What Is Raja Yoga?
Raja yoga is one of the four main paths of yoga. Raja means
"royal", and meditation is the focal point of this branch of yoga. This
approach involves strict adherence to the eight "limbs" of yoga outlined
in the Yoga Sutras (a collection of principles in Yoga practice)
by Patanjali, a groovy Indian sage who lived in the 2nd century BCE.
Unfortunately, there were no digital cameras during that time so we
don’t really know what he looks like.
Although it shares many elements with Hinduism, please keep in mind that
yoga it is not a religion. Yoga is primarily a practical discipline
that has been, in fact, used by many people for thousands of years.
Those who are new to yoga may find its philosophical groundwork
difficult to grasp, but I think the main objective of yoga in the first
place is to help one, through realistic methods, reach the level of
understanding needed to acquire knowledge of the true nature of reality.
The Eight Limbs Of Yoga
1. YAMA: The Five Abstentions
In Hinduism, Yama is the god of death. In the context of yoga, Yama is a set of ethical disciplines which help the student bring death to - the EGO - that which separates him/her from what is real. Yama consists of non-violence, absence of falsehood, non-stealing, sexual continence, and absence of avarice. This is similar to the Buddhist system of virtue or sila. Catholics may be familiar with these corresponding commandments: thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not lie, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit adultery, and thou shalt not get fat. The real point of the Yama (abstentions) is that breaking any of these would tend to excite your mind. You don’t want to have an excited mind while practicing meditation.
2. NIYAMA: The Five Observances
Niyama is a set of rules or laws for personal observance. These rules are purity, contentment, austerity, study of spiritual scriptures, and self-surrender. Like the five Yamas, the Niyamas are not exercises or actions to be simply studied. They represent far more than a set of attitudes. The whole object of Yama and Niyama is to live so that no emotion or passion can disturb your mind. They are also preparations for the advanced practices that you will see below.
3. ASANA: Yoga Positions or Yogic Postures
A major challenge for every student of yoga comes from the body. It keeps on asserting its presence by making you want to stretch, scratch, sneeze, cough, fidget, twitch, or create a funky smelling emission from your, uhm, ok. These forms of distractions are so persistent that the Hindus (in their own scientific way) devised unique practices for quieting the body. These practices are called Asanas.
4. PRANAYAMA: Breath Control
Pranayama is particularly useful in quieting our emotions and appetites. It purifies both the body and the lower functions of the mind which is excellent from the standpoint of health. All the great sages and saints who graced the planet taught, usually secretly to a few followers, that there is to be found in air a substance or principle called "prana" from which all activity, vitality and life is derived. The many spiritual powers attributed to advanced students of yoga are due largely to their understanding of this fact and their intelligent use of this energy. The yogis of various meditative traditions know that by certain forms of breathing, they establish certain relations with the supply of prana and they may draw on it the energy they require for their vehicles – the physical and subtle bodies. Not only does Pranayama strengthen all parts of the body, but the brain itself may receive increased energy from prana, allowing you to develop latent faculties and psychic abilities.
5. PRATYAHARA: Withdrawal of Senses
The previous practices, Yama, Niyama, Asana, and Pranayama are all disciplines for the body. Pratyahara and the remaining practices are purely mental. If you examine the contents of your mind at any time, you will find that the images you see may be divided into three categories: (1) Images from the outer world accepted by your sense-organs (2) Images from your memories (3) Images of your expectations of future events. The second and third are purely psychological, i.e. they don’t depend on any object outside your mind. The first category, however, is the direct result of contact with the outer world. The purpose of Pratyahara is to eliminate the first category (Images from the outer world accepted by your sense-organs) and leaving only the 2nd and 3rd which you will work with in Dharana and Dhyana.
6. DHARANA or Concentration
Dharana may be translated as "holding", "holding steady", "concentration", or "single focus." This is the first phase of Samyama Meditation and the practice of Pratyahara creates the setting for Dharana. Once you have relieved yourself of outside distractions, you can now deal with the distractions of the mind itself. The practice involves fixing your attention on some object, either within your body or outside, and keeping it steady for a period of time without allowing any other thoughts to enter your mind. Like any kind of practice, you have to do this progressively and measure the rate of your success in holding your concentration.
7. DHYANA or Meditation
Dhyana is translated as meditation. It is perfect contemplation which involves concentrating on a point of focus with the intention of knowing the truth about it. This is where all the fun begins. After you have eliminated all the images from the outer world (as discussed in Pratyahara) and your mind is focused on a single object, you then begin to meditate. Figuratively speaking, it’s like placing something under a microscope (you only look at what you are actually inspecting). This is done because your awareness in Dhyana is different from your everyday awareness just as a laser beam is different from a flashlight. A flashlight can illuminate a large area, but a laser, even a low powered one, can cut through solid objects. Hence, having awareness as sharp as a laser beam, you can penetrate into the deeper nature of any object both mental and physical. Reminds me of Cyclops from the X-men.
8. SAMADHI or Liberation
Samadhi is broadly characterized as "liberation", "meditative absorption" or "full meditation." It signifies the deepening of Dhyana until your chosen object of meditation stands alone and you are no longer aware of yourself as contemplating an object. In other words, consciousness becomes one with the object. This is true because when you achieve perfect concentration, you will be able to transcend the limitations of the conscious state allowing you the vision of Truth or Illumination. And this vision, dear brother/sister, is not something that can be described by mere words. You have to experience it yourself.