Types of Yoga in Hinduism and Their Functions - Research Paper Example

first Different types of yoga in Hinduism serve different functions Introduction Yoga is a practice ofexercising the mind, body and soul together to achieve a perfect balance between the physiological and psychological functions (Crangle, p.104). As a teaching from the Hindu spirituality, this art has been practiced in Hinduism for many thousands of years with success and desired accomplishment. From Hindu spirituality perspective, Yoga is considered as the path to reduce the differences between the real and unreal world, which further opens the door to reach God, and attain salvation. This is accomplished through various stages in Yoga. In the present context, evolution of yoga, its types and their bases will be studied through the available literature. 2. Historical perspective: Yoga is a proven method of application to achieve a stress-free life. Yoga, in Sanskrit, means ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’ (Feuerstein, 36). The Bhagavad-Gita is the sacred text of the Hindus and the basis for Hindu religion, which contains teachings from the Hindu deity, Lord Krishna. This text explains that human beings are constantly in conflict with self and surroundings through emotions, which is the reason for all misery. In order for humans to liberate themselves from various forms of misery, it is important to achieve a balance between the mind, body and soul, which can be accomplished through Yoga. This art helps in uniting the mind, body and soul through various postures, breathing patterns, meditation, chanting, worship etc. These differential practices are different forms of Yoga. 3. Types of Yoga: Numerous types of yoga have been described in various texts, and classification of yoga has constantly been debated. In fact, the ancient text on Yoga identifies almost 112 types of yoga (Singh, p.ii), and is based on Hindu Lord, Siva’s teachings. However, considering the Bhagavad-Gita as the base for all teachings of Hinduism, Yoga is mainly divided into three types: Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Hatha Yoga. Other types are derived from ancient Hindu scriptures, called the Upanishads, Vedas and the Yoga Sutras (Wilcockson, p.132). To sum up, six major sub-branches have been identified overall, Raja Yoga, Hatha-Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, and Kundalini Yoga (Feuerstein, 40). 3.1 Karma Yoga: This yoga forms Lord Krishna’s basic teaching in the Bhagavad-Gita, and implies that ‘duty,’ ’deed,’ or ‘action’ alone should be the main aim of human being. Human beings should perform their rituals and duties in the most ethical and honest manner without expecting any return. This yoga is derived from the doctrine of Karma and reincarnation, which means an individual’s present life is shape by his/her actions in past life; and that the individual’s present actions and work would shape the future births (Robinson, 39). Karma yoga is the yoga of service or work, and actions. Actions include prayers and rituals for self-purification and service is that of serving the humanity. Every human being born on earth has to fulfill his duties and responsibilities, which will ultimately bring liberation from bonding and obligations through righteous actions/deeds (Robinson, 60). Moreover, experiences, results, happiness, sadness, pain and sorrow are all results of one’s own actions. Karma Yoga teaches that all human beings should strictly fulfill their respective responsibilities without expecting any specific outcomes. Such dedication towards duties will ease tension, stress, and attachments because actions will determine the results. 3.2. Jnana Yoga: This is the yoga of Knowledge about the self, God and the real world, which is acquired through the senses upon meditation. This Yoga requires the mind to settle in a peaceful state. Jnana Yoga is extremely difficult to practice because this requires a perfect balance between the mind and the body. Here, knowledge does not refer to information and understanding, but realization of the self. So, to practice Jnana yoga, one must have practiced other forms of yoga and attained perfect harmony between the mind, body and the soul. For instance, one must follow Karma yoga through rituals, duties and responsibilities in an honest manner, which will yield a mind free from any sort of expectations or greed. This harmony will be able to set the mind free of all worldly thoughts and inclinations; such a mind can also be free from all sorts of attractions including unhealthy diet, thoughts, and life style. Practicing Jnana yoga requires the person to follow pure vegetarian diet and absolute self control; only such a mind can focus purely on God. 3.3. Bhakti Yoga: Bhakti refers to devotion towards God. This yoga leads the path to devotion and love towards the Almighty, which is free from all kinds of ego and attachments. Bhakti Yoga is the supreme form of Yoga in which the ‘bhakta’ or devotee develops deep relationship with the God or the Divine that, as Fuerestien describes, ‘the Divine is experienced as infinitely more comprehensive than the devotee, who is rather like a conscious cell within the incommensurable body of God’ (p.46). Bhakti yoga is practiced through worship, rituals, chanting prayers, and service to the Almighty. The person that is practicing Bhakti yoga, does it in four progressive stages through which God is first viewed as someone superior like a parent, teacher or master; then as an equal, like a friend; third stage is that of God as a child, and lastly, God as a soul that can be conjoined with the bhakta’s or the devotee’s soul (Robinson, 67).Such love for God is based on undeterred and unbreakable faith. By this time, the individual (devotee) would have achieved absolute balance of mind, body and soul. 3.4. Raja Yoga: In Hinduism, ‘Raja’ means ‘royal’ or ‘classical,’ and Raja Yoga refers to the ‘Kriya’ or actions. This yoga combines meditation, contemplation, and renunciation through three main practices namely, yama, niyama and samadhi. All these transformative actions are based on discipline and control of human emotions. In ‘yama’, the individual restrains from all sorts of unethical and inhuman activities such as violence, covertness, greediness and strictly adheres to chastity, truthfulness and selflessness (Feuerstein, 40). The ‘niyama’ refers to specific lifestyle that is devoted to the Almighty through practices such as purity, contentment, self-study and devotion. Raja Yoga also teaches practices such as postures for meditation, breath control, sensory inhibition, concentration, and meditation; these practices have the yogic bearing in contemporary world. However, the actual essence of these practices is embedded in spiritual sense that, somehow, helps in achieving psychological and physiological wellbeing. The last one is samadhi, which refers to the state of elation through meditation and realization. All these practices together help the human being to rise from state of confusion, illness, and imbalance to a state of utmost happiness through progressive and disciplined practice of all these transformative actions. 3.5. Hatha Yoga: ‘Hatha’ in Sanskrit means ‘force.’ Here, force is used on the body to achieve the balance by releasing stress and other blockages. Hatha also means combination of the sun and the moon, which indicates a combination of the contracting and expanding energies. Hatha yoga uses force to work on these two energy forms within the body to release physical and psychological tension and stress. Different postures (asanas) are used to release the tension and build strength and endurance, which relaxes the body and the mind. In turn, this increases self knowledge and self confidence, thereby uniting with one’s innate power (Norberg & Lundberg). The Hatha Yoga is essentially a type of Raja Yoga because this yoga involves practicing different postures and breathing patterns to achieve physical and psychological wellbeing. Hatha yoga involves cleansing of all body parts through various work out regimes. In addition, Feuerstein states, “this yoga also involves different regimes to correct the sensory organs of the body through which life force (prana) circulates” (p.42). Hatha yoga is more aimed towards improving strength, health and endurance rather than emotional liberation. 3.6. Kundalini Yoga: Also known as the yoga of awareness, Kundalini yoga deals with life force (prana) which is life energy. This is mainly practiced to achieve peace and cope with stress. This yoga prepares the body to energize or excite the ‘Kundalini’ within the body, which refers to the psychic nerve center at the base of the spine; it results in powerful cleansing of the whole system by removing negative energies blocked within the body. Energies are produced in chakras (energy centers) and passed through meridians (pathways), which need to be cleansed periodically to remove blockages and allow dynamic energy to flow freely throughout the body (Datta, 10). This energy stimulation starts from the base of the spine where the Kundalini is situated, and above it are six other centers, called chakras. Numerous kriyas or actions have been formulated, which in conjunction with chanting help in stimulation of the Kundalini and other chakras. The chanting of specific Sanskrit versus produces rhythmic vibrations that enhance the stimulation activity, which forms the most powerful aspect of Kundalini Yoga (Datta, 12). This stimulation of the Kundalini and other chakras produces force/energy, which improves concentration, memory, circulation and mental awareness. 4. Advantages and limitations: Essentially, all forms of yoga are meant to achieve a balance between the physical, mental and emotional being within the body through systematic actions and focus. Evidences show that practicing yoga has helped in this achievement to a large extent. In contemporary times, the word yoga is literally used to mean transformative actions through bodily movements, breathing patterns and meditation. The contemporary lifestyle, which invites stress, agony, competition and unhealthy living, necessitates yoga as a part of life. Practicing yoga under experienced supervision can yield great health benefits, better living and healthy relationships. However, these benefits are limited to Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga through actions. It is difficult to understand and imbibe the exact essence of Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga. 5. Practical applications and recommendations Practical application of Raja, Hatha and Kundalini Yoga for better health is possible through appropriate training and supervision. However, one has to acquire the ability to practice Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga, which are extremely difficult. For instance, Karma Yoga is highly challenging in the present world that is filled with rivals, challenges, competition etc. Secondly, vastly spreading knowledge and information could be a hindrance for one to understand and practice Jnana and Bhakti Yoga in their actual forms. For this, it is important for one to understand the roots of these yoga forms, which would also mean a better understanding of the Hindu religion, the Bhagavad-Gita etc. Moreover, practicing these yoga forms requires complete renunciation of worldly pleasures and dedication to God. Without proper understanding, any yoga form can only create confusion and stress instead of psychological and physiological liberation. Different forms of yoga serve different functions. Yoga should be practiced only after acquiring complete understanding and under good supervision, with discipline and dedication. 6. Conclusions To conclude, Yoga is a major part of Hinduism, which teaches specific practices and disciplines about the way of life. It is a powerful school of practice that can liberate one from mental misery, physiological dysfunction and emotional stress. Yoga helps in improving knowledge of the human being and his/her relation to the world and the God. By practicing yoga, one can achieve a perfect balance between the mind, body and soul, and thereby acquire better understanding of oneself. Different forms of yoga serve different functions and each of these forms provides direction towards health and wellbeing, humanity, devotion, knowledge, self-liberation and self-realization, and salvation. Therefore, Yoga can be an effective method not only to help liberation from physical and psychological misery, but also to understand the root causes of these miseries. Works Cited Crangle, Edward Fitzpatrick. The origin and development of early Indian contemplative Practices. Germany: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, 1994. Print. Datta, Siri. Open Your Heart with Kundalini Yoga. East Lothian: Scorprint, 2008 Print. Feuerstein, Georg. The deeper dimension of Yoga: theory and practice. Massachusetts: Shambhala Publications, 2003. ebooks on Googlebooks. Web 30 Oct 2011. Norberg, Ulrica and Andreas Lundberg. Hatha Yoga: The Body's Path to Balance, Focus, and Strength. New York: Skyhorse Publishing Inc., 2008. ebooks on Googlebooks. Web 30 Oct 2011. Robinson, James B. Hinduism. USA: Chelsea House Publishers, 2004. Print. Singh, Jaideva. Vijnanabhairava, or Divine consciousness: a treasury of 112 types of yoga. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1979. Print. Wilcockson, Michael. A Student's Guide to A2 Religious Studies for the OCR Specification. London: Rhinegold Publishing Ltd, 2003. Ebooks on Googlebooks Web 31 Oct 2011. Read More