Raja Yoga Spiritual Body / White / Self-Realization This is the path referred to as the Royal Highway to God. Raja means Royal, Lord or King. The practice of Raja Yoga will steady the mind and develops all aspects of being in a balanced and harmonious way. Raja Yoga is divided into three subdivisions known as: Hatha Yoga, Mantra Yoga, and Kundalini Yoga; which together bring the chitha vrithi (mental) into control for Self-realization. Each of these branches of Raja Yoga has the same eight limbs of Ashtanga developed by Patanjali. In the teachings of Patanjali's Sutras there is all of the various Yogic principles and instruction for soul progress on the path. The Sage Patanjali, in his 'Yoga Aphorisms', defines Yoga as the suspension of the modification of the thinking principle, which is not practicable without controlling the Prana (vital force in the breath), which is intimately connected with the mind.
practice for the purpose of the students spiritual growth through devotion to God; which is the practice of Bhakti Yoga. As the student progresses, Kundalini Yoga is taught as a means for the student to learn about the chakras, the subtle body and the three inner channels, grounding techniques for balancing the four lower bodies, and the channeling of the Shakti energies to rise up the spine. Shaktiananda Yoga also teaches the practice of Jnana Yoga through references to spiritual scripture and providing teaching for the expansion of the mental body.
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