by Jill Lowy

Created on: December 02, 2008

YOGA AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit of the English word "yoke" and basically means "union". Yoga is a method by which one may obtain spiritual realization and become united with the Infinite, Absolute or God.

Yoga has been handed down since prehistoric times and most likely had its origins in the Upanishads and Vedanta philosophy. In the Svetasvatara Upanishad, we see a description of early yoga practices;

"If a wise man hold his body with his chest, neck and head even, and turn his senses with the mind towards the heart, he will then in the boat of the Brahma cross all the torrents which cause fear.

Compressing his breathings let him who has subdued all motions, breathe forth through the nose with gentle breath. Let the wise man without fail restrain his mind, that chariot yoked with vicious horses.

Let him perform his exercises in a place level, pure, free from pebbles, fire, and dust, delightful by its sounds, its waters, and bowers, not painful to the eye, and full of shelters and caves.

As a mirror is tarnished by dust, shines bright again after is has been cleaned, so is the one incarnate person satisfied and free from grief , after he has seen the real nature of the Self.

And when by means of the real nature of his self he sees, as by a lamp, the real nature of Brahman, then having known the unborn, eternal God, who is beyond all natures, he is freed from all fetters."

Here we see the practices of Yoga through posture, breath control and meditation leading to union with the divine or Brahma.

Swami Vivekananda, who was the first spiritual leader to bring Yoga to the West, wrote extensively about four different basic types of Yoga that included: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga.

Karma Yoga is the yogic path of right action and selfless service. The "Bhagavad Gita" which is one of Hindus most sacred texts, is considered to be the foremost exposition of the path of Karma Yoga. The Bhagavad Gita is about the moral and spiritual teachings of Krishna to his disciple, Arjuna.

Bhakti Yoga is the yogic path of love and devotion. This path involves the unconditional love and devotion between the Yogi and a worshipped God, or Deity such as: Shiva, Krishna, Kali, etc.

Jnana Yoga is the yogic path of knowledge and wisdom. It consists of study and meditation upon yogic precepts and philosophy. Through the understanding and practice of yogi precepts, one comes to a true realization of the Self.

Raja Yoga is the yogic path of mental and psychic

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