Yoga Systems

In a previous Blog I wrote about how my Hatha Yoga was taking a backseat to my Yoga Running. The average reader has probably never been introduced to Yoga running and thinks of yoga as an activity that involves stretching. This is a limited view of yoga and without some knowledge of yoga, how would anyone know? The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj which means to yoke. Visualize two oxen pulling a plow—the thing connecting the two of them is called a yoke. The word yoga means two forces working together to create a singular action.

Classically you have 6 major systems of yoga

1. Hatha Yoga—yoking physical postures (asana) and breathing techniques (pranayama)
2. Karma Yoga—yoking our actions with the benefit of others
3. Bhakti Yoga—yoking our life with God through devotion
4. Raja Yoga—Royal path or the Eight Fold Path. Path outlines guidelines for yoking our life with God
5. Jnana Yoga—the study of scriptures in the pursuit to attain more knowledge helping us come to a greater awareness of God
6. Kriya Yoga—is a complete system covering a wide range of techniques, including mantras and techniques of meditation for control of the life-force, bringing calmness and control of both body and mind.

From a contemporary standpoint, most serious yoga practitioners are practicing all six systems. In the west most of us come to the yoga practice via Hatha Yoga—as we stick with the practice we become curious and start reading yoga books. Now we are practicing Jnana yoga. Through the process of gaining knowledge we become more aware of where we are creating stress in our lives and the lives of those around us. In this stage we are practicing Raja Yoga. As we refine our lives we become more conscious of the seeds we are planting through our words and actions. Now we begin practicing Karma Yoga. We discover that the true purpose of Hatha Yoga is to sit in meditation and come into deeper levels of stillness. We are now practicing Kriya Yoga. Finally we begin to contemplate the face of God and what God means to us. The veil of egotism begins to lift and Bhakti Yoga becomes a moment to moment practice.

While it seems like I am suggesting that this is a linear progression, it is not at all. This is a 360 degree dynamic process that keeps unfolding and unwinding within us and around us. Yoga is something we do—it is also something that we are. As we begin to understand the profundity of this ancient science it becomes evident that yoga is our birthright all aspects of life can be yoga. When I am running if I maintain awareness of my mind and body then running takes on the traits of yoga. For me this is changing my relationship with running.