2. Bhakti Yoga or Yoga of Devotion
Bhakti Yoga is the path most followed in India. This is the path of the
heart and devotion. Yogis who practice this branch sees the "One" or the
Divine in everyone and everything. Bhakti Yoga teaches a person to have
devotion to the "One" or to Brahma by developing a person's love and
acceptance for all things.
3. Raja Yoga or Yoga of Self-Control
Raja means "royal". This path is considered to be the King of Yoga and
this may be due to the fact that most of its practitioners are members
of religious and spiritual orders. Raja Yoga is based on the teachings
of the Eight Limbs of Yoga found in the Yoga sutras. A Raja Yogi sees
the self as central, and as such, respect to oneself and for all
creation are vital to this path. They achieve self-respect by first
learning to be masters of themselves. If you wish to learn discipline,
then Raja Yoga would perfectly suit that need.
4. Jnana Yoga or Yoga of the Mind
Jnana Yoga is the path of Yoga that basically deals with the mind, and
as such, it focuses on man's intelligence. Jnana Yogis consider wisdom
and intellect as important and they aim to unify the two to surpass
limitations. Since they wish to gain knowledge, they are open to other
philosophies and religion for they believe that an open and rational
mind is crucial in knowing the spirit.
5. Karma Yoga or Yoga of Service
Karma Yoga is the path of service for in this path, it is believed that
your present situation is based on your past actions. So by doing
selfless service now, you are choosing a future that is free from
negativity and selfishness. Karma Yogis change their attitude towards
the good and in the process, change their souls, which leads to a change
in their destiny.
6. Tantra Yoga or Yoga of Rituals
Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the paths, Tantra Yoga is about
using rituals to experience what is sacred. Although sex is a part of
it, sex is not the whole of it since this path aims to find what is
sacred in everything we do. Tantra Yogis must possess certain qualities
like purity, humility, devotion, dedication to his Guru, cosmic love,
and truthfulness among other things.
Yoga
Basics and Background
Yoga Index
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