Yoga is a search for inner peace through control over the mind and body.

Jill Lonoth

Yoga is nothing but the collaboration of two entities, Jivatma and Paramatma. It implies the combination of individual consciousness (Jivatma) and Ishwar-universal consciousness (Paramatma). It basically deals with practices designed to discover inner peace. They aim at gaining control over the mind and nurturing peace in it.

There are various forms of Yoga, including Gyan or J˝ana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga. These are the three types of Yoga as depicted in Shrimad Bhagwad Gita. Yoga is simply a type of meditation: it's finding yourself and connecting your inner soul with that of the universe, or God.

To give you a brief idea about all the three Yoga forms:

  • Gyan or J˝ana Yoga is known as the yoga of knowledge.
  • Bhakti Yoga is known as the yoga of devotion.
  • Karma Yoga is known as the yoga of action.

All of these forms are essential and form a basis for yoga as a whole. However, my favourite form of Yoga is the Gnan or J˝ana Yoga. J˝ana in Devanagari means "knowledge."

As said in the Bhagwad Gita, it consists of a proper understanding of our body and soul. Hence, if we acknowledge  the activity of the mind and the soul, and can understand the difference between the two, we are worthy of learning Gyan or J˝ana Yoga.

This form of Yoga involves listening to scriptures and gurus. (It is not necessary, as per Hindu mythology, that we consider only a human being as a mentor. A scripture can also be a mentor.)

Hence, Gyan Yoga is a path for achieveing salvation. It is that bridge which connects you and God by crossing the layer of ignorance that exists between you and Him. When you start implementing J˝ana Yoga or Gyan Yoga, you start becoming wiser and more self-conscious.

This form of Yoga teaches us four means to achieve salvation:

Viveka, which means Discimination. It is the ability to differentiate real and the unreal. It is basically realizing the difference between Bramhan and everything else in the universe. It is believed that Bramhan is a permanent source of energy.

Vairagya, which means Dispassion. It means that after good deeds have been done, one needs to detatch himself from what is temporary.

Shah-sampat, which means the Six Golden Virtues.

  • Sama: control of the mind
  • Dama: control of the senses
  • Uparati: renunciation of activities
  • Titiksha: endurance,
  • Shraddha: faith
  • Samadhana: perfect concentration.

Mumukshutva, which means liberation from suffering

J˝ana Yoga can be compared to space inside and outside of the room. They are same, but we feel that they are different. Once the walls of Ignorance go down, the picture becomes very clear. This is the essence of Gyan Yoga, the attainment of knowledge.

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Tags: Bhagwad, Bhakti, Gita, Gyan, Jivatma, Karma, Paramatma, Shrimad, Yoga

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