Taming the Mind
Taming the Mind: The Yoga of MeditationCatherine Pelayo
Phil 210, Section 1004
October 11. 2018
Taming the Mind: The Yoga of Meditation
There are various types of yoga in Hinduism such as Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga, and Raja yoga. Yoga of Meditation is the most important contribution of Hinduism to the modern world. Most of the practitioners of Yoga do not focus exclusively on one type of yoga, but they practice all four types of Yoga that is more appropriate. An individual chooses her or his way of balancing these types of Yoga. In this paper, I will be addressing that one of the yoga’s focuses on one specific topic, but that does not mean one is greater than or more important than another because they are all unique and true to their purpose and used.
The Yoga of Action (Karma)
The karma yoga is a kind of yoga that mostly pursues to face the issue of ignorance by eliminating the ego. This yoga believes that an individual’s ego is the main troublemaker. Due to ignorance, an individual personality can hold them to the world through attachment, therefore, making a dreamland of separate existence that denies the privileges of the others. Through yoga, the ego can be changed to become friendly. A practitioner of Karma-yoga executes his or her actions by giving an offering of them to the fire of one’s knowledge. To become non-attached, those people who do not believe in God have to work with their determination and the authorities of their mind believing they should be non-attached. Lastly, for those individuals who believe in God, they should give up the results of their effort to God while feeling free to the outcomes.
The Yoga of Devotion (Bhakti)
Bhakti yoga is mostly concerned with love believing it is the most significant highest primary human emotion. Love is exquisitely inspired in its original form, but due to ego, it becomes selfish. Bad personality creates anger, jealousy, and greed. Bhakti-yoga suggests that we should cleanse our egocentric self-love by only allowing good thoughts to our mind and directing all our love and emotions unto the Lord. The only way to have holy ideas in our mind is by praying, having ceremonial worship, talking about sacred words, keeping holy company, and reading Holy Scriptures. By having the holy thoughts, it usually removes unholy and impure thoughts.
The Yoga of Knowledge (Jnana)
Jnana yoga suggests that the darkness of unawareness can only be dismissed by the light of wisdom. According to this yoga, knowledge has two features that include fire and light. The fire of information burns all the scums of our mind and information informs our inner awareness. Self-wisdom requires the practice of taste among the real and unreal, rejection of all wishes, control of the senses, and a strong longing for self-wisdom. The sole purpose of jnana-yoga is to show the practitioner that is main uniqueness is the self. Therefore, hearing, thinking, and contemplating on the self, the mind slowly understands that the self is the one reality in the world and the rest is dreamlike.
The Yoga of Meditation (Raja).
Raja yoga mainly pursues to achieve the divine by lighting the flame of the wisdom of the self within. To achieve self-knowledge raja-yoga suggest on to grow strong determination by persistent practices of attentiveness and meditation on oneself by the control of breath, asana, and posture. Mostly, raja-yoga suggest that the mind is too feeble and depraved to use the path of reason. Therefore, the yoga practitioner is required to challenge the deep-rooted propensities of the attention by cultivating one thought evocative of the divine.
Reactions
I personally believe that practicing these yoga results in many improvements to your mind, spirit, body, and it gives you the means to live a better life. Also, helps you to avoid pains and aches. I selected this topic is because yoga interests me and I want a deeper understanding about it. I learned that yoga can be described as a divine journey to experience and unite one with the Brahman by balancing body and minds.
Conclusion
Even though each kind of yoga is meant for someone’s particular path, one must not restrict himself to one particular part of yoga. Rather, they must incorporate all types together that will help achieve the objective of Brahman. One of the novel elements of Hinduism is that there are various way to achieve similar objectives. Essentially to accomplish full union with God one must be appropriate in every feature of each part of the four yoga paths to genuinely achieve the principle objective. This to me signifies that doing the daily ritual of Yoga and really giving your all into it helps you to not only get rid of all the bad habits, but also form a union with God and ultimately achieving the final goal of Brahman.
References
BIBLIOGRAPHY Last Name, F. M. (Year). Article Title. Journal Title, Pages From – To.
Last Name, F. M. (Year). Book Title. City Name: Publisher Name.
