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Yoga

All yoga is meditation! Each builds on the other and is a path to the Self.

BhaktiKarmaRajaJnanaSattvaRajasTamasSamadhiDhyanaDharanaPratyaharaPranayamaAsanaNiyamaYamaSelflessSelfishAtmanivedanamSakhyamDasyamVandanamArchanamPadasevanamSmaranamKirtanamShravanamAdvaitaVishishtadvaitaDvaita

The way I have the Four Yogas above are a path from worldly to pure consciousness The scriptures say any of these yogas are a path and mixture is not necessary. However, being the goal oriented person I am I do think that each path builds on the other and are complementary for the most part.

The Five Yogas are:

  1. Karma: Selfless Work
  2. Bhakti: Devotion
  3. Raja: Meditation
  4. Jnana: Self-Knowledge

I am by no means anywhere near to understanding Jnana Yoga, Bkakti I am still working on, and Karma is a work in progress and my Raja I go off into tangents. But I think that is sort of the point. This will take lifetimes to perfect and I by no means think I am any sort of sage. But I do know that I find myself becoming happier and more content as I at least attempt to follow this path. It brings a sense of purpose and direction I can go towards and which I can orient my life around.

Each of these yogas are built on the gunas. The gunas are sattva, rajas, and tamas. We all start at a Selfish Karma Yoga state of being. I mean even starting Yoga at the start a selfish act. This is a tamasic state of being. As we progress we try to move towards a sattvic state of being. This means following the tenants of each yoga and correcting our actions.

Routine​

The path of yoga seemms to be a path of living intentionally. This means every minute counts and using those minutes to the fullest. In this regard I am trying to live in 30 minute time chunks that repeat daily (even on weekends). Each 30 minutes is a yoga and in iteself a meditation:

  • Start each session with a prayer.
  • Do the task at hand with full attention.
  • If the task is completed, read, don't waste time on social media, etc.

I have found that creates more time, and reduces stress and anxiety significantly since I can focus on the task at hand when it happens. However, since I run a DevOps company interruptions are inevitable but the goal is that the routine itself is a meditation and that I can return to it after the interruption. On days with no interruptions I have a playbook to follow.

Karma​

  • One task at a time with full attention.
  • Ask: Is this task selfish?

Bhakti​

  • Continuous Japa.

Raja​

  • Reflect on Eight Limbs before the start of each 30 minute block.
  • Asana: Good diet and exercise daily

Jnana​

  • One text at a time.

Notes​

  • Should I follow this path? No! I am not a guru, I am not a teacher. This is a personal journey and I constructed a path that is likely flawed.