Yoga. This
system includes all the asanas or postures, the breathing exercises, and the meditation part. All
three are believed to help in attaining a better bodily and emotional health.

Raj Yoga: Raj Yoga is all about discipline or self control and consists of Ashtanga Yoga as
revealed in Yoga Sutras.

Karma Yoga: This branch is dedicated to service or karma and believes one’s present state of
existence to be a result of his past actions. This means that you can achieve a blissful state for
yourself by engaging in acts of selfless service and keep[ing away from negative thoughts and
actions.

Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti means love and devotion to God - love and devotion to His Creation, with respect
and care for all living beings and all of nature. Everybody can practice Bhakti Yoga,
whether young, old, rich or poor, no matter to what nation or religion one belongs. The
path of Bhakti Yoga leads us safely and directly to the goal.
Bhakti Yoga also includes the worship of a form of God. God is everywhere. God dwells
within us and all around us. It is as though we are connected to God by a fine thread -
the thread of love. God is Universal love. Love and Divine Grace surround us and flow
through us, but we are not conscious of this. The moment this consciousness, this
Divine love, has been experienced, one never desires anything more. We then know the
meaning of true love for God.
A person lacking Bhakti is like a fish without water, a bird without wings, a night without
the moon and stars. All beings need love. Through it we feel protected and happy just
like a child in the arms of its mother or a traveller at the end of a long, arduous journey.
There are two types of Bhakti:
 Apara Bhakti - egoistic love
 Para Bhakti - Universal love
A Bhakta accepts everything that happens to him as a gift of God. There is no desire or
expectation, there is simply complete surrender to the will of God. This Bhakta accepts
each life situation as placed before him by destiny. There is no resentment, his only
Prayer is: “Let Thy will be done”.
However, prior to reaching this level of supreme love for God, our Bhakti is intermingled
with egoistic thoughts. This means that we do in fact love God, but also expect
something from God. Many people turn to God for help when they are troubled or in
pain. Others pray for material objects, money, glory, career promotion. Yet we should
always be mindful that when we depart from this earth, we must leave behind all
possessions and that is why nothing here has any real or lasting value. Spiritual seekers
pray for wisdom and God-Realisation. However, often we create an inner picture of God
- what God is like from our point of view, how God should act - and because of this, we
are not open and ready for a Divine revelation.
In the Bhakti Sutras, Sage Narada describes nine elements of Bhakti Yoga:
I. Satsang - good spiritual company
II. Hari Katha - to hear and read about God
III. Shraddha - Faith
IV. Ishvara Bhajana - to sing the praises of God
V. Mantra Japa - Repetition of God's name
VI. Shama Dama - Withdrawal and control of the senses with regard to worldly
things
VII. Santo ka Adar - to show honour to people who have dedicated their lives to God
VIII. Santosha - Contentment
IX. Ishvara Pranidhana - Devotion to God
There is no spiritual path without Bhakti. If a school student dislikes a subject of study,
he is barely able to complete the course. In the same way, it is only when there is love
and devotion for our practice, firm adherence to our path and ever mindful of our goal,
that we are able to overcome all obstacles. We cannot attain union with God, without
LOVE for all living beings and devotion to God.

Mantra Yoga

In the Yogic world, mantras or chants are highly important elements, and practicing these
chants can have a significant impact on all three levels of life; the physical level, the mental level
and the spiritual level. The repetition of mantras is used to engage the mental faculties and for
producing positive vibrations, which can bring about a variety of benefits for those practicing the
chants and in some cases, even for people who are listening to the chants.

Benefits of Mantra Yoga

 o According to the fundamentals of Mantra Yoga, each individual mantra has a
deity that presides in it and constant chanting of a mantra can help an individual
in absorbing the power of that particular deity.
o Positive vibrations are generated within the mind of the practitioner, which leads
to an overall positive outlook towards life and every living thing in the world.
o Devotion to Mantra Yoga can yield significant results by awakening the divine
energy within the practitioner, which is vital in keeping both body and mind
cleansed.

The 6 Parts of a Mantra

o A religious teacher, to whom a mantra is disclosed for the very first time. The
teacher then takes it upon himself to reveal it to aspiring practitioners.
o Each mantra consists of a meter, and aspirants should always recite the mantra
as it is meant to be.
o There are presiding deities for each and every mantra.
o A seed or a ‘bija’ is a common element in every mantra. Every seed gives the
mantras a special power.
o Mantras are full of energy.
o Every mantra has a plug, but with constant repetition, the plug can be removed.
In this way, practitioners can see the presiding deity.

Laya Yoga
Definition

Laya yoga is a yoga form in which dissolution of self and merging with the Supreme
Consciousness are achieved. Laya is a Sanskrit term meaning "dissolve." Laya yoga
leads to the state of samadhi, which is the highest unification with the Divine. It leads
the mind from the state of manifestation and dissolution to moola prakriti, meaning
"original state."
Though it may also be referred to as Kundalini yoga as it awakens the kundalini power,
Laya yoga works from the sahasrara (crown chakra) at the top of the body and flows
down through the lower chakras to awaken kundalini.

Yogapedia explains Laya Yoga

Laya yoga was created by sage Gorakhnath who was the disciple of sage
Matsyendranath. The aim of Laya yoga practice is to alter the conscious level of the
mind to a higher state by making the mind listen to the inner sound. Practicing Laya
yoga includes asanas, pranayama, mudras, mantras and bandha.
Other than elevating one's consciousness, some of the other benefits of practicing Laya
yoga include:

 Alleviates stress
 Cures mood swings
 Promotes emotional stability
 Cures addiction
 Improves immune system

Jnana Yoga (Gyana )

Definition
Jnana yoga is one of the main paths of yoga that a practitioner can follow on the path to self-
realization. It is considered to be the most direct, but also the most difficult path to find absolute
truth. The name comes from the Sanskrit term meaning “knowledge.” It is, therefore, the path of
pursuing knowledge and truth. This must be a practical, experiential knowledge, however, and
not purely a theoretical one.

Jnana yoga is also sometimes described as the yoga of the mind or intellect.

Yogapedia explains Jnana Yoga

The concept of Jnana yoga is described in the sacred Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita. It
may involve progressive study of the scriptures, training and meditation. It is also part of
the non-dualistic tradition of Vedanta philosophy.
The intention when practicing Jnana yoga is to use the mind to understand and uncover
the truth behind the mind. This path requires a mind which is both open and rational. In
Hindu scriptures, there is some criticism of the Jnana yogis who only try to seek
knowledge in a purely theoretical manner. Since it is meant to be an experiential path,
simply accepting dogmatic teaching is not enough. The practitioner instead needs to
seek an experience of the knowledge of God, or universal Consciousness or absolute
Truth. They must seek to know God on a level deeper than the intellect.
The path of Jnana yoga was first encouraged and fully outlined by Adi Jagadguru
Shankaracharya. He stated that a practitioner of Jnana yoga, or a jnani, needed both
complete renunciation and a deep desire to be free from maya, or illusions.
It is said that once the student is ready, achieving the goal of Jnana yoga may take as
little as a few days. The ideal three-step path of Jnana yoga is as follows:

1. The student is taught about Vedantic philosophy by a guru, or spiritual teacher,

and they listen carefully.
2. The student reflects on these teachings and seeks to understand their subtleties.
3. The student meditates on Brahman as described in the Vedantic texts and,
through this combination of knowledge and meditation, he/she experiences
absolute Truth.

Experiencing true knowledge through Jnana yoga allows the practitioner to know God
and be liberated. To achieve this, Jnana yogis will also draw on elements of Bhakti
yoga, as part of the experience of knowing God is practicing devotion.
Dhyana yoga

Definition -

Dhyana is a Sanskrit word meaning "meditation." It is derived from the root words, dhi,
meaning “receptacle” or “the mind”; and yana, meaning “moving” or “going.” An
alternate root word, dhyai, means "to think of."
In Hindu traditions that are derived from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, dhyana is a refined
meditative practice that requires deep mental concentration. This kind of meditation is
taken up only after engaging in preparatory exercises.

Yogapedia explains Dhyana

As the seventh limb of Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga, dhyana builds upon the
practices of asana (physical posture), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (control of
the senses, moving the focus inward) and dharana (concentration). When practiced
together with dharana and the eighth limb of samadhi (absorption), the three together
form samyama, resulting in a full detachment of the mind from worldly bindings and a
deeper understanding of the object of meditation. At the final stage, or jhana, of dhyana,
the yogi does not see it as a meditation practice anymore as they are so fully immersed
in the meditative act that they can no longer separate the self from it.
The term, dhyana, appears in the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Hindu scripture that
outlines the four branches of yoga: Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga and Dhyana
yoga. In the text, Dhyana yoga is described by Lord Krishna as being the yoga of
meditation.

What is sankhya yog according to Bhagavad Gita?

Sankhya is the highest knowledge and this is why Krishna Gives it first. if you
understand Sankhya you don’t need any other Yoga.

When Arjuna falls weak on his knees, Gandirv falls from his hands. The first thing
Krishna tells Arjuna in Gita is that nobody really kills and nobody dies, we just change
our bodies like we change clothes, in death. This is Sankhya Yoga.

you can attain Mukti this very moment is claimed in ashtavakra Geeta and this Sankhya
is also the basis of all Advaita philosophy.

Ashtavakra says that it is us who are holding onto things, to our emotions, to our
intellect. We are the ones who are being clingy and not the other way around. And Mukti
is simply a realisation of this truth. This is how knowledge is enough to liberate. This is
Sankhya.

Thus Sankhya says you don't have to do a single karma to attain Mukti. Mukti is your
nature. All you need to do is let go.

Let go how?
1. Either you just trust this holy knowledge as the eternal truth - This is sankhya.
Mukti through simply knowing.
What is to be known?

The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word Sankhya is mathematics. Many would know
still the hindi word for numbers is sankhya. Thus sankhya very logically explains it's
philosophy. The level of logic is unmatched by any book ever trust me.

Krishnamurthy was a great proponent of this philosophy. Ashtavakra Geeta is the best
book on this philosophy.

2. Or you are not the kind who would just hear and believe. You want to actually
experience that there is no death for you. Then you take the long way of yoga such as
Patanjali yoga and through a variety of other ways.