Types of YOGA

Teachers Training Course

References –
Meditations– Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Raja Yoga – Swami Vivekananda
Karma Yoga – “Bhagwat Geeta” original script, Swami Vivekananda, Swami
Satyananda
Kunadalini Tantra – Swami Satyananda, “Gheranda Sanhimta” original script
Kriya Yoga – Swami Satyananda, “Patanjal Yoga Sutra” original script
 Yoga
• Yoga – “YUJ” means to Join
– Yoga means to join individual (“Jivatma”) with
supreme consciousness.
• “SAMATVAM YOGA UCHYATE” – yoga is
balance. Bhagwad Gita
• “YOGA KARMASU KAUSHALAM” – yoga
is skilled action. Bhagwad Gita
• Yoga is Union between “Purush & Prakriti”
/ “Shiva & Shakti” / Realizing “Bramhan”
 Yoga - Importance
• Yoga shows the pathway to self realization
• Yoga is practical approach to achieving
ultimate goal of life.
• Yoga alleviates man’s sufferings
• Yoga is a science of personality
development
 Types of Yoga
• Ashtanga Yoga – Discipline of Mind
• Hatha Yoga – Discipline of Body and Prana
• Bhakti Yoga – Discipline of Emotions
• Karma Yoga – Discipline of Actions
• Gyan Yoga – Discipline of Intellect
Tantra –
• Mantra Yoga
• Kundalini Yoga
• Swara Yoga, Nada yoga, Laya yoga etc.
 Patanjal Yoga / Raja Yoga
• Yama
• Niyama
• Asana
• Pranayama
• Pratyahara
• Dharana
• Dhyan
• Samadhi
 Hatha Yoga
• Ha (PINGALA nadi) + Tha (IDA nadi)
• Balanced Prana in both – rise of Kundalini
• Hatha yoga practices stimulate the chakras
• Shatkarmas (6 types), Asanas, Pranayama,
Mudra & Bandha
• Manipulation of different forces, Prana (5 types)
leading to higher states of mind
• Balance between sympathetic nervous system &
parasympathetic nervous system
 Bhakti Yoga
• Yoga of Devotion / LOVE
– Object of Faith
– Complete Surrender
– Release of Emotional energy
• Methods of Bhakti
– “Shravan” – hearing, “Namsankirtan” - chanting, “Smaran”-
remembering, “Bandhan” – attaching the self, “Archan” –
surrender of the self
• State of Meditation
– Continuous thinking of Object of faith or God or Guru
– Concentrated mind on the object
– Losing self identity in the object
• Easiest but most powerful Yoga
• No preparation, no constraints, no entry barriers
 Karma Yoga
• Karma Yoga – Described in “Bhagwat Geeta”- It
is the dialog between Lord Krishna and King
Arjuna
• Karma yoga – work with awareness but without
attachment to fruits or outcome of it.
• One loses identity & becomes a mere instrument
of the supreme consciousness
• Individual becomes expert & efficient in his work.
• Develops faculty of concentration, will power
• Selfless Work – forces inner conflicts, desires on
the surface and cleaning takes place.
 Karma Yoga Contd.
• “The world is imprisoned in its own activity
except when actions are performed as
worship of GOD. So you must perform
every action sacramentally and be free of
your attachments to the results.”
 TANTRA Yoga
• WHAT IS TANTRA? Tan – expansion , tra – Liberation
• Tantra means expansion of awareness and liberation of
energy
• Awakening of energy (Shakti) and taking it to meet
consciousness (Shiva) (Union of Shiva & Shakti)
– RIGHT HAND TANTRA
• MANTRA YOGA
• KRIYA YOGA
• HATHA YOGA
• KUNDALINI YOGA
– LEFT HAND TANTRA
• USE OF LIQUOR, MEAT SEX ETC.
• BLACK MAGIC
• EVIL TECHNIQUES
• VASHIKARAN, KARANI
 Yoga - Need
• Bhakti Yoga – Purifying Emotions / passions (Emotional
personality)
• Karma Yoga – Dynamic Self for actions (Dynamic
personality)
• Raja Yoga / Patanjal Yoga / Hatha Yoga – Healthy body
and mind
• Mantra Yoga – Developing power of concentration
• Gyan Yoga – Knowledge of supreme. (Rational
personality)
• Tantra – Swara, Nada, Kundalini yoga – Knowledge of
various aspects of human existence