Raja yoga can be defined as the royal path of union, the path of meditation. As such, it is considered to be higher, in continuation to the practices of hatha yoga. Raja yoga deals with the mind and is also known as ashtanga yoga, the eightfold path or the eight limbs of yoga. Although people often have a separated idea of those eight limbs, they may be integrated to the other paths of yoga. Then, they come to enrich and complement hatha yoga as well as jnana yoga, karma yoga and bhakti yoga. |
The main objective of raja yoga is to control the mental energies which are generally dissipated and fluctuating. The mind has infinite capacities but due to its rajasic nature, it remains in constant activity. To concentrate and master it without negating or injuring it is a very big task. The goal of raja yoga practices is to acknowledge, accept and redirect the mental activities, without generating self judgement and conflicts in the personality.
The eight limbs of Raja yoga
In his Yoga Sutras, Sage Patanjali has defined the eightfold path :
- yama and niyama, the personal and social rules of behaviour
- asana, the major static postures concerning mainly meditation
- pranayama, the control of breath and pranas
- pratyahara, the sensorial withdrawal, which is the first stage of meditation
- dharana, the concentration
- dhyana, the state of meditation
- samadhi, self realization and union |
