Yoga philosophy is one of the major schools of thought that explores the fundamental qualities of our reality and existence. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, meaning union. Yoga is understood as a union on many levels—the union of mind, body, and spirit; the union of various energies within us; the union of the self with the source. Philosophy is made of two words: Philo means love, and Sophia means wisdom—love for wisdom.
Yoga philosophy is traditionally known as yoga darshan. Darshan means ‘to see/ to perceive’. Yoga philosophy is a means of experiencing and perceiving union.
Yoga philosophy mainly explains the different types of yoga used to attain this union. Some sacred texts of Yoga Philosophy include Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Shiva Samhita, Gherand Samhita, Samkhya Darshan, Shrimad Bhagwat Gita.
This article explores the different kinds of yoga.
Paths of Yoga
Various yoga schools have individual ideologies. However, the ultimate goal of all these schools is to experience union, whether at an individual or cosmic level.
Ashtanga Yoga: Perhaps the most popular form of yoga is Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, also known as the eight limbs. These eight steps, designed by sage Patanjali to experience liberation from the cycle of rebirth, are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.
- Yama: These are principles of social conduct that everyone must abide by to create a balanced, harmonious society where everyone has a responsible role. There are five subcategories of yamas- ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (conserving vital energies), and aparigraha (non-attachment).
- Niyama: Niyamas are codes of personal conduct, which are how one lives one’s life at an individual level. The five niyamas are saucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), svadhyaya (self-sufficiency), tapas (discipline), and ishwara pranidhana (surrendering to the divine).
- Asana: Asanas are postures designed to build physical health and remove mental and energetic blockages to attain the full potential of the gross body.
- Pranayama: Asanas are followed by the next stage, pranayama, more commonly known as breathwork. This is the science of consciously manipulating and expanding the breath to calm the mind’s distractions.
- Pratyahara: The fifth limb is the withdrawal of the senses so awareness can be drawn inward without being carried away in the interruption of sense perception.
- Dharana: Dharana is the state of single-pointed concentration, the stage before meditation.
- Dhyana: Dhayan is when all the mind chatter dissipates, and all that remains is awareness of the consciousness.
- Samadhi: The final stage of the eight limbs is samadhi. This is the ultimate union, where all matter and manifestation cease to exist and one returns to the source, the eternal consciousness or shiva. This is the stage of spiritual liberation, where one attains moksha from the cycle of rebirth.
Karma Yoga: Karma yoga is the path to liberation, fulfilling one’s duty without attachments. The word karma means action. Karma yoga is acting/ playing your part without concern for consequences. This path of yoga is derived from Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, a sacred Hindu text, where Lord Krishna teaches his disciple, Arjuna, the importance of being a karma yogi. The fundamental principles of Karma Yoga are:
- Non-attachment: A karma yogi is not attached to either their actions or the consequences of their actions. They are only concerned with fulfilling their dharma (purpose) to the best of their ability and surrender the rest to the divine.
- Seva: In karma yoga, one’s work is worship. We don’t speak of work only in a professional context; work here is a lifestyle. All the actions are work, and all actions are enacted as a service either to others or to the divine. A karma yogi does not desire ownership of their work but finds contentment in the process alone.
Bhakti Yoga: Bhakti yoga is often considered the easiest path to liberation. It is the path of utmost devotion to a guru or the divine. This devotion can sometimes be expressed towards family, friends or a lover.
- Unconditional love: Unconditional love is one of the fundamental principles of bhakti yoga. Pure love is the highest vibration one can operate from. When you devote yourself to this form of love, you rise above the confines of the perceivable human reality and experience deep spiritual light. Bhakti Yoga is the act of being in love with love itself.
- Worships divinity: A bhakti yogi looks for the divine in everything and everyone. They spread kindness, joy, and compassion wherever they go, bringing those around them closer to the experience of bliss. Everything reflects the divine, and every place is a temple.
- Surrender: In Bhakti yoga, one surrenders to the greater power without doubt or fear. One trusts that they are the child of the source and will be taken care of by the divine. This unwavering faith allows them to be full of love and humility.
Gyana Yoga: The word gyana/ jnana means wisdom. Thus, Gyana yoga is the path to seek wisdom as a means to liberation. Using the intellect, one attains self-awareness. Gyana yoga is considered one of the most challenging forms of yoga, as one must have immense willpower and grace to go beyond the ego through the ego.
- Knowledge: A thirst for knowledge is one of the defining qualities of a gyana yogi. They want to realise the nature of reality through intellect and reason. One contemplates who the self is, what the self’s purpose is, etc.
- Scriptures: In Gyana Yoga, we study scriptures, sacred texts, and the words of sages, masters, and gurus. Expanding one’s knowledge leads to expansion and the eventual dissolution of the mind.
- Meditation: Gyana yogis take time every day to meditate and contemplate the bigger questions of life, such as the human condition, our relation to the cosmos, what is reality, what is illusion, etc. Through pondering, one moves closer to experience.
Raja Yoga: Raja Yoga is the royal path to yoga. In this form of yoga, one is taught to control the kingdom of the self and the mind. Through various practices, one masters the mind.
- Lifestyle: The way we lead our lives reflects our spiritual attainment. If you follow raja yoga, you must take care of diet, nutrition, sleep habits, stress factors, etc. to balance the body, breath, and mind. A raja yogi knows that the foundation of spiritual expansion is discipline and determination.
- Holistic progress: Raja yoga is the most accessible path for an ordinary person as one trains the physical body, expands the breath, removes mental impurities, and purges emotions. Once these elements are purified and activated, mantra and meditation are used to access higher dimensions.
There are many yogic paths, and one must study each in depth to discover the most suitable one for each person. The help of a guru can be useful in this pursuit. No path is better than the other; all serve humanity in their own ways. While the way is different, the destination is the same—yoga, union.
