Yoga branches
From ArticleWorld
Yoga mediation calms and soothes both body and mind and uplifts the spirit. It is a wonderful discipline for getting in shape and keeping in shape well. A great many people want to find out more about this excellent practice, so this article is a primer to it.
There are six branches of yoga, to match up with different personalities and these are be summarized now.
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Raja Yoga meditation
Raja can be translated to "royal" and Raja Yoga is the branch of yoga mostly concerned with meditation. It is optimal for inward thinking and contemplative individuals. In this branch there exist 8 'limbs' or practices, constructed many of years ago in the work "Yoga Sutras" by the sage Patanjali, which absolutely must be rigorously adhered to. They are niyama-self-discipline, yama-ethical standards, pranayama – control of breath, dharana-concentration, dhyana-meditation, pratyahara-withdrawal of the senses, and Samadhi-ecstasy or total liberation.
Bhakti Yoga meditation
Bhakti Yoga can be understood as the path of devotion and is the ideal method for those who have emotional personalities. Bhakti yogis work to to be aware that the divine is in all things around us and so every single action and thoughts must be combined with spiritual underpinnings. People like Dr. Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi are great examples of of this path.
Karma Yoga meditation
Karma Yoga is the yoga of altruistic service. Yogis as persons who practice yoga are called believe in reincarnation. They adhere to the belief that what type of life one is reincarnated into including whether someone becomes another human or an animal, is relies on the spiritual results of the actions in a human's past life, referred to as Karma. The intent of Karma Yoga is to free someone of carrying bad karma into future incarnations, through self-giving service. Examples of selfless service are things like assisting at soup kitchens, joining Doctors Without Borders, etc.
Jnana Yoga meditation
Jnana Yoga can be called the yoga of study and is optimal for those who are intellectual. It attempts to achieve freedom for its practitioners through the reading of the yogic scriptures. It has been known as as the most direct, but at the same time the most trying, of the branches of yoga.
Hatha Yoga meditation
Hatha Yoga is referred to as the yoga of movement. It's the one most often attributed to yoga. It involves the usage of a variety of physical postures, while at the same time controlling and being mindful of the breath. It adheres to the belief that that in these postures and breath exercises, the whole being - mind, body and soul - is completely purified. It is specially designed for those of a intensely physical nature and temperament.
Tantra Yoga meditation
Tantra Yoga has been grossly misunderstood. It's created for those who are find themselves drawn to ritual and encompasses consecrated sexuality. The word "consecrated" is significant, because it doesn't mean license to practice orgies. In actuality, one of its tenets is the withholding of ejaculation. Interestingly, given popular misconceptions, certain schools of Tantra Yoga even recommend celibacy!
It's particularly good to those who are drawn to religious ceremonies and who find inspiration from them.