Yoga Postures, Meditation and Yoga DVDs

This is part two of a two part article. You can find part one here.

The ancient yogis experimented with various techniques to achieve spiritual union or samadhi. They kept meticulous notes on what worked and what did not work to complete the path. We are graced with the scripture these scientist left behind to help guide us.

Hatha yoga is composed of five steps that were outlined in part one. The purpose of hatha yoga is to take the seeker to raja yoga also called royal yoga, the second main stage of yoga. Raja yoga has to do with Enlightenment and complete realization of Truth.

Everything in yoga can be understood at different levels. In our regular lives, raja yoga can be  looked at as gaining understanding of the world, learning, focusing attention, understanding self, concentration, develop single-mindedness and so on.

Raja yoga has three steps, concentration, meditation and absorption. Learning a difficult subject but enjoyed is an excellent example of the stages of raja yoga.

Concentration must be developed when a challenging subject is studied. At first, it is necessary to continually pull the attention back to the subject. It’s like strengtening a muscle, the more it’s done, the more concentration ability is developed. 

Eventually, distractions are not only ignored, but concentration is so strong that it is almost impossible to break in on one so engaged. Meditation is a focus that is so strong that virtually nothing can break it. 

When meditating on the truth of some subject in this way, a shift can happen. It is as though a light is turned on, something is known that was previously unknown. It could be understanding a poem, solving an intricate math problem, or understanding a process such as writing. If unbroken attention is focused long enough, the hidden becomes obvious. 

The same is used when seeking spiritual Truth. In enlightenment meditation the primary concentration walker mowers for sale of attention is on self. As practice begins the attention wonders often. Eventually, as meditation sets in, there is nothing but being with oneself. Finally the viewer absorbs into the viewed, a merging occurs in a timeless moment where there is nothing but Union with Self. 

Enlightenment is actually an after experience. The sanskrit word for enlightenment, anubhava, means after experience. The first experience after the moment of union is the knowledge brought back. Whatever it is, it will be wrapped up in true knowledge of Self. 

This process takes considerably longer than scholastic learning, but the steps are the same. And, a deep level of Self enlightenment can easily be achieved within a lifetime if the seeker is sincere. 

By comparison, the deepest path of yoga takes lifetimes. The Union sought by this type of yogi is permanent union with all that is, the point where Self and the Absolute are the same. This is the end of the path of yoga, but all stages are necessary. 

The royal path of yoga, concentration, meditation and absorption takes the seeker from knowledge to enlightenment, and finally to full union with the Divine. The path is long but wide as the many travelers carve their own particular way. But, the basics haven’t changed in many thousands of years.