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Hinduism, the Four Yogas and You


            Huston Smith outlines the four yogas of Hinduism that allow believers to connect to Brahman through the different forms. The first form is jnana yoga, the path to God through knowledge. The second form is bhakti yoga, the path to God through love. The third form is karma yoga, the path to God through work. The fourth and final form is raja yoga, the path to God through psychophysical exercises.
             For one who follows jnana yoga, knowledge is paramount. Not knowledge from an encyclopedia, but intuition and discerning ability. They must follow a three step process in order to become closer to Brahman. Learning, then thinking, then shifting self-identification. By prolonged intensive reflection, one can change Atman from a concept into a realization. They must learn how to adapt to the Hindu idea that all humans are here on Earth to play their part in a grand "play."" Followers of jnana yoga can perceive the world as a witness, in a third-person setting, rather than thinking of themselves. This form of yoga is known to be the most direct path to God but the most difficult to emulate. According to bhakti yoga, the largest and most powerful emotion within the human heart is love, it trumps all others including hate. Bhakti yoga focuses on feelings rather than thoughts and to adore God rather than identify or emulate God. All that is required is to love God dearly, which makes it the most similar to other religions like Christianity, and also the most widely popular yoga path. .
             The third yoga, karma yoga, focuses on work to connect with God. Work is what defines human life and without it, people become irritable and bored. God must not be sought out in complicated philosophic sessions, but rather in the fields and in the factories. God can be found by examining the body's harmony while at work. The basic rationale of karma yoga can be summarized by the actions we do to one another and to ourselves that influence the way our lives play out.


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