Beginners Yoga - yoga paths
Monday, June 11th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
If you’re a beginning yoga student, you may have heard of the various paths of yoga philosophy.
The four most basic which are: Raja, the path of physical and mental control; Karma, the path of action; Bhakti, the path of devotion; and Jnana, the path of knowledge or wisdom.
Each of these different yoga paths has its own separate traits, and for instance with Raja, this is often known as the ‘royal road’ and it is considered as being the most complete yoga because it is the one which focuses on controlling both the mind and body in order to attain enlightenment, rather than just one or the other.
Karma yoga is one which focuses more on the causes and effects of an individual’s actions, and it basically teaches a person how to live a life of spiritual action and selfless service. Karma yoga achieves union with God through this right action and selfless service.
Bhakti yoga is the path which is most followed in India, and it involves the surrendering of oneself to the Divine through prayer, worship, and ritual. Chanting or singing the praises of whatever divine presence is meaningful to you form an incredibly substantial part of this yoga.
Finally, with Jnana yoga, this is the one which is most often considered as being the most difficult path, because it requires a radical shift in perception. The goal of this path is to seek the knowledge that is hidden in all of us.
In beginners yoga you will start with hatha yoga, focusing on the postures. However, as you gain experience, you may be intrigued enough to pursue yoga philosophy.
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