Not all yoga involves doing poses, or asanas. As a Sanskrit word meaning "union," yoga invites you to recognize the connection between individual and universal consciousness. To experience that union, follow one or more of the four paths of yoga: raja, bhakti, karma and jñana. Raja, or the royal path, includes the familiar asanas, breathing techniques and meditation. Bhakti is the path of devotion. Karma is the path of action in serving others. Jñana is the path of knowledge.
Background
In ancient Sanskrit, jñana, pronounced "ghee-YAH-nah," means knowledge, wisdom, introspection and contemplation. Many consider jñana yoga to be the most challenging path, as it draws you to delve deeply into discovering your own true nature. If you naturally lean toward studying, asking philosophical questions and reflecting, jñana yoga provides a natural path of self-discovery with the help of an experienced, knowledgeable teacher.
Oneness
The first mention of jñana yoga comes from the ancient Hindu text "Bhagavad-Gita," which calls it a way of life for those who follow the path of discernment between what's real and the unreal. In the nondualistic tradition of Advaita Vedanta, jñana yoga is to discriminate between "maya," or illusion, and divine oneness. In his book "The Yoga Tradition," Dr. Georg Feuerstein calls jñana yoga "the disciplined cultivation of the eye of wisdom" that leads you from the "unreal to the Real."
Will and Intellect
Sivananda, an Advaita Vedanta school located throughout North America, Europe and Asia, refers to jñana as "the yoga of will and intellect" but includes the other three paths -- raja, bhakti and karma -- as necessary steps to achieving this wisdom of oneness. Both willpower and intellect can guide you directly to the attainment of "moksha," or the liberation from the cycles of death and rebirth.
Four Steps to Liberation
Sometimes described as "a straight but steep course," jñana yoga includes four principal ways of achieving "moksha." First is "viveka," or discernment between what's permanent and what's ever-changing. Second is "viraga," or renunciation of attachment to the result of your actions. Third is "shat-sampatti," or "six accomplishments," which include tranquility, sense restraint, abstention from activities that are not duties, endurance, the discipline of single-mindedness and faith. Fourth is "mumukshutva," or the desire for liberation. Another aspect of jñana yoga includes a threefold path of listening to and receiving the teachings, considering where they come from and contemplating the truth.
References
- "The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice"; George Feuerstein, Ph.D.; 2001
- Sanatan Society; Jnana Yoga; Peter Marchand
- Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres: 4 Paths of Yoga
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