Raja yoga

Here i have given a basic information about raja yoga

1. RAJA YOGA BY SRILOY MOHANTY

2. CONTENTS… INTRODUCTION RAJA YOGA BAHIRANGA YOGA YAMA NIYAMA ASANA PRANAYAMA PRATYAHARA ANTARANGA YOGA DHARANA DHYANA SAMADHI

3. Raja yoga is the path of will power It is also known as patanjali’s yoga or astanga yoga Astanga yoga = eight ( asta ) + limbs ( anga ) It is mainly divided in to two parts Antaranga yoga (direct way to moksha ) Bahiranga yoga (indirect way to moksha ) INTRODUCTION…

4. Yama (Social Discipline) Niyama (Self Discipline) Asana (yogic postures) Pranayama (mastery through breath) Pratyahara (mastery over senses) Antaranga yoga

5. Yama – Social Discipline The first component of Ashtanga Yoga Rules for Social Discipline (Guidelines on how to behave in society) These are universal laws respected everywhere (Laws of Nature) These are easy to follow

6. Ahimsa – Non Violence Satya – Truthfulness Asteya – Non Stealing Brahmacharya – Sexual Control Aparigraha – Non Possessiveness Yama

7. Ahimsa * Means of behavior towards all living creatures * Absence of harmful intentions or thoughts * To be followed on three levels i ) Physical ii) Verbal iii) Mental * Generate love & compassion towards all living creatures

8. Yama – Social Discipline Satya – Truthfulness Fact is fact There is no other way than to accept it We try to hide the facts We do not accept the facts One lie requires many more lies to support it Untruthfulness in all its various forms creates many types of unnecessary complications in life Truthfulness is absolutely necessary for the unfoldment of reality

9. Asetya – Non Stealing Stealing means to take anything without the permission of its owner Yoga sadhaka should not take anything, which does not belong to them. They should not even take intangible or highly prized things, such as credits for something they have not done.

10. Brahmacharya – Sexual Control In its real sense means the abstinence from sexual indulgence to obtain a higher yogic level One cannot get real bliss realised by the transcendent knowledge of higher yogic life, whilst having sexual pleasures at the same time One may not be required to give up sexual activities straightaway, but must completely abstain before commencing serious practice of Yoga on a higher level.

11. Brahmacharya – Sexual Control (cont.) A real yogi should be prepared to completely give up, not only physical indulgence in sexual activities, but also thoughts & emotions concerned with it In a wider sense Brahmacharya means a freedom from cravings of all sensual enjoyments The attitude of the mind is responsible for these cravings

12. Aparigraha – Non Possessiveness The tendency to accumulate worldly goods is considered a basic instinct in human life Necessities – comforts – luxuries (These are subjective & limitless) One needs to satisfy its childish vanity & desires, to appear superior to others One must spend time & energy in accumulating these things, which are not really needed.

13. Aparigraha – Non Possessiveness (cont.) Maintaining & guarding the accumulated items Constant fear of loosing them Feeling of pain if actually lost Feeling of regret to leave them behind, when bidding goodbye to this world. We spend our valuable time & resources to accumulate, yet they generate a constant source of disturbance to us. Hence minimise your needs

14. Shoucha – Cleanliness, Purity Santosha – Contentment Tapa – Austerity Swadhyaya – Self Study Ishwara Pranidhana – Surrender to God Niyama

15. Niyama – Self Discipline Shoucha – Cleanliness, Purity Santosha – Contentment Tapa – Austerity Swadhyaya – Self Study Ishwara Pranidhana – Surrender to God

16. Niyama – Self Discipline Second component ( Anga ) of Ashtanga Yoga Rules for self discipline Yamas are moral & prohibitive, whereas Niyamas are disciplined & constructive Yamas provide ethical foundation & Niyamas provide physical & mental foundation for furthering studies of Yoga Yamas can be practiced only within a society, but Niyamas can be practiced anywhere irrespective of society Yamas are reactive & Niyamas are active

17. Shoucha – Cleanliness, Purity Purity of body, mind & intellect These instruments become impure when things are added to them. Shoucha helps to eliminate these additions. Hatha Yoga prescribes many practices for the purification of the internal body The cleansing practices are divided into six major categories: Shatkarmas 1) Dhouti 2) Basti 3) Neti 4) Tratak 5) Nouli 6) Kapalbhati

18. Santosha – Contentment This is a mental attitude that keeps the mind in a condition of equilibrium Circumstances impact on the mind & cause it to react. These reactions disturb the equilibrium of the mind & in turn disrupt the physical condition of the body To avoid these disturbances train your mind to react with contentment Always say “Very nice Very nice!” A continual practice of Ashtanga Yoga along with training the mind through Mantra Sadhana , is necessary to develop this attitude

19. Tapa – Austerity, Self Discipline This includes various practices, the object of which is to purify the sadhakas body mind complex for further study of Yoga Practices include fasting & observing various vows. These are performed to control the functions of the body & mind A systematic practice begins with simple exercises, to exert control of willpower & in progression more difficult practices are performed. This practice loosens the association of the consciousness with the body mind complex

20. Swadhyaya – Self Study Study is the process of acquiring knowledge, both theoretical & practical The explanation given by Patanjali of study is as follows: Deerghakaal – for long period Nairantarya – continued, uninterrupted Satakarasevito – with full unconditional faith The style of study will depend on the individual self

21. Ishwarpranidhana – Total surrender to God The progressive practice of Ishwarpranidhana will lead to samadhi , the state of union Ishwarpranidhana is a process of transformation from human to God Ishwarpranidhana is the concept of loosing the identity of the self & merging it with that of Ishwara the God This effort may take many forms according to the temperaments & the previous Sanskaras of the sadhaka Ishwarpranidhana is explained in detail in Bhakti Yoga

22. “ Sthiram Sukham asanam ” Sthiram –steady Sukham -comfortable Asanam -posture According to hatha yoga “having done asana one gets steadiness of body and mind; diseaselessness and lightness of the limbs Asana

23. Standing asanas ( ardha chakrasana , ardhakati chakrasana ) Sitting asanas ( vakrasana , pada hastasana ) Prone asanas ( mayurasana , dhanurasana ) Supine asanas ( sarvangasana , chakrasana ) Tropsy asanas ( sirshasana , hand standing) Classification of asanas

24. Cultural asana –to culture your body Meditative asana –for meditations Relaxing asana –for relaxation classification

25. प्राणस्य + आयाम Prāṇasya + Āyāma Mastery over Prāṇa (Lengthening of Prāṇa ) What is Prāṇa ? Pranayama

26. Prana is the pre-existing force which continuously following n our body. 5 types of prana Apana Samana Prana Udana Vyana Prana

27. Balancing pranayama Cooling pranayama Laya pranayama Classification

28. प्रत्याहार Pratyāhāra प्रति + आहार Prati + Āhāra Withdrawal of food Withdrawal of food for sense organs Or Moderation of food for sense organs

29. Eyes: Seeing Ears: Hearing Nose: Smelling Moderation Tounge : Tasting Skin: Touching Pratyāhāra

30. Direct way to get moksha Three steps Dharana Dhyana Samadhi Antaranga Yoga

31. देश बन्ध चित्तस्य धारण Deśa bandha cittasya dhāraṇa Binding the mind to a particular place Dharana Single subject ,single thought Focusing Less energy expenditure Less tiredness

32. तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम् Tatra pratyayaikatānatā dhyānam Uninterrupted flow of thought single object, Single thought Features of Dhyāna Wakefulness, Awareness, Expansiveness Slowness, Effortlessness Dhyana

33. सम्यक् अधीयते इति समाधि Samyak adhīyate iti samādhi Becoming one with the seen (object) Samādhi

34. According to patanjali’s yoga sutra तदेवार्थ मात्र निर्भासं स्वरुप शून्यमिव समाधिः Tadevārtha mātra nirbhāsaṁ svarupa śūnyamiva samādhiḥ The object alone shines, our own reality vanishes

35. समाधि Samādhi Increased knowledge about the object JUMP: to higher level of consciousness Meditator Object Process X

36. Raja yoga Path of

37. Thank you…