4 Major Yogas
JNANA YOGA: Wisdom/Knowledge. Discipline. Swadhyaya (self-study). Vichara (enquiry & questioning), discriminative intelligence (kashiraja)
*Obstacle: intellectualism, eventually you need to go beyond the known & step into your own experience.
KARMA YOGA: Action/Service. Selfless service. What work you do on yourself or for others becomes work done in service to God.
*Obstacle: can become too mechanical, not enough emotion or connection behind your actions.
BHAKTI YOGA: Love, Devotion & Prayer. Let yourself be God’s musical instrument & let the breath of God flow through you to make beautiful music in all that you do, experience & create in this world.
*Obstacle: you can get so wrapped up in your devotion you forget to share it with others & affect the world around you.
4) RAJA YOGA (Ashtanga: 8-Limbed Path): Yoga Chitta Vritta Nirodaha - Yoga is for the cessations of the fluctuations of the mind.
Ashtanga/8-Limbed Yogic Path
1) YAMA: restraints
Ahimsa - compassion for all living things, ends hostility
Satya - truth, power of word
Asteya - non-stealing, all things come
Bramhacharya - moderation, strength of will
Aparigraha - non-hoarding, non-posession
2) NIYAMA: controls, observances & application of truth
Saucham - purity, health & radiance
Santosha - contentment
Tapas - heat & self discipline
Svadhyaya - self-study
Isvara Pranidhana - devotion, surrender to cosmic intelligence/divine intuition
3) ASANA: right mental & physical positioning
4) PRANAYAMA: breath control/life force control
5) PRATYAHARA: withdrawing of the senses
6) DHARANA: focus/concentration
7) DHYANA: transition from doing to being
8) SAMADHI: individual to universal, ultimate union of God-Self
***Information obtained through my 200 hour yoga teacher training at White Lotus as well as through many books: 1) The Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita by Paramahansa Yogananda, 2) Vedanta: A Simple Introduction by Pravrajika Vrajaprana & Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga White.
