Yoga: An Introduction

Derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj” meaning “to yoke” yoga is a group of primordial religious practice where its roots can be traced in India. Among the six institutions of philosophy in Hindu, this is most of the time paired with Samkhya which is considered to be the oldest of the theoretical systems in the country. This ancient spiritual custom is also central to Buddhism and Jainism as well as with other established faiths.

There are actually four major paths of this primordial religious practice namely Karma (action), Jnana (knowledge), Bhakti (devotion) and Raja (meditation).

Karma is founded on the teachings of the holy book of Hinduism, Bhagavad Gita which presents a summary of the process. This classification of yoga concentrates on the proper observance of one’s responsibility yet not expecting a reward in return. Karma believes that a person can only reach salvation through doing duties without looking into one’s pleasure for the delight of whom they thought as supreme.

Jnana is frequently interpreted as wisdom of the true person. Among the many schools of Hinduism, Vedanta deems that being able to recognize Brahman which is the transcendent reality of the divine ground of everything in this world, as one’s own is already an achievement of this classification of yoga. Jnana has four divisions such as Viveka (discrimination), Vairagya (dispassion), Shad- sampat (control) and Mumushutva (longing).

Bhakti is identified to be the simplest kind of devanagari in arriving at the point of moksha (liberation). This classification of yoga abides in fostering dedication to god. In Bhagavata Purana, another holy book of Hinduism, this ancient spiritual custom is a state of utopia that transcends the level of realization. Bhakti implies an agape kind of love towards god as a holistic individual that integrates several universal principles.

Raja is also referred to as ashtanga since there are eight facets that one must focus on namely yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. This classification of yoga is principally concerned with the nurturing of the mind by way of meditation in order to acquaint one’s self with veracity and emancipation. Raja comprises the “royal road” to utter bliss that ushers to satisfaction.

Today, yoga is known all over the globe as a means of attaining sound physical health. The most popular nowadays is hatha, a technique of this primordial religious practice that will prepare students for a more advance degree, which is colloquially dubbed as exercise.