4 PATHS OF YOGA - Static1.squarespace

4 PATHS OF YOGA There are 4 di erent paths of yoga - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga. There are di erent paths because we all have unique personalities and are naturally drawn to the path which suits our temperament. Bhakti Yoga is the path of devotion and love for everything and for the whole of creation animals, as well as humans, and all of nature. Seeing good in everything, choose to see love 3. Jnana Yoga is the philosophical path. Intellectual. To attain Self-Knowledge through study, practice and experience 4. Raja Yoga Is also known as the “Royal Path of Yoga” or the “Eight Step Path”. It is the path of self-discipline and contains, amongst other things, those Yoga techniques that are familiar to us such as Asanas, Pranayama and Meditation . 2. ff Karma Yoga is the path of action. It deals with the law of cause and effect. Each action has a corresponding reaction, on one’s body, mind and consciousness. The outcome of an action is dependent upon its ethical value and the intention with which it was carried out . 1. ff ff . . They all lead to the same destination - Samadhi/Self Realisation. Following one path does not exclude the others or make one better or worse. They are di erent approaches that form an integrated whole.

1. KARMA YOG Karma Servic It is the yoga of action, the path of sel ess service The practice of Karma Yoga involves performing an action without any expectation of any reward in return, thus renouncing the fruits of the action Karma Yoga can be practiced anywhere, anytime where there is a desire to serve. It depends on the attitude, not the action 2. BHAKTI YOG Bhakti yoga is the yoga of love and appeals to those with an emotional nature. It also goes hand in hand with Karma Yoga It is the path of devotion, trust, faith. Ultimately to the Divine, but it can be to anyone; friends, family, teachers, pets etc. It channels the emotions so the Bhakti yogi sees the divine in all forms of creation from the tiniest insects to the largest stars Bhakti is the easiest path of yoga because anyone can do it anywhere at any time without doing traditional yoga practices. It is the purest of the 4 paths and transforms negative emotions like jealousy, anger, greed etc. to love, joy and bliss. We realise we exist in love and our true nature is love 3. JNANA YOG Jnana Knowledg This is the intellectual approach to yoga, the yoga of knowledge Jnana yoga is the most direct of the four paths, using intellectual inquiry for spiritual evolution. It is practiced through Shravana – listening to the teachings of the guru or study of the scriptures such as Veda Manana – re ection on the teaching Nididhyāsana – meditation on the nature of trut A jñāna yogi uses the mind to examine its own nature through right inquiry (vicāra) and constant self-analysis (vivekā) 4. RAJA YOG s . . . . h . fl s : . . . . . e A e A fl A A l Rāja Roya This is the step-by-step approach of yoga, it is the path of self-discipline and contains, amongst other things, those Yoga techniques that are familiar to us such as Asanas, Pranayama and Meditation In the practice of Rāja Yoga, the mind is systematically analysed and various techniques are applied to bring it under control. This process turns the physical and mental energy into spiritual energy The practice of Rāja Yoga includes Hatha Yoga (yoga postures, cleansing techniques and breathing exercises) and meditation and other methods which help one to control body, mind and senses. Rāja Yoga also includes Ashtanga Yoga.

KOSHAS This idea is explained in the Taittiriya Upanishad. Koshas mean layers or sheaths. From page 54 from Daniel Simpson’s book. Chapter 1 Early Yoga - in the Section - Rewinding Creation: Yoga works inward, like peeling an onion. Texts describe the body as covering the self with a series of sheaths. Skin, esh and bone from the physical shell, which is known as Annamaya (made of food). Four more layers are stack inside like Russian dolls. However, unlike the Russian doll, the ve bodies cannot be separated from each other. The layers are interconnected and interactive – what happens on one level a ects all the other layers. 1. Even though annamaya kosha is the most tangible layer, we often don’t have a real sense of what is happening inside our bodies. When we aren’t paying attention to the body’s signals, we eat without being hungry, we deprive ourselves of sleep or get injured during excessive training – all activities that can harm the body in the long run Asana helps bring awareness to our body. Increasing strength, balance, and exibility, boosting energy. Many yoga practitioners also report feeling more connected to their bodies 2. Pranamaya kosha means “body composed of prana”. Prana is the vital life force energy which is why this layer is often referred to as our energy body. This is based in the idea that every atom, cell, and organ has prana, and this governs all physiological activities in the body, from the pumping of the blood to the digestion of food We receive prana through air, water, food, and sunlight. We are also able to give and receive this life energy through relationships with other living beings like animals and people. When there is enough prana in us, we feel strong, healthy, and full of life. When we lack prana or the energy ow is blocked within the body, we feel low or experience different kinds of illnesses fl fi . . fl . . ff fl In the physical body, prana manifests as the breath. It also acts as a bridge that links the physical body (annamaya kosha) with the third layer of self, the mental body (manomaya kosha). It

transfers signals from the mind to the physical body and back, allowing all actions and reactions to be possible. According to this theory, when there are imbalances in one kosha greatly affect the others: When we are anxious or stressed, our breath becomes shallow, creating an unsteady ow of prana. Important bodily functions (such as digestion) are slowed down as the body tenses up and goes into “ ght or ight mode”. This tension in the physical body further restricts our breathing, creating more agitation in the mind. The key to escaping this vicious cycle of stress and tension is your breath 3. The third sheath corresponds to your mind – expressed as streams of thoughts, feelings, and sensations. It is known as the manomaya kosha, derived from the Sanskrit word manas which means “mind” or “thought processes”. This layer is made out of the mind itself and its tools – the senses (indriyas). It allows us to receive, absorb, and process information from the world around us, controlling our automatic reactions and re exes Manomaya kosha is the cause of duality – good vs. evil, pleasure vs. pain – and our sense of separation – you vs. me, yours vs. mine – these are all creations of the mind. Below the normal level of consciousness, the deeper layers of the manomaya kosha store the impressions left by all intentions, thoughts, and actions we have ever experienced. In Sanskrit, these mental imprints are called samskaras. They can be considered as psychological or emotional ‘grooves’ in the mind that cause our perception of life to run in certain xed patterns. Samskaras not only color our experience but also help shape it: Each time a samskara is repeated, the groove gets deeper and the impression becomes stronger, ultimately leading to the creation of behavioural patterns, habits, and character traits According to Hindu beliefs of reincarnation, every person is born with samskaras from their past lives. Therefore, our bondage in the cycle of reincarnation is caused by this mental sheath – and here too, our liberation (moksha) begins. Practicing meditation can provide insight into certain patterns that an individual can learn to recognize and eventually release. Once the mental sheat is dissolved into the in nite divine Self, we are able to go beyond the limitations of the mind and free ourselves from the false ego 4. Beneath the uctuations of the thinking, processing, and reactive mind (manomaya kosha) lies an inner knowing and higher intelligence. This is the fourth layer of self, the vijnanamaya kosha, which means “body composed of higher intelligence” Commonly referred to as our wisdom body, this is the faculty that discriminates between reality and illusion – the power of discernment. We also experience this aspect of self as the “witness” More subtle than any of the other outer sheaths, vijnanamaya kosha is the link between individual consciousness and universal consciousness. Activating this sheath through meditation, we acquire the ability to discern reality from illusion, gaining access to supreme knowledge and inner guidance, which is in fact always there, but cannot be received when vijnanamaya kosha is drowned out by a constant stream of thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the mental body . . fl . . . fl fi . . fi . fl fi fl fi fi 5. Anandamaya kosha is the innermost layer known as the bliss body. This is where you experience the limitless freedom, love, and joyousness of your true nature. It’s the deepest and subtlest of all ve bodies — so much so that some people say you can’t use words to describe it. Instead, it must be felt and experienced Most people aren’t aware of this layer of self, as the thinking mind often masks the bliss body, making it dif cult to access. But chances are that you’ve had glimpses of your anandamaya kosha throughout life: When looking into your lover’s eyes, holding your newborn child, or perhaps

during a meditative yoga practice. In these moments of pure joy, you may have dropped into your radiant bliss body. In the yogic tradition, anandmaya kosha is considered to be the nest veil covering the true Self, which is re ected from within this sheath as the unlimited source of unconditional love and supreme knowledge. Connecting to Anandamaya kosha, we can let in the light that dissolves individuality along with its limitations and suffering, and experience abiding joy that surpasses all material pleasures. This is where we understand that happiness is not something we need to achieve — it is already who we are WHY ARE THE FIVE KOSHAS IMPORTANT The ve koshas envelop the true Self that is to be drawn out through yoga in order to attain Selfrealization We all rest on different levels of consciousness and are identi ed with different koshas: Those whose consciousness rests in annamaya kosha identify with their rst layer of self. Therefore, their primal concern is to provide food and shelter for the physical body. For those whose consciousness rests on the level of pranamaya kosha, the focus is on the accumulation of energy in the form of wealth, strength, or vitality Exploring each of these layers, we can acquire a better understanding of how they function and relate to one another and our human experience. This will help us navigate a happier and healthier life on the way to discovering the true nature of what we are. Eventually, through the practice of yoga, we move inward, dropping one sheath after another until our true essence is revealed References -paths-of-yoga . fi fi fi ? . . : fl . fi g-the-koshas-5-layers-of-being/

4 PATHS OF YOGA There are 4 different paths of yoga - Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga. . Jnana yoga is the most direct of the four paths, using intellectual inquiry for spiritual evolution. It is practiced through: Shravana - listening to the teachings of the guru or study of the scriptures such as Vedas .