The word "yoga" is often translated as "connection." The name has its roots in the word for the yoke that was used to connect animals to carts, plows or each other. Devoted yoga practitioners seek connection between body, mind and spirit, and also with the greater world. There are six branches of yoga, each with a particular focus on health, spirituality or lifestyle. Raja is one of the six branches, and it focuses on meditation.
Six Branches of Yoga
Writer Mara Carrico explains the six branches of yoga in a "Yoga Journal" article. Hatha yoga, with its poses and sequences, is perhaps the best known branch. The others are raja, karma, bhakti, jnana and tantra. Where raja stresses meditation, karma yoga emphasizes service and selflessness, bhakti focuses on spiritual love and devotion, jnana emphasizes learning and intellectual pursuits, and tantra yoga teaches a ritualized and devotional approach to daily life. Yogis may practice one branch or a combination of several, depending on their interests and goals. According to Carrico, "Raja yoga attracts individuals who are introspective and drawn to meditation."
Principles of Raja
Raja is translated as "royal" or "kingly." According to Yoga World, raja meditation aims to bring thoughts and emotions into balance so the mind can clearly focus on the divine. The idea is to quiet the mind and focus on the "third eye," which is a point at the center of the forehead just above the eyebrows. There, practitioners say the mind's attention turns to a higher, more spiritual consciousness and the person enters a state of deep relaxation.
Raja Instruction
Institutions like the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University -- which holds classes around the world -- offer live courses and videos for beginners. You need not look very far to learn meditation, however. Chances are your neighborhood yoga studio offers group classes or one-on-one instruction. Wellness and retreat centers sometimes offer meditation instruction, as well.
Basic Practice
Beginners can try some basic raja meditation on their own. While many people associate meditation with the classic cross-legged seated position on the floor, it's possible to meditate in any comfortable position. Once you're comfortably positioned, close your eyes, breathe slowly, and quiet your mind. Maintaining a quiet mind is the primary challenge in meditation, but according to the Free Meditations website, you can simply notice as extraneous thoughts emerge and then dismiss them by focusing on a particular thought, affirmation or mantra. Through the meditation session, focus on returning the mind to a particular thought, such as, "I am a peaceful soul," or "I radiate peace and light to the world." Instructors recommend that you meditate at least 15 minutes every day, but short meditations can take place throughout the day. For example, Free Meditations recommends taking a moment upon waking in the morning to think, "I am a peaceful soul, my aim today is to radiate peace to every person that I come into contact with."
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