Vajrasana

Asana: Vajra – asana
Posture: Vajra-asana - The Thunderbolt or Diamond Pose
Translation: The Sanskrit word vajra means thunderbolt or diamond.
Pronunciation: vuh-drah-sa-na
Difficulty: 2

Instructions:

1. The vajra-asana is a seated posture. Begin by sitting back on your heels and placing your knees, legs and feet together.


2. Keeping the back straight place the palms of your hands down on top of your thights.


3. Breath gently thorugh your nostrils and sit in this position for at least three minutes.
   

Comments:

1. The vajra-asana is a versatile posture well suited for meditation, rest in between other seated postures, oras an aid to digestion.


2. The vajra-asana is the position in various other yoga postures such as the anjaneya-asana (salutation posture) and the ushtra-asana (the camel).

Duration/Repetitions: The vajra-asana can be held for as long as is comfortable (and depending on the reason for doing the posture).

Yoga - Step by Step Procedure!

1. Vajrasana
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Kriya Yoga

"Kriya, controlling the mind directly through the life force, is the
easiest, most effective, and most scientific avenue of approach to the Infinite.
In contrast to the slow, uncertain “bullock cart” theological path to God, Kriya
may justly be called the “airplane” route."
—Paramhansa Yogananda

Kriya Yoga is a meditation technique that quickly accelerates one's spiritual growth. Kriya is the most effective technique for reaching the goal of Yoga: union with the Divine.

Kriya Yoga is an ancient technique that was hidden in secrecy for many centuries. It was in 1861, when the great yogi Mahavatar Babaji taught the technique to his disciple Lahiri Mahasaya in the Himalayas.

Kriya Yoga is an advanced technique for spiritual evolution that has been taught by enlightened sages for thousands of years. Part of the ancient science of Raja Yoga, it is mentioned by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras and by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita.

Kriya works by giving the practitioner Pranayama--the breathing exercise, or control of the life force. Through life force control, the yogi is able to overcome all the obstacles preventing union with the divine.

The Kriya technique is generally given through direct initiation from a qualified Kriya Yoga teacher, or acharya.

Kriya Yoga is effective because it works directly with the source of spiritual growth — the life force deep in our spines.

All yoga techniques work with this energy, often indirectly. Yoga postures, for example, can help open up the spinal channels, and balance the energy in the spine. Yoga breathing exercises can help to awaken that energy.

The Kriya technique is much more direct. It helps the practitioner to control the life force by mentally drawing it up and down the spine, with awareness and will. According to Paramhansa Yogananda, one Kriya, which takes about a half-minute, is equivalent to one year of natural spiritual growth.

Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga is concerned with the cultivation of the mind using meditation techniques (dhyana) as against the Hastha Yoga which is concerned with the physical asanans--postures.

The Raja Yoga mainly focuses on the mind. The mind is the King of the mental and physical structure which does it bidding. Because of the relationship between the mind and the body, the body must be disciplined and purified first.

The King of Yogas--Raja Yoga is seen as potential tool for obtaining the selfless state. This is considerd as a starting point in questioning to clense karma, obtain Moksha and Nirvana.

Raja Yoga aims at controlling the thought waves or mental unstability. This is where Raja Yoga helps and is sometimes referred as "Astanga (eight-limbed)"--the eight aspects helps to find the path one must attain. The eight limbs are:

Yama--Code of Conduct
Niyama--Religious Observance
Asana--Integration of Mind and Body through physical activity
Pranayama--Regulation of Breath leading to integration of mind and body
Pratyahara--Abstraction of the Senses, Withdrawal of the senses
Dharana--Concentration, One-mindedness
Dhyana--Meditation
Samadhi--Quite state of blissful awareness, superconsciousness state

Hatha Yogi starts his sadhana with Asanas--postures using physical activity whereas Raja Yogi starts his sadhan with the mind, although minimal asanas and pranayama are gernally included as a preparation for the meditation and concentration.

We will see the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga in the next articles.

Hatha Yoga or Hatha Vidya

The word Hatha is a compound of the word "Ha" and "Tha" which means sun and moon respectively, referring to Praana and Apaana, and also the principal nadi--energy channel, of the subtle body that must be fully operational to attain a state of meditation or samadhi.

In Western Countries, Hatha is associated with the word Yoga and is practiced for mental and physical health.

As per the Hindu tradition, Lord Shiva is credited with Hatha Yoga. It is said that on a lonely place, assuming nobody else is around, he gave the knowledge to Goddess Paravathi, but a fish heard the entire discourse. Lord Shiva took mercy on the fish and made him a Siddha, who came to be known as Matsyendranatha.

Hatha Yoga mainly focuses on the physical health and represents opposite energies such as hot and cold, male and female, fire and water, etc. It attempts to balance mind and body via physical exercises called asanas, controlled breathing, and the calming of the mind through relaxation and meditation. More correctly the techniques described in Hatha Yoga harmonise and purify the body systems and focus the mind in preparation for more advanced chakra and kundalini practices.

The Hatha Yoga system includes asana along with the six shatkarmas (physical and mental detox techniques), mudras and bandhas (psycho-physiological energy release techniques) and pranic awakening practices. Fine tuning of the human personality at increasingly subtle levels leads to higher states of awareness and meditation.

Karma Yoga (Buddhi Yoga)

Karma is a sanskrit word meaning "to do" or simply means "action." The teachings of Karma Yoga is based on Bhagavad Gita--a sacred sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. Karma Yoga focuses on the adherence to duty while remaining detached from the reward. One of the teachings of Lord Krishna to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita is, "Do your duty without expecting any reward." This means, do your duty and you will get the result you wanted automatically. Do not act based on the result you wanted.

The Hinduism beautifully explains Karma. It says, Karma Yoga is based on the general understanding of Karma and reincarnation (samsara). It is believed that a man is born with certain Samskara's (Karma's), both positive and negative, from his past lives, which pushes him towards performing certain actions in his present life. The process continues until the positive and negative erase out and there is no balance. At this stage, the man attains liberation.

The aim of Karma Yoga, therefore, is to gain freedom from the bondage of karma which restricts and inhibits dynamic, creative and constructive expressions in life.

Karma Yoga is a sadhana and not a mere practice. It can be attained through seva (selfless involvment in all activities which would help anyone).

Various sources are available to learn more about Karma Yoga. One of the source is books and few of them are: Karma Sanyasa, Eighteen Yogas of the Gita, Teachings series, etc.

Get help from a good master on how to do Karma Yoga.

Bhakthi Yoga

Bhakthi is a sanskrit term that signifies a blissful, selfless and pure love of God as the single source of everything and contains a true relationship with him! Nine primary activities of Bhakthi Yoga are listed below. It is believed that following all these nine or even one of these with sincerity, the devotee can achieve the love of God:

1. Hearing about God: Singing and chanting God's name - Japa, hearing, reading stories from scriptures;
2. Gloryifying the Lord: Describing God's all-attrative features;
3. Remembering the Lord: Internal meditation on the Lord's form, activities, names or personality;
4. Serving the lotus feet of the Lord: Providing a form of physical service;
5. Worshiping the Lord: Deity worship (puja) is a popular form of this within India;
6. Offering prayers to the Lord: Any form of prayer offered to please God;
7. Serving the Lord: Offering a service for Lord's pleasure, such as preaching activity;
8. Building a friendship with the Lord: Having an internal, loving relationship with God; and
9. Surrendering everything unto the Lord: Surrendering one's thoughts, actions and deeds to God.

(Source: Wikipedia)

It also described as a path channelling the emotions and feelings to realise the transcendental and divine nature interest in every human being. The stages of Bhakti Yoga are:

1. Meditation, to realize and channel emotional energy;
2. Mantras and kirtans, to open the heart;
3. Experiencing transcendetnal human qualities of life;
4. Identification with the source of inspiration and life, God.

For futher studies on this topic, please read Bhakthi Yoga Sagar series.

Gnana (Jnana) Yoga

Gnana Yoga is the process of converting intellectual knowledge into practical wisdom. It is a discovery of human dharma in relation to nature and the universe. Though Gnana Yoga, one can attain the highest meditative state and inner knowledge.

In general terms, Gnana means Knowledge. But in Yoga it means the process of meditative awareness which leads to illuminative wisdom. You cannot get answers to eternal questions, but this yoga which is part of meditation helps in self-realization and self-questioning.

Some components or objectives of Gnana Yoga are:

Self-Awareness leading to Self-Analysis;
Not just belief but realizing;
Experiencing knowledge;
Realizing the personal nature;
Developing wisdom;
Experiencing inner unity and journey

Some suggested readings on this topic are: Yoga Darshan, Yoga Sadhana, Panorama Series, etc.

Different Forms of Yoga - Introduction

I have given below the various yoga types best to my knowledge. I hope you find it useful and interesting to implement in your life and others! As usual, please always contact a good Guru and consult with him based on your needs and current health conditions!

Jnana Yoga
Bhakti Yoga
Karma Yoga
Hatha Yoga
Raja Yoga
Kriya Yoga

Click on the type of yoga you want to understand!