The Importance Of Yoga In Hinduism

Hinduism only makes up thirteen percent of the world population but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in intriguing and powerful rituals. Much of Hindu tradition focuses on the four paths to God through yoga. Each path has its own unique elements that are vital to reaching liberation or moksha. According to Pavulraj Michael, the author of “Jñana Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita -- The Path for Self-Realization”, “Yoga means binding one’s psychic powers, [as well as] balancing and enhancing them” (197). The four yogas in Hinduism are Karma, Raja, Jnana, and Bhakti yoga. Each one is equally necessary to finding the path to God, however each one is very different from the other. Karma yoga is the way to God through work. Karma means sacred action and work technically means worship. One meaning of Karma is “Any mental, verbal, or physical action or intention, especially a morally correct or textually prescribed activity” (Michael, 204). Karma, also known as right action or work, and through right action, there should be good outcomes. Good Karma leads to a pure mind and overall happiness (Sivananda, 190). However, bad Karma can lead …show more content…
The first “is the practice of discriminating between the real and the unreal...”, according to Michael (200). An individual must be able to distinguish true reality and what is merely a facade. Next, the yogi must “...[reject] any pleasure which disrupts the quest for reality...” (Michael, 200). In other words, the yogi must rid themselves of any pleasures that may hinder their journey to finding truth. Love and sex is one of the most powerful pleasures that may steer an individual onto the wrong path. Third, practicing Jnana yoga requires calmness, self-control, settledness, forbearance, complete concentration, and faith (Michael, 200). And lastly, the need for liberation is what should drive the yogi. This is what keeps them level headed on their path to God and