I was perusing through Swadharma’s vast collection of posts from its wide range of authors when I found a post called the ‘Intersection of the Four Yogas’. Sonali states how each of the four yogas is a separate path to the same goal, which is, of course, oneness with God. However, I’d like to kind partially disagree with that statement. Although I agree that each yoga provides for a different method of worshiping God, I feel that the four yogas work together to spiritually uplift the yogi, or the person practicing the yogas. Putting it plainly, how can one perform selfless service (Karma Yoga) without having discipline (Raja Yoga), devotion (Bhakti Yoga) and knowledge (Jnana Yoga)?
This makes life a tad bit easier for those of us that are enamoured by more than one of the four yogas. I, for one, am very much interested by Karma Yoga and the selfless service that I am able to perform while practicing that yoga. At the same time, I truly enjoy the aspect of Bhakti Yoga where I am singing and getting lost in the bhajans and other songs in the name of God.
At the end of her post, Sonali wrote:
…this way, people can choose a path based on what fits them most! … Vedanta seems to give every individual the chance to excel in a chosen path — forcing us to follow the path of another will simply hinder our progress. This, is the idea of swadharma — to each, his own.
I completely agree with that. I’d like to simply add on that although one may choose one of the yogas as their main path, he or she will still inevitably practice the other yogas. The importance one gives to each yoga may vary as time progresses, but the four yogas will remain constant.
Related posts:
Post a Comment