There are various paths of Yog that lead toward this goal, each one a specialized branch of one comprehensive system. Some of the popular forms of Yog are:
Hatha Yog — a system of physical postures, or aasans, whose higher purpose is to purify the body, giving one awareness and control over its internal states and rendering it fit for meditation.
Karma Yog — selfless service to others as part of one’s larger Self, without attachment to the results; and the performance of all actions with the consciousness of God as the Doer.
Mantra Yog — centering the consciousness within through japa or the repetition of certain universal root-word sounds representing a particular aspect of Spirit.
Bhakti Yog — all-surrendering devotion through which one strives to see and love the divinity in every creature and in everything, thus maintaining an unceasing worship.
Gyana (Jnana) Yog — It is the path of wisdom, which emphasizes the application of discriminative intelligence to achieve spiritual liberation.
Raja Yog — the royal or highest path of Yog, immortalized by Lord Shree Krishna in the Bhagwad Geeta and formally systematized in the second century B.C. by the Indian Sage Patanjali, which combines the essence of all the other paths.
Sage Patanjali prescribes adherence to eight “limbs” or steps (the sum of which constitute “Ashtanga (Eight-part) Yog“) to quiet one’s mind and achieve “kaivalya” which literally means “isolation“, but as used in the Sutras, stands for emancipation, liberation and used interchangeably with moksha (liberation), which is the goal of Yog. These Sutras not only provide Yog with a thorough and consistent philosophical basis, they also clarify many important esoteric concepts which are common to all traditions of Indian thought, such as karma.
Sage Patanjali’s eight steps to achieve this experience are called “Ashtanga Yog”.
The Ashtanga Yog consists of the following eight limbs:
The first five are called external aids to Yog (bahiranga sadhana), which one has to do, using his body or the five sensual organs.
Yama
It means self-restraint, self-control and discipline. The yamas comprise the “shall-not” in our dealings with the external world. Ten yamas are codified as “the restraints” in numerous scriptures including the Shandilya and Varaha Upanishads, the Hatha Yog Pradipika etc.but, Patanjali lists only five yamas in his Yog Sutras.
Ten Traditional yamas are:
1. Ahimsa: Nonviolence. Abstinence from injury that arises out of love for all, harmlessness, the not causing of pain to any living creature in thought, word, or deed at any time.
2. Satya: truthfulness, word and thought in conformity with the facts, honesty. Ahimsa and Satya are the “main” Yama. The other eight are there in support of its accomplishment.
3. Asteya: non-stealing, non-coveting, non-entering into debt.
4. Brahmacharya: being constantly aware of the universe, immersed in divinity, divine conduct, continence, celibate when single, faithfulness when married.
5. Kshama: patience, releasing time functioning in the now.
6. Dhriti: steadfastness, overcoming non-perseverance, fear, and indecision; seeing each task through to completion.
7. Daya: compassion; conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings toward all beings.
8. Arjava: honesty, straightforwardness, renouncing deception and wrongdoing.
9. Mitahara: moderate appetite, neither eating too much nor too little; nor consuming meat, fish, shellfish, fowl or eggs.
10. Shaucha: purity, avoidance of impurity in body, mind and speech. (Note: Patanjali’s Yog Sutras list Shaucha as the first of the Niyamas.)
Whereas, In the Yog Sutras of Patanjali, he has the following five yamas comprise the first limb of the eight limbs of Raja Yog. They are stated in the Sadhana Pada Verse 30 as:
1. Ahimsa: non-violence, inflicting no injury or harm to others or even to one’s own self, it goes as far as nonviolence in thought, word and deed.
2. Satya: benevolent truth, absence of falsehood, non-illusion; truth in word and thought.
3. Asteya: non-covetousness, to the extent that one should not even desire something that is not his own; non-stealing.
4. Brahmacharya: spiritual advancement by education and training, responsible behavior with respect to our goal of moving toward the truth. It suggests that we should form relationships that foster our understanding of the highest truths. “Practicing brahmacharya means that we use our sexual energy to regenerate our connection to our spiritual self. It also means that we don’t use this energy in any way that might harm others.” Some traditions associate brahmacharya with celibacy. Abstinence, particularly, in the case of sexual activity.
5. Aparigraha: non-appropriation, non-possessiveness; non-hoarding, absence of avarice.
The importance of Yamas: In Raja Yog, observance of the abstinences, or yamas, help attain a healthy mind and body. As Hatha Yog is the yog for attaining control over the mortal body, the yamas (together with the niyamas) are its essential first two steps. Further, the Patanjali text states that it is not enough to observe them for their individual ends (i.e. eradication of hostility, conquering self, etc.); one must follow them without a desire for any end goals. The secret to attainment of these is to harness the mind into thinking of the opposite of the element one needs to overcome.
Niyam
In numerous scriptures including the Shandilya and Varuha Upanishads, Hatha Yog Pradipika and the Yog Sutras of Patanjali, a set of prescribed actions are codified as niyamas, observances, requirements and obligations. In the above texts, these are ten in number, except in Patanjali’s work, which lists only five. These niyamas comprise the “should-do” in our dealings with the inner world.
The ten traditional Niyams are:
1. Hri: remorse, being modest and showing shame for misdeeds;
2. Santosha: contentment; being satisfied with the resources at hand - therefore not desiring more;
3. Dana: giving, without thought of reward;
4. Astikya: faith, believing firmly in the teacher, the teachings and the path to enlightenment;
5. Ishvarapujanam: worship of the Lord, the cultivation of devotion through daily worship and meditation, the return to the source;
6. Siddhanta shravana: scriptural listening, studying the teachings and listening to the wise of one’s lineage;
7. Mati: cognition, developing a spiritual will and intellect with the guru’s guidance;
8. Vrata: sacred vows, fulfilling religious vows, rules and observances faithfully;
9. Japa: recitation, chanting mantras daily;
10. Tapas: the endurance of the opposites; hunger and fullness, thirsty and quenched, hot and cold, standing and sitting etc.
Niyamas of Patanjali: In Patanjali’s Yog Sutras, the Niyama refers to the five observances: how we relate to ourselves, the inner world. Niyamas are the second limb of the eight limbs of Raja Yog. They are found in the Sadhana Pada Verse 32 as:
1. Shaucha: cleanliness of thought, mind and body. Traditionally, this item is listed under Yama; this word means purity.
2. Santosha: happy satisfaction; satisfied with what one has; good contentment.
3. Tapas: spiritual effort; austerity