Our Offerings
1. Individual and Group Classes for Yoga and Meditation.
2. Wellness and Fitness Coaching.
3. Motivational Speaking.
Streams of yoga
The entire philosophy behind Yoga can be broadly classified into four streams. They can also be referred to as Karma Yoga – is about selfless actions without an attachment to the results, Bhakti Yoga – is an attitude of total surrender and love, Jnana Yoga – is the path of philosophy. It deals with the intellect and self-analysis and Raja Yoga – is the practical approach to reach higher states of consciousness.
Four paths of yoga
Though the four paths of yoga seem to be completely different from each other, they lead to the same goal of self-realization. The four paths of yoga have been in existence from the time yoga originated. However, in the past, only one of these paths was in focus at a given time. The Bhagavadgita discusses the four paths of yoga to an extent. Shankara focuses mainly on jnana yoga, Ramanuja has focused only on bhakti-yoga. Patanjali’s yoga sutra mainly emphasized the importance of raja yoga. Karma yoga was not known till the 1890s, when Swami Vivekananda spoke extensively about the four paths of yoga in his teachings worldwide.
Raja yoga – path of will power
According to Patanjali’s yoga sutra, yoga is practiced to gain mastery over the mind. There are two types of practices under raja yoga:
Bahiranga Yoga offers rules and regulations at the behavioral level (yama and niyama) as well as physical practices to gain better control over the body and the mind (asanas and pranayama).
Antaranga Yoga comprises of dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (consciousness – which deals directly with the mind).
Karma yoga – path of action
The Bhagvadgita remains the main source for the conceptual basis of karma yoga; it was later elaborated by Swami Vivekananda. This path emphasizes performing actions with detachment, without worrying about the result.
Actions are categorized as:
Tamasik, if they are binding, deteriorating, violent and is a result of the state of delusion and confusion
Rajasik, when performed with a craving for desires, with egoism, and a lot of effort
Sattvik, when it is free from attachment and done without love or hatred
The essence of karma yoga is to convert kamya karma (action with desires) into yogic karma by inculcating detachment and committing one's energy to unceasing work.
Bhakti yoga – path of worship
Bhakti yoga aims to help a person evolve emotional maturity, love for society and to spread the message of universal brotherhood and oneness. It helps in the transformation of the conditional and desirous forms of love into true unconditional love. Kama (desire), combined with tyaga (sacrifice) forms prema (love). Prema along with saranagati (surrender) results in bhakti.
The path of bhakti yoga results in satisfaction and calmness of mind. It is considered to be the easiest path among the four, as the practice is not very rigorous.
Bhakti yoga is similar to the interpersonal relationships between humans, but here the relation is between soul and Supersoul (ultimate soul).
Bhagvad purana provides us with nine forms of bhakti:
Sravan (listening),
Kirtana (praising),
Smarana (remembering),
Pada Sevana (rendering service),
Arcana (worshipping),
Vandana (paying homage),
Dasya (servitude),
Sakhya (friendship),
Atma-nivedana (complete surrender of self).
Jnana yoga – the path of knowledge
This path helps develop a logical mind with intuitive knowledge and immense awareness. There are three phases in jnana yoga:
Sravana, the first exposure to knowledge in any form (reading a book, listening to a lecture, watching a video).
Manana, revisiting the knowledge for further understanding.
Nididhyasana, the phase of experimentation.
In jnana yoga, the ultimate aim is to understand the reality of Atma (soul) and the ability to differentiate it from body. A person truly established in the path of jnana yoga becomes free from all worldly desires and has contentment.
Though the four paths of yoga seem to be completely different from each other, they lead to the same goal of self-realization and the union of the individual and universal self.
Meditation
Meditation (Dhyana)
The word Dhyana has been derived from the Sanskrit word 'Dhi', which means to contemplate, reflect, think, or be occupied in thought.
According to Maharishi Patanjali,
तत्र प्रत्येकतानता ध्यानि ्।।3.2 ।।
"An incessant flow of attention on the concentrated object is called Dhyana." Dhyana has been defined by the Samkhya school of Philosophy as "Dhyanam nirvishayam manah” which is translated as "the liberation of the mind from all disturbing and distracting emotions, thoughts and desires." Dhyana always starts with Dharana, i.e., concentration; the mind becomes steady and one-pointed through concentration, and when concentration leads to the uninterrupted flow of thought towards one object that becomes Dhyana.
The two Sanskrit words "Dhyana" and "Nididhyasana" both are sometimes used for Meditation, but there is a difference as "Nidhidhyasana" means "reflection or contemplation," a method used by the Monastic tradition of Vedanta Philosophy. Whereas Dhyana is a conscious and voluntary attempt is made to still the activity of the conscious mind. Through the withdrawal of senses and concentration, one-pointedness of mind is achieved and then concentration is changed into meditation
Dhyana is said to be three types as per Gherand Samhita Text:
Sthula Dhyana: Contemplating either on murthi (Image) of one’s Guru or God (Ishta Deva). The object of sthula Dhyana can be vividly visualized; this Dhyana is for beginners.
Sukshma Dhyana: The object at this Dhyana is Kundalini, the Serpent Power, after it has crossed the region of the eyes. Then it becomes imperceptible.
Jyotirmaya Dhyana: Tejodhyana is said to be 100 times superior to Sthula Dhyana. In this Dhyana while the yogi is meditating, he sees a light and fixes his mind on that. The light which the yogi sees is an inner light and not a light outside, which he can perceive. Strictly speaking, this light is neither an image nor a precept. A yogi who is successful in Bhramari Kumbhaka hears certain inner sounds which blend with the light that he sees and the yogi’s mind is mixed on the blend. Thus, the sound, the light, and the knowing mind become one.
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