For millions of men and women, yoga has become a popular form of exercise, one that conditions the body and focuses the mind. Yoga, however, is about much more than the asanas taught at your local gym or community center. The word yoga is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "union." The practice of yoga is an integral element of Hinduism and emphasizes the union of the self with the divine. Hindu teachings outline different paths for achieving that union.
Jnana Yoga
Religion scholar Huston Smith describes the different types of yoga in the Hinduism chapter of his book "The World's Religions," a classic in the field of comparative religion. Smith describes Jnana yoga as the path to God through knowledge. He cautions that this is not knowledge in a Western intellectual sense, but an intuitive insight that unites the self with the divine. The word jnana means wisdom or insight; jnana yoga, then, is a kind of self-knowledge that brings you closer to divine consciousness. Smith describes this type of yoga as being for the deeply reflective.
Bhakti Yoga
While Jnana yoga is the path of knowledge, Bhakti yoga is the path of love or supreme devotion to God, identified as dwelling within all beings, according to the Hindu Wisdom website. Followers of Bhakti yoga learn how to use love to reach new spiritual heights by directing love toward the divine. Smith wrote that Bhakti emphasizes love of the Godhead out of devotion alone and not for reward or to be loved in return. Christianity, through its teachings to love God with all of your being, exemplifies the principles of Bhakti yoga, according to Smith.
Karma Yoga
If you are like most people, you must work in order to survive. Busy schedules may leave little time for meditation or spiritual contemplation intended to draw you closer to the divine. Hinduism teaches that you can approach a union with the divine through the activity of work. The Hindu Wisdom website describes Karma yoga as "the way of selfless work." According to Hindu teachings, the key is selfless work; that is, you should devote your full being to your work without the desire for material reward.
Raja Yoga
If you are scientifically inclined, Rajay yoga may be the path for you, Smith writes. The Hindu Wisdom website describes this type of yoga as bridging the self with the divine through psychosocial practices. Western thought often separates scientific empiricism from spiritual matters on the grounds that it elevates evidence over faith. Hinduism sees such a division as unnecessary and holds that you can approach spiritual matters scientifically. Raja yoga emphasizes mastery of the mind and teaches that the physical postures, or asanas, can help achieve concentration and mastery of the mind.
Other Types
Hatha yoga is the type of yoga with which most people are familiar. Hatha yoga emphasizes physical exercises that enable practitioners to take their bodies beyond normal physical capacity. Mantra yoga emphasizes uniting the self with the divine through chants of prayers and mantras. Laya yoga emphasizes the practice of meditation.
References
- Hindu Wisdom: Yoga and Hindu Philosophy
- "The World's Religions"; Huston Smith; 1991
Member Comments