The four major traditional branches of yoga.

Many branches of yoga have been formed and beneath each branch many sects. In yogic philosophy it is said that each path of yoga leads us back to the true self. In yoga we believe that this “true self” in our purest truest form we are all inherently good, balanced and full of love. Life however taints us through struggles, experiences, lessons and traumas. In my experience we all have to keep coming back time and time again to the inner peace and focusing on love and kindness.

You don’t need to choose one specific path of yoga but through our lifelong study we can find one path resonates more or less at different times in life.

Karma Yoga: The Path of Action or Selfless Service 

Actions done without thought of reward, or in order to help others are considered karma yoga. Karma yoga also infers an understanding of the law of karma, everything we do has a ripple effect, either positive or negative. 

Practise karma yoga by offering help, time and/or energy to others without requiring anything in exchange. 

Bhakti Yoga: The Path of Devotion 

Includes all heart centred and emotional practises, prayer, chanting, dancing, art and the making of offerings fruit, incense & flowers. A fundamental emotional and heartfelt relationship with the divine. You can practise this by lighting candles, burning incense, place flowers, sit, meditate and focus on things you are grateful for. 

Jnana Yoga: The Yoga of Wisdom, Knowledge and Insight 

Approaching yoga through intellectual understanding, contemplation and self study, studying scriptures. Also known as vedanta & based in the philosophy of non-dualism. 

To practise try to apply discriminative wisdom to every situation in life, the texts that make up vedanta are many but the main ones are The Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita and The Bhakti Sutras.

Raja Yoga: The Royal Path, Pantanjali’s Eight Limb Path, The Path of Meditation 

Comprehensive path consisting of Yoga ethics and the preparations and stages to enable one to meditate successfully. Eventually reaching a point of union and enlightenment.

The Eight Limbs: 

Yamas - ethical restraints 

Niyamas - observances 

Asanas - physical postures 

Pranayamas - extension of life force energy 

Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses, focused inwardly 

Dharana - concentration 

Dhyana - meditation 

Samadhi - enlightenment; union with the universal spirit