If you practice all the yogas you will reach a state where the mind won't disturb the consciousness.
Michael Singer
The above line spoken by Michael Singer echos Patanjali's ancient teaching:
If you can control the rising of the mind into ripples, you will experience Yoga."
What are those yogas starting from the most exterior to the deepest?
- Hatha yoga
- Karma Yoga
- bhakti Yoga or Jnana
- Jnana Yoga or bhakti
- Raja ( Samadhi)
Hatha Yoga: I have been practicing and teaching hatha yoga for many years. It does amazing things for body and mind...increasing flexibility of both mind and body, openening up the energy channels in invisible ways and creatng a certain peace other exercise routines do not.
Karma yoga is working for selfless service...every act you are doing can be an act of selfless service...I find myself practicing karma yoga more and more. The writing of this little book was such a sweet and unexpected expression of this yoga that took me beyond myself. It kept me so busy, so much work, but there was so little me in it...it felt freeing. I was not sure where it was going to go and what would happen to it as I was working on it. I was not attached to the fruits of my action. That is karma yoga. I have yet to master karma yoga though because I realize when it comes to submitting and publishing..the "me" pops back up. Sigh!
Bhakti yoga: The yoga of the heart...or devotional yoga is sweet. It is being in love with that unseen Source beyond everything. The more I use my mind and study as in Jnana yoga ...the more this love develops and the more it develops the less I need my mind. Jnana yoga is using the intellect to get beyond self. Both Jnana and Bhakti seem to go together.
Raja Yoga: takes us to Samadhi, the highest yoga, which is merger with this SOurce of everything. Though I am not actively trying to get there...I am opening and releasing this veil of "me" that is in the way more and more everyday...so who knows...maybe someday this incarnation will experience true Sat Chit Ananda.
Regardless, if I ever get close to Samadhi or not...I do want this "me" out of the way and I guess that intention alone makes me a yogi.
What about you? Where do you fit in as a yogi?
All is well in my world.
Michael/A. Singer/ Temple of the Universe ( August 1, 2024) Exploring the Paths of Yoga. https://tou.org/talks/
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