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RACHEL BLACKMAN
Yoga Instructor |
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| The 8 Kinds Of Yoga (Part 3 Of 3) |
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Welcome to the final entry of the 3 part series discussing the eight kinds of yoga.
This week, I will focus on Laya Yoga, and Jnana Yoga.
Have a joyous week, and thank you for reading!
Laya Yoga is an ancient form of meditation, with concentration on energy centers called the chakras. There are five main energy centers along the human spine and two in the head. |
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| Chakra one (root) is at the base of the spine and is associated with survival. Chakra two (sacral) is in the lower abdomen and relates to emotions and sexuality. Chakra three (solar) is in the solar plexus, associated with power and will. Chakra four (heart) is just over the sternum and is concerned with love and balance. Chakra five (throat) is in the throat, associated with communication and creativity. Chakra Six (third eye) is at the centre of the forehead, addressing intuition and imagination. Chakra seven (crown) is at the top of the head and relate to knowledge and understanding. Laya Yoga attempts to locate these energy centers and channelize them through meditation, awakening Kundalini power. Kundalini is the coiled up energy at the base of the spine, that when activated will move upwards and immerse in the crown chakra. By practicing Laya Yoga, you are locating and re-absorbing all the energies and forces within you, achieving supreme consciousness. A variety of asanas and pranayamas are used to awaken the Kundalini. A yogi should have a heightened understanding of the other kinds of yoga before he or she attempts Laya Yoga. |
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| According to the philosophy of Jnana Yoga, all hat one needs to know and understand for a meaningful life is actually present within. Jnana Yoga is the path of yoga following the wisdom of divine intelligence. It looks into the truth about the person’s inner reality and what the person is experiencing. The full realisation of this truth brings about enlightenment – the ultimate aim of any yogi. By practicing Jnana Yoga, the yogi will be able to tell the difference between what is real, and what is unreal, and detach him or herself from everything that is temporary. Remember, life continually moves forward and nothing ever stays the same. The only thing that remains constant and unchanged is a person’s soul. Techniques included in Jnana Yoga include self-inquiry reflection and examination to discriminate between what is real and what is unreal.
You may have realised from this article that each kind of yoga is interlinked and is practiced or achieved with the partnership of another. In unification, the eight yoga's provide a truthful identify of your Self and reality. Once you realise these truths, you will know what experiences, people, and beliefs are detrimental to your life. This modification can be daunting at first because you may be attached to a particular lifestyle and giving that up could be a huge risk in your mind. Relinquishing this attachment or control is the first step. Then, as you go onto practicing the eight kinds of yoga daily, you will learn to trust your Self and attract everything you need for a fruitful and joyful life.
I tried to give an overview of the kinds of yoga. Obviously, there is a lot more easily accessible information about each, outlining in more detail the methods of practicing them. Different forms of meditation are key to each of the kinds of yoga, and will be the topic I discuss in my next article!
I wish you a beautiful 2010 - filled with love, happiness and friendships.
Love alwasys, Rachel |
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