Ancient practitioners have likened yoga to a living tree with six branches coming from the trunk, with each branch having its own unique function relating to a particular lifestyle.  The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is one of the six darshanas of Hindu or Vedic schools and, alongside the Bhagvada Gita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika, is a milestone in the history of Yoga.  Though brief, the Yoga Sutras are an enormously influential work, just as relevant for yoga philosophy and practice today, as when written many thousands of years ago.

The six branches of Yoga tend to have some aspects in common and familiarizing oneself with all six will certainly help in the selection of your own yoga programme that incorporates routines that appeal from any of the six branches.  Asanas or postures, Pranayama or breath control, these two disciplines along with meditation and a strict moral code are the fundamentals of the practice of yoga.

Hatha Yoga

Introduced in the 15^th century by an Indian sage as a preparatory stage of physical purification to enable the body to be fit for the practice of higher meditation as in Raja Yoga, Ha means sun and tha means moon, a reference to the energy channels of the body.  Fully opened energy channels allow the body to become supple enough to attain the mental disciplines of Raja Yoga.  In practice, both Hatha and Raja Yoga are inter-related and dependant upon each other.  Western practitioners associate yoga with the hatha branch to attain mental and physical wellbeing.

Raja Yoga

Raja translates as ‘royal’ and meditation is central to this branch of yoga, which has eight side branches or limbs in an order that must be strictly followed.  We start with Yama meaning ethical standards, Niyama – self discipline, asana – posture, pranayama – breathing control, pratyahara - sensory withdrawal, dharana – meditation, samadhi - ecstasy or final liberation.  Those inclined to introspection or meditation are best suited to Raja yoga.

Though members of religious orders and spiritual communities devote themselves to this yoga branch, one does not have to embrace a monastic lifestyle to gain from the benefits of practicing Raja Yoga.

Karma Yoga

The fundamental principle of Karma Yoga is that what we experience now is created by our past actions, whether in this life or a previous one.  Once we understand this principal, then we can ensure all our present actions help create a future free of negativity and selfishness.  To practice Karma Yoga is to lead a life of selfless service to others.

Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti Yoga is yoga of the heart, a branch of devotion Bhakti is the Sanskrit term for selfless love of God and mankind.  Bhakti principles are universal and common to many world religions.  By following the path of bhakti we learn to channel our emotions, accept and have tolerance for all those that cross our path.

Jnana Yoga

This is the branch of knowledge, the yoga of the mind and is both the most difficult and the most direct of the six branches.  It is yoga of the mind, of wisdom, the path of the sage or scholar.  The practitioners of Jnana Yoga develop their intellects by intensive study, particularly but not confined to, the yoga tradition and other spiritual teachings.  This is the path that most appeals to the intellectuals pursuing the practice of yoga.  Within the context of our Western religious traditions, Kabalistic scholars, Jesuit priests, and Benedictine monks epitomise Jnana Yogis.

Tantra Yoga

Tantra, from the Sanskrit ‘to weave’ or ‘loom’, is the branch of yoga that practices ritual as a means of experiencing the divine in all our activities.  Probably, the most misunderstood or misinterpreted of all the yogas, tantra, the sixth branch, is the pathway of ritual, an in tantric practice; we experience the Divine in everything we do.  A reverential attitude is, therefore cultivated, encouraging a ritualistic approach to life.  In essence, tantra is the most esoteric of the six major branches and appeals to those yogis who enjoy ceremony and relate to the feminine principle of the cosmos, which they call Shakti.

In the West, the tantric path of yoga has become associated almost entirely with sexual activity.  It is because of this emphasis on only one aspect of this branch that it has become misinterpreted and misunderstood by so many.  It is amusing to note that, although tantra has become associated exclusively with sexual ritual, most tantric schools actually recommend a celibate lifestyle.  The ‘Kama Sutra’ an ancient Hindu book of sexual techniques is the best known example of the lack of understanding of the true objectives of tantra yoga.

A discipline that leads to a reverential attitude to even the most every day celebrations of giving and receiving, of birth and death, of achievements and of failure, and of relationships and understanding, this is a path that will appeal to westerners who enjoy being actively involved in celebrations, church going, clubs and associations and other types of ceremonies.

Combining the Paths

You do not have to limit yourself to one expression, but can practice hatha yoga, taking care of your physical body, while simultaneously cultivating the lifestyle of a Bhakti Yogi, expressing compassion for everyone you meet.  Whichever, avenue of yogic expression draws your interest; it will probably be the right yoga path for you.

Yoga Guru Patanjali has defined Yoga as a ‘steady and comfortable state of Mind and Body’.  And, a comfortable and steady state of body and mind is precisely what practising yoga delivers.  Other forms of exercise increase the strain on body muscles, as well as, the requirement for blood and oxygen.  But, Yoga ‘asanas’ or postures not only lessen the need, decreasing the strain on them, they also cause every muscle in the body to relax.  Similarly, the body’s requirement for blood and oxygen goes down, reducing the strain on the mind and making it stable and focused.

Furthermore, the twists and stretched yoga asanas or postures compel the organs of the body, such as, the endocrine glands, the digestive, heart and other organs to function in an improved manner.
  And, all this can be achieved with even the most simple of Yoga asanas!

Practised in India for centuries, this ancient practice is elaborated in great detail in sub-continental historical treatises and texts!  As in everything else, India is beginning to show the world how to heal the mind and body, without resorting to the swallowing of heavy doses of poisonous chemicals in the guise of medicine, or expensive surgery and psychiatric treatment.  Prevention is better than cure, and practicing Yoga not only prevents an individual from falling sick, it also helps to recover a healthy state of mind and body!

Originating and implemented in India thousands of years ago, Yoga, essentially is a way of life and an integrated means of synchronizing mind, spirit, and body, a system now practiced universally, regardless of caste, creed or religion.

In addition to other forms of treatment, yoga proves an effective physical therapy for helping alleviate painful conditions, such as, arthritis, stiffness of neck, back and feet, improved blood circulation, constipation, increased lung capacity, improved respiratory conditions, insomnia, and much, much more.

Yogic exercises called Asanas or postures in Sanskrit language comprise of what is designated as Hatha Yoga.  If, one practices this ancient and respected system, it most certainly helps in maintaining physical, mental and emotional health.
  And, best of all, regardless of age or present physical condition, one can perform these non-strenuous exercises, without any harm or damage to self.  Easy of pace, yoga is not based on competition, nor does it believe in competing with others.

While, the results of doing strenuous physical exercise is reflected in the muscles and tone of one’s body, yoga addresses every mental and the physical aspect of mind and body, and helps a yogi slowly come to realization of the spiritual reality of one’s existence over time.

This ancient system is a unique method has proved its timelessness by helping combat the stress and strains of modern day life!

Generally, Yoga consists of and is described in eight stages astanga-yoga, (‘eight-membered Yoga’).  Yama (‘restraint’) denoting abstinence from injury (ahimsa), falsehood, stealing, lust, and avarice is the first stage; with niyama (‘observance’), denoting cleanliness of body, contentment, austerity, study, and devotion to God, the second stage.

The next two stages consist of physical preparations, such as, Asana (‘seat’), a series of physical posture exercises intended to condition the body, making it supple, flexible, and healthy.  Mastery of the asanas can be calculated by one’s ability to maintain a prescribed postures for an extended period of time, without involuntary movement or physical distractions.  Pranayama (”breath control”) is a series of exercises intended to stabilize the rhythm of breathing in order to encourage complete respiratory relaxation.

With great benefits, Yoga is becoming very popular all over the world, including making a come back in the land of its birth i.e. India.

Pratyahara (‘withdrawal) is the fifth stage, which involves control of the senses, whereby one can centre all of one’s senses from outward objects to the mind.  The first five stages of Yoga are considered external aids, while the remaining three are purely mental or internal aids.

Dharana (‘holding on’) is the ability to focus awareness of externals to one object for a long period of time, such as, focusing the mind on an object of meditation e.g. an image of a deity or some such.  Dhyana (‘concentrated meditation’) is the uninterrupted contemplation of an object of meditation, beyond any memory of ego.  Samadhi (‘self-collectedness’) is the final stage and a pre-condition for attaining moksha or being released from the cycle of life and death.  This stage, allows the meditator to perceive or experience the object of his meditation and himself as one entity.

Though, the pre-history of Yoga is not clear, however, early Vedic texts speak of ecstatics, who may well have been predecessors of latter day yogis or the followers of Yoga.  Although Yoga has been made into a separate school (‘darsan’), its influence and many of its practices have crept into other schools.

In the course of time, certain stages of Yoga become ends in themselves, notably, the breathing exercises and sitting postures, as in the school of Hatha Yoga.  In a less technical sense, Yoga used for achieving union with God, in the epic poem the Bhagavadgita, is also used to distinguish the alternate paths (‘margas’) to such a union.

With the philosophy and practice of Yoga increasingly becoming popular in the West, the physical and spiritual benefits of Yogic techniques have become available through a wide variety of sectarian Yoga organisations, non-sectarian classes, and television programmes in the United States and Europe.

‘Prapti’ is the fifth power that a practitioner of Yoga can gain mastery over.  Anyone, who becomes proficient in it, is able to reach distant places according to his will, in just a matter of moments.  Those people wishing to expose this psychic claim as a hoax conducted experiments, only to find that 95% of the time the yogis were able to transport themselves to distant, remote places.

Next, mastery over ‘Prakamya’ shows one how to achieve whatever one desires.  Like the Genie in the bottle who granted every wish and carried out every command issued by Alladin, a person who can perform Prakamya can make his every wish come true e.g. asking for Eternal Youth will ensure he is forever young.

In meanwhile, you can read yoga books or buy yoga accessories, if you are convinced it is time to become a yoga devotee.  One can purchase online yoga books on meditation and spirituality, yoga audiotapes, including yoga accessories, such as, yoga mats, yoga straps, yoga blocks! from Yogabestseller.com  Prepare yourself well to make yoga practice a pleasant and fruitful experience!  We can promise you, it is one decision you will never regret!

A Sanskrit word meaning ‘yoking’ or ‘union’ , yoga is one of the six orthodox systems (darshans) of Indian philosophy, with widespread influence among many other schools of Indian thought, one can find its basic text contained in the Yoga-Sutras by Patañjali ( c. 2^nd B.C.).

Its intellectual content largely based on the philosophy of Samkhya, it is the practical aspects of Yoga that play a far more important part in the practice of it. However, it is spiritual release promised by performing yoga that the
yogis or practitioners of it aspire for. Along with Samkhya, Yoga also believes spiritual liberation is achieved when the self (purusha) frees itself from the bondages of matter (prakriti) that are a direct result of the self’s ignorance and illusion.

Yoga attempts to reverse this order and helps the self re-enter its original state of purity and consciousness. As soon as the aspirant learns to control the mental activities of the mind, and succeeds in ending all attachment to material objects, he is able to enter samadhi i.e. a state of deep concentration that results in a blissful, ecstatic union with ultimate reality.

This then, is the ultimate goal of every true yogi!