Paths of Yoga

The four main paths of yoga

The word yoga means “unity” or “oneness”. This unity is described in spiritual terms as the union
of the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. Yoga is a system of practices
and philosophy that aims to bring about the realisation of our essential nature. Yoga works on all
aspects of the person: the physical, vital (energetic), mental, emotional, psychic and spiritual.
The purpose of yoga is to allow us to realise we are more than we think we are and what we
normally identify with. The goal of yoga is to reach enlightenment (Samadhi), to unite our
individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. How we reach this goal depends on
the path(s) of yoga that we follow. The Bhagavad Gita focuses on four main paths of yoga –
karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana (gyana) yoga and raja yoga – that we will look at here.

Karma yoga
Karma yoga is the yoga of action or the path of duty. In karma yoga, we act to the best of our
ability and serve to the best of our purpose or duty (dharma) from moment to moment.
We are also encouraged to act without attachment to the results or fruits of our actions, whether
good or bad. So whether an action has a positive or negative outcome is unimportant, it is the act
of wholehearted, honest action that will lead us to the ultimate goal of yoga.

Bhakti yoga
The word bhakti comes from the root word bhaj, which means “to serve”. Bhakti yoga is the yoga
of devotion, sometimes called the yoga of love or the yoga of selfless service. In bhakti yoga, all
thoughts and actions are dedicated to a divine presence or a power greater than ourselves, and
we recognise this higher power in everything we see and in every other human being.
For some people, this “service” might be devotion to a religious God in all his/her forms; for
others, particularly those who don’t have religious beliefs, this divinity can be honouring anything
you find meaningful, for example, it could be purusa (or purusha), our inner divinity or spiritual
core, the source of our consciousness (purusha: “one's true self, regarded as eternal and
unaffected by external happenings” [1]).

Jnana yoga (sometimes called Gyana yoga)

Jnana means “knowledge”; gyana means “realisation”, “insight”, and jnana yoga is the yoga of
enquiry and wisdom. Jnana yoga allows us to discover the truth that is already deep within us.
Traditionally this was achieved by listening to a teacher who would explain the yoga texts and
scriptures, and then reflecting on them and discussing them to clarify uncertain points.
Jnana yoga assumes that the knowledge we seek is already hidden within us, and it is for us to
discover through the “quietening of the modifications of the mind”[2] and the elimination of avidya
(incorrect knowledge, false understanding, the day-to-day distractions of life), so that through
intuitive insight we can find truth, and through truth we can reach enlightenment and union with
the universal consciousness.
Raja yoga
The word raja is often translated as “king”, and raja yoga is also known as the Royal Path.
It is the Eight-Fold Path of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras; hatha yoga is a branch of raja yoga.
The “king” in question stands for something in us that is more than what we usually consider
ourselves to be, perhaps the higher power – God or purusa – mentioned above in bhakti yoga.
Patanjali describes yoga as “the restrictions of the movement of the mind”[3], and raja yoga
emphasizes control of the intellect and control of the mind, particularly through breath control,
concentration and meditation. Hatha yoga is often considered to be preparation for raja yoga as it
focuses on controlling the body through asana and pranayama in preparation for controlling the
mind in dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation).

The Paths of Yoga

Path of Qualities associated with the path of yoga Possible link to
Yoga Yama
Karma Action work, physical equanimity in all situations aparigraha –
To act, to do letting go of the
your duty fruits of action

Bhakti Devotion worship, loving service to all living beings, ahimsa –

To feel, to love compassion, and seeing the God/good in them nonviolence,
emotional kindness
Jnana Enquiry self-knowledge, constant questioning and enquiry satya –
To question philosophy, in the search for ultimate truth truth, honesty
enquiry
Raja Royal Path, the self control brings all sense/action organs brahmacharya –
Eight-Fold Path psychic control, and the mind under conscious restraint
To meditate will control

The paths of yoga are not mutually exclusive and one path is no more right or wrong than any
other path. Often the path we follow will be the one that most suits our character and
temperament, or one that fits our stage of life right now. We may find that some elements of each
different path already appear in our yoga practice, or we may be drawn to different paths at
different times or stages of our lives.
Desikachar says that the “classifications of yoga have become much too important and give the
impression that there are fundamental differences between the various forms of yoga. But really
they are all dealing with the same thing [the ultimate goal of reaching enlightenment], and are
only looking at them from different perspectives. If we really follow one direction in yoga as
far as we can go, then it will lead us along all the paths of yoga.” [4]

References: [1] Dictionary.com (accessed 030618); [2] Yoga Sutras, 1:2; [3] Sutton, p9; [4] Desikachar, p140

Resources
Budilovsky, Joan, and Eve Adamson. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Yoga. Alpha Books: New York, NY. 1998.
Desikachar, T.V.K. The Heart of Yoga. Inner Traditions international: Rochester, VT. 1999.
Sutton, Nicholas. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies: Oxford. 2017.
What Kind of Yogi am I?
Think about the different paths of yoga, and which are most suited to your personality and needs.
In your groups, discuss ways you could or already do follow the different paths of yoga.
Think about how the different paths might be part of your life off your mat as well on your mat.

Karma yoga, the yoga of action

Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion

Jnana yoga, the yoga of enquiry

Raja yoga, the royal path, the yoga of the mind (meditation)