IN modern world the word "yoga" most often means the so-called hatha yoga, that is, techniques for working with the physical body: asanas, pranayama, less often - shatkarmas, mantras and other practices. And most often at work with your physical body, all yoga ends. But in fact, the preparation of the physical body is only the initial stage of yoga, so to speak, a preface, laying the foundation. And the goal of yoga is not at all to lose weight, healthy spine or a state of bliss that can be felt after good practice.

Speaking about the ultimate goal of yoga, it is worth considering such a concept as raja yoga. What is Raja Yoga? Translated from Sanskrit, it means ‘royal yoga’. Why royal? Maybe because it is available only to kings, and not to mere mortals? Not at all. The fact is that Raja Yoga involves working with your mind. And the mind, one might say, is the main driving mechanism of our personality, and everything else - the body and psyche - is already subject to it. Raja Yoga is so named because it allows you to gain complete control over your mind, and therefore over your personality. And in general - over your life.

Thus, the main instrument of Raja Yoga is the highest form. Among yogis, there is a widespread misconception that this very dhyana, in fact, is the goal of raja yoga. But here it is important to separate concepts such as "tool" and "goal". This is the same as with hatha yoga - if a person perceives the health of the body as an end in itself, then his path in yoga will lead to nowhere. To set health as the highest goal (even in hatha yoga) is a big mistake, since such a practice will lead to the fact that a person will spend all his time on maintaining his health in perfect condition, and in the meantime life will pass by. Therefore, a healthy body is just a tool for an effective life.

The situation is the same with Raja Yoga. Dhyana is just a tool for improving your personality. Imagine a strap for straightening a straight razor. So the belt is our meditation practice, with the help of it we improve and hone our restless mind. The razor is our very mind, which, in the process of "editing", becomes even more perfect every day. Now think - is the process of sharpening a razor an end in itself? It would never occur to anyone to sharpen a razor and put it on the shelf, admiring its perfect sharpness, day after day. The razor is sharpened in order to be used. The same is with our mind - we improve it through the practice of meditation, not in order to be in serene bliss and enjoy the peace of our mind. This is the same as sharpening a razor, putting it in front of you and enjoying its shine.

Raja yoga: what practice gives and what is its purpose

So, we come to the most important question: what is the purpose of Raja Yoga. If peace of mind, as it turned out, is not an end in itself of Raja Yoga, then in which direction should a traveler moving along this path turn his feet?

The traditional definition of Raja Yoga and its goal as “yogas citta vritti nirodhah” (‘yoga is the cessation of the disturbance of the mind’) sounds beautiful, of course, but it cannot be an end in itself. Imagine a person who is in a deep coma - the calmness of the mind is just perfect. However, is such a person a yogi? The question is rhetorical. Thus, the ultimate goal of Raja Yoga is service. In modern society, the word "service" usually evokes negative associations and is something like a synonym for the word "slavery" or something similar. In fact, service is the highest goal not only of yoga, but of human life in general. Serving people and the world means fulfilling your destiny on earth or, speaking in terms of yoga, your dharma.

It is important to understand that not every activity is an adequate form of service. In the modern world, everything is so turned upside down that the generally accepted concept of good may well turn into evil. In modern society, there are practically no activities that would not harm either people or animals, or at least the environment. Almost all human activity is aimed at producing goods and services and increasing their consumption. There is no need to say that service is carried out in this way. What is the most appropriate form of service?

The most benevolent form of service is the dissemination of knowledge. The satisfaction of any desires, one way or another, ultimately leads a person to suffering. And only the striving for liberation from everything that limits us, striving for Truth, for knowledge - this is what liberates us. Therefore, the best we can do for this world is to spread knowledge. There is an old saying that it makes no sense to feed a person with fish, it is better to give him a fishing rod. You should not take this proverb literally (after all, it is recommended to observe ahimsa and leave the unfortunate fish alone), here we are talking about the fact that there is no point in eliminating the suffering of people - it is necessary to eliminate the causes of this suffering.

For example, you see that a person has health problems. And you can, of course, advise him to a couple of asanas or some other technique in order to eliminate these problems. But what's the point? Any illness manifested on physical level, has its reason in the mind of a person, in his worldview, in relation to the world, in actions and so on. Therefore, there is no point in eliminating the suffering itself; it is much more reasonable to eliminate its cause. Because if you do not remove the cause, but only the consequences, then the disease in a person, perhaps, will pass. If he has not eliminated the negative tendency of his mind that caused this illness, the disease will return, or even worse - it will come in a more severe form, or some unpleasant life situation will occur. Because if a person “does not understand in an amicable way,” the Universe begins to educate him more rigidly. And in this case, you will do the person a "disservice" by helping him to eliminate the problem only at the physical level. Because illness was a lesson, and if it is not passed, then such healing will not be good. And the best thing we can do in this situation is to point out to the person the cause of his suffering. Unfortunately, people are often not ready to hear. But this is already a manifestation of their karma. To point out to a person the cause of his suffering and to give advice that will help eliminate this reason is the most blissful form of service.

One of better ways to spread knowledge is. This will allow you not to look for ways to spread knowledge and people who really need it. It often happens that a person, inspired by success in yoga, tries to "catch up with everyone and do good to everyone." He begins to impose his truth on everyone, thinking that he is really helping people. In fact, the effect is often the opposite - people begin to think that a person has lost his mind or fell into a sect, and as a result, they begin to feel only aversion to yoga and various philosophical concepts that a person is trying to impose on people. And to prevent this from happening, if there is already a desire to spread knowledge, it is better to become a yoga teacher. This will allow you not to impose your knowledge on those who do not need it, but to work directly with people who themselves came for knowledge. And that will be the highest form of service.

In Raja Yoga, sometimes there is such an interpretation of service as serving God, higher powers, The Absolute or some specific gods. And often it all ends with the chanting of the names of God, songs, some strange rituals, round-the-clock eating prasadam and the like strange, to put it mildly, things. As observations show, there is no practical benefit either for the person himself or for the world around him from such a form of service. If we talk about serving God, then many religions assert that every living being is a manifestation of God. And to be able to see the Divine in everyone is the highest skill. And serving God is, first of all, serving people. The desire to awaken in every person his divine principle is the highest form of serving God.

Everyone, coming into this world, has his own purpose. No one is born just like that or to devote their lives to entertainment. Each of us has our own karmic connections and even karmic disciples, whom only we can “awaken”. Therefore, realizing your destiny and turning it into a real service that will change the world for the better - this is the highest goal of Raja Yoga. And working with your mind and improving it is just a tool for cultivating the main qualities in yourself: compassion for all living beings and wisdom that will allow us to serve this world as efficiently as possible. And if this is comprehended, then everything else follows from this. This is what the Raja Yoga Path should lead us to.

The report examines the practice of Raja Yoga, which is taught at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKVDU), founded in 1936 in India.
This practice differs from the well-known classical Raja Yoga, therefore, hereinafter we will call it Easy Raja Yoga. This name can also be found in the literature on this practice (see the list of references at the end of the article).

The origins of Easy Raja Yoga
Easy Raja Yoga is taught at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKVDU), which was founded in 1936. BKVDU is an international public charitable organization that provides spiritual and moral education.
Brahma Kumaris is more than 9000 centers in 130 countries. Light Raja Yoga is regularly practiced by over 900 thousand students of the BKVDU on all continents. The University participates in international projects, actively cooperating with the UN and UNESCO.

Easy Raja Yoga Theory and Practice
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the miraculous properties of yoga and stated that it can help solve world problems: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. She personifies the unity of spirit and body, thoughts and deeds, the harmony of people with nature. It helps a person to feel oneness with himself, others and with nature. "

Easy Raja Yoga taught at the BKVDU includes a specific daily routine, a vegetarian diet, meditation practice and rules of conduct. This practice is essentially very similar to classical Raja Yoga, which includes eight steps: yama, niyama, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi. However, there are also very significant differences.

Practicality, efficiency and accessibility are the main criteria that can be seen both in the presentation of the theory and in the practice of Easy Raja Yoga itself. The motto of the BKVDU students is: “If you want to change the world, start with yourself. If you want to change yourself, start with your thoughts. "

Throughout history, various forms of yoga have arisen and developed. Each focused on specific methods and practices to achieve its goals:
- personal liberation (from illusions and suffering);
- achievement of perfection of consciousness and improvement of character;
- restoration of the connection between mind and body;
- a state of inner happiness, based on self-knowledge;
- restoring close relationship with God that was lost.

Different types of Yoga in one way or another, to some extent, lead to these goals.
* Hatha Yoga is a system of physical postures (asanas), the purpose of which is to cleanse and strengthen the physical body. And also, thanks to concentration of attention and control of the internal state, preparation of consciousness for deep self-contemplation (reflection).
* Karma Yoga - selfless selfless service to the people around with the realization of God as the doer.
* Mantra Yoga - concentration of consciousness on sound by repeating certain universal sounds (mantras), which are a representation of a special aspect of the Spirit.
* Bhakti Yoga is an all-encompassing devotion, the desire to see and love in every being and in the whole world, the divine essence, thus maintaining a constant cult of worship.
* Jnana Yoga is the path of wisdom leading to the awakening of the intellect (opening the third eye) and its subsequent application in practice to achieve spiritual liberation.
* Raja Yoga is the highest, Royal path of Yoga, systematized in the second century BC. by the Indian sage Patanjali, who combined the essence of all other paths.

The foundation of the practice of Raja Yoga is spiritual and moral values, and the main goals are self-awareness of one's spiritual essence and spiritual awakening, the development of personal relationships with God and the acquisition of inner harmony and integrity of the individual.

A strong, free from all negative personality, who manifests virtues in his actions, becomes an inspiring example for others. The spiritual strength of a person is manifested in how stable and pure, free from negative emotions, we remain during trials and life problems, as well as in how much peace, strength, joy, love and support we daily give to others.

Easy Raja Yoga, taught at BKVDU, connects the process of spiritual self-improvement with four main subjects (instead of eight steps in classical Raja yoga):
* Gyan - the study of spiritual knowledge, understanding of spiritual laws;
* Yoga - the practice of meditation;
* Dharna - the assimilation of spirituality in one's practical life, the development of a strong exalted character based on virtues;
* Seva - spiritual service to society.

The spiritual knowledge (Gyan) that you need to master in order to successfully practice Raja Yoga meditation includes four basic lessons. The main ideas of these lessons are as follows.

1. Who am I? Soul Consciousness
What we usually call and realize as "I" is the conscious energy, the life force that controls the body. In Raja Yoga, "I" is designated as the soul - a conscious being, distinct from the body. The soul in its qualities and nature is fundamentally different from the physical body and any object of the material world. Each soul is eternal, unique (as a person), a source of pure spiritual energy. It is absolutely positive in its original nature. In shape, the soul is a point, a source of spiritual light and dwells in the body in the center of the forehead between the eyebrows (third eye area).

If the soul forgets itself, then it seems to fall asleep and forget its original spiritual qualities: calmness, happiness, love, strength, purity, wisdom. Then weaknesses, shortcomings and sinful inclinations develop in the soul, which, in turn, sooner or later lead to losses and sorrow.

The goal of this lesson is to develop pure spiritual self-awareness: “I am the soul. I am a source of positive energy. I am in control of my thoughts ”, in contrast to the prevailing“ body consciousness ”, when one considers himself a limited and mortal being.

The soul has three abilities:
* Mind - is responsible for creating thoughts and feelings;
* Intelligence - the ability to discriminate, choose and make decisions;
* Sanskaras - the ability to capture (remember, save) all the experience gained. Habits and character traits are formed on the basis of sanskaras.

When a person begins to realize himself exclusively with his soul, then there is the power to control the mind, his thoughts, make accurate decisions with the help of the intellect and form a strong positive character. In the bodily consciousness, the mind and intellect are often influenced by acquired foreign and harmful sanskaras. This creates problems and anxiety.

2. Supreme Soul
All souls have one Father - the Supreme Soul, God. God is one for all: everyone belongs to Him, and He belongs to everyone. We, souls, inherit all our best qualities from the Supreme Father, therefore it is very important to get to know Him accurately and establish a relationship with Him.

The Supreme Father is always incorporeal - in the form of the Soul, the Source of light and power. He is a person, the Higher Conscious Energy. God is eternally Pure and Perfect. The powers and virtues of God are limitless. God is Truth, He never loses his original qualities, as happens with people. God is the Eliminator of sorrow and Bringer of happiness, Cleansing and Giving of salvation, the Eternal source of all strength and blessings.

3. Yoga and states of Meditation
The literal meaning of the word "yoga" is union, union. In the spiritual plane, it is the union of the soul with the Supreme Soul with the help of thoughts, communication with God, a relationship full of love with the Supreme Father.

When such a connection (yoga) is established between the soul and the Supreme Soul, then the soul is colored with the qualities of God, filled with spiritual forces from the Father. The high and strong energy of God, like fire, cleanses the soul from impurities. Negative qualities, weaknesses and vices burn out in this "fire of Yoga".

The gross material consciousness, the feeling of being a body, prevents the soul from feeling the subtle vibrations of God. Therefore, it is important to accurately learn the first lesson: the soul needs to free itself from the body consciousness, which blocks yoga with God, and realize itself as a soul, a child of God.

In order to establish a deep and stable connection with God, to achieve union with Him, the soul goes through four stages:
a) attitude - preparation for meditation. You need to relax and calm your thoughts.
b) meditation - meditation in silence. We create thoughts about the soul, about its original qualities, about the Supreme Soul, about the qualities of God. It is important here not only to think (create thoughts), but also to visualize, feel and experience each thought.
c) concentration - occurs when the mind stops wandering. There is no longer a need to specially create thoughts, the soul becomes the personification, the embodiment of these thoughts: about oneself, about God ... Thoughts and feelings merge together.
d) awareness is complete realization. Thought is replaced by sensation. The soul experiences lightness and freedom, it is summoned by the rays of light, peace, love, purity, coming from the Higher Soul.

Beginners have to pay more attention to the first two steps, however, as they practice and develop, the first steps go faster and faster and the yoga practitioner gets everything. more experience concentration and awareness.

4. Philosophy of Karma (action)
The Spiritual Law of Karma is universal in nature: "You reap what you sow." Like the law of conservation of energy, it always works. There is a clear relationship between action and result. This is the law of cause and effect.

The Law of Karma is the law of the highest justice. If you give happiness to others, you will get happiness. Each action creates a karmic account. And sooner or later, we will have to pay off all such bills. Everything good or bad in our life comes to us precisely on the basis of karmic accounts. That is, we earned it ourselves by our own actions. Everything is fair.

At the same time, the philosophy of karma is very deep. In every birth that the soul takes, it interacts with many people and creates a huge karmic network. Some actions influence others: they either inspire for the best, or provoke mistakes, and then the fruits of such actions multiply.

The seeds of our actions are thoughts. The quality of thoughts determines the quality of our actions and, as a result, the quality of our life. Therefore, it is very important to keep track of your thoughts: stop negative thoughts and purposefully create strong positive thoughts.

The practice of meditation helps you manage your thoughts and create the right thoughts based on understanding. Thanks to this, we have more ideas and reasons for positive actions that lead to success and give joy to ourselves and the people around us. In this way we strengthen our positive sanskaras and create a positive karmic account.

The Theory of Easy Raja Yoga creates a holistic worldview that promotes the development of positive thinking and the creation of a strong stable state. The simple, at first glance, concepts presented here are profound in their content. Full awareness of spiritual laws and concepts requires practical mastery. This practical part is contained in the remaining subjects: Yoga, Dharna and Seva.

The practice of meditation (Yoga) helps to deeply realize and assimilate the theory, that is, to gain a state of calmness of mind and inner purity, to practically develop awareness of oneself as a soul. Dharna is manifested in the fact that we adhere to spiritual principles and follow spiritual laws in our lives. Thanks to this, a person deeper understands the importance and value of spiritual knowledge.

Serving society (Seva), on the one hand, is an exam, as it shows how much we have progressed in our spiritual development. After all, only those who are fulfilled themselves can really help others. But on the other hand, Service is also a powerful tool for further development helping to assimilate many virtues and spiritual powers.

Results of Easy Raja Yoga Practice
People who regularly practice Easy Raja Yoga notice many positive changes in their lives. These changes are manifested in almost all areas: health and internal state, self-development and relationships, business activity and material well-being, creativity and self-realization.

The first thing that those who begin to practice Raja Yoga systematically notice and feel in themselves is the achievement of inner peace and release from stress. Peace of mind is the first prerequisite for successful meditation practice and the first achievement from the practice. Thanks to the strong and pure thoughts about ourselves and those around us, which we assimilate with consciousness during morning meditation, it becomes easy to remain calm throughout the day. Thanks to this, we clearly, without distortions perceive events, free ourselves from internal tension (stress) and make accurate decisions at the right time.

Modern medical statistics show that about 95% of diseases develop precisely because of internal (mental) tension and stress. Therefore, the systematic and long-term practice of meditation has a pronounced positive effect on physical health person. There are several unique examples of the use of Raja Yoga for the healing of serious diseases.

The medical wing of the BKVDU, based on the definition of Perfect Health proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), developed the concept of four-dimensional health, in which, in addition to physical, social and mental (mental) health, a spiritual dimension was added. Spiritual health is based on an awareness of the true nature of a person, his spiritual essence and the practice of positive thinking. As the experience of many raja yogis shows, it is spiritual health that becomes a reliable foundation for both good mental and social and physical health.

In 1998-2000, a study began in India on the effect of meditation (positive thinking) on ​​the treatment of moderate to severe coronary atherosclerosis. In the treatment program, except for moderate physical exercise and a special vegetarian diet, it was suggested to include also stress management based on Raja Yoga meditation. The research results have shown the high efficiency of the proposed program. Later this project was successfully developed under the name "Healthy Heart". For several years, about 2500 people with coronary heart disease took part in it. They were able to noticeably improve their well-being without surgery. After reviewing the results of these studies, the Government of India in January 2008 gave the project the status of a national program for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

In addition, research conducted by the BKVDU Medical Wing in 1985 found that the vast majority of Raja Yoga practitioners quickly and easily get rid of bad habits (smoking and alcohol). After a month of Raja Yoga practitioners from the surveyed group of 183 smokers - 135 gave up this unhealthy habit (74%). After one year of practicing Raja Yoga, only 5 people out of 183 smokers (2.7%) were unable to free themselves from this addiction. And in a similar study on alcohol dependence from a group of 80 people - 78 completely got rid of alcohol dependence by the end of the month. It took one person 6 months and another 1 year.

Also, thanks to the positive inner attitude learned in meditation and the release from inner tension, relationships both in the family with loved ones and with colleagues at work are noticeably improved. These are the main components of social health and well-being.

Business people and leaders of organizations, practicing Raja Yoga, note that the efficiency and efficiency of business activity are noticeably increased. In general, things are going easier, there are fewer conflicts and difficulties, but even those problems are now solved faster and easier. Life becomes more harmonious - there is enough time for everything: for business, for communication with family and loved ones, for professional and personal self-development and for spiritual service to society.

In addition, many noted the following achievements from the practice of Raja Yoga:
- an increase in the power of concentration, which is clearly felt during training: the perception and understanding of new information, memorization improves;
- character improves, the habit of noticing in others develops good qualities and features;
- creativity and talents develop;
- develop spiritual forces (acceptance, patience, discrimination, cooperation, decision-making, etc.)

Summing up, in general, it can be noted that the practice of Easy Raja Yoga, despite its apparent ease and simplicity, shows high efficiency. The methodological approach to teaching harmoniously combines both the "Western approach" to teaching: detailing, rational analysis and understanding of information, and the "Eastern (contemplative) approach" based on inner feelings, introspection and self-observation. Thanks to this, the very theory of Raja Yoga is understandable and accessible to most ordinary people.

References
1. Raja Yoga. Method and Purpose, B.K. Jagdish Chander. BKVDU, Moscow, 1994
2. New Knowledge for the New World. Central House of Culture, Moscow, 2011
3. Life without stress. BKVDU, Moscow, 2004
4. A healthy heart. BKVDU, St. Petersburg, 2010
5. Moral values. Central House of Culture, Moscow, 2011
6. Business and Yoga. BKVDU, Moscow, 2006
7. How to achieve the goal with the help of the eight forces. Central House of Culture, Moscow, 2014

Kurganov Sergey Yurievich,
coordinator of the department of the Interregional Public Organization

Raja Yoga as the Path of freedom from karmic bondage.

The highest authority in Raja Yoga was the sage Patanjali, the author of the Yoga Sutra. He based his teachings of Raja Yoga on the ancient Indian Samkhya philosophy. The main difference between the yoga of Patanjali and the Samkhya is the religious aspect - Patanjali's recognition of the existence of the god Ishvara, free from karmic bondage, while the Samkhya considers nature through the interaction of material essence (prakriti) and spiritual (purusha).
In this context, Raja Yoga is the path to understanding Ishvara, recognizing his existence. And the very word "raja" (translated from the Sanskrit "king") refers to Ishvara.

However, Raja Yoga can also be a path for people who are not inclined to religious consciousness and the search for God beyond their Self.

In this case, the goal of Raja Yoga is to cleanse the purusha (soul, our true Self) from avidya (everyday delusion, false knowledge that prevents a person from seeing the world as it really is). In the Yoga Sutras it is said that the purusha can see only through the medium of the mind.

Therefore, for correct perception, it is necessary to purify the mind. "Since the purusha sees through the mind, the quality of observation depends entirely on the state of mind." "The mind must become subtle and pure, like a crystal, so that it reflects paramatma and not vrittis or vasanas." The goal of Raja Yoga is to gradually purify and clarify the mind, as a result of which the Purusha gets the opportunity to see the world undistorted and convey this vision to us. In this case, the raja can be called the purusha himself - our inner king. "Whoever the king is - purusa or Isvara, in any case, raja yoga is yoga in which the king takes his rightful place." That is, the place of the one who controls us.

Patanjali pointed out the eight-step path to achieving the goal of Raja Yoga - purifying the mind and achieving samadhi, the state of Superconsciousness. The first four steps are the same as in hatha yoga: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama.

The goal of the first two steps (yama and niyama) is to achieve purity of spirit, high morality, which are necessary for further study of raja yoga. This is necessary in order not to waste empty energy on correcting mistakes in life. The goal of the third stage is to attain a healthy body, since diseases of the body prevent a person from making his mind sufficiently solid and prevent him from concentrating on the spiritual.

A healthy body is necessary as a tool for the implementation of tasks of the following degrees - concentration and meditation, which are associated with a long stay in the same position with a straight back.

All stages are interconnected and complement each other. For example, the principle of satya must be adhered to during the practice of asanas - to honestly admit to ourselves what our body is capable of and to what extent we are currently able to enter the asana, otherwise you can harm your body, and this will no longer be yoga.

And even if we realize that the body is not yet able to go deeper into the asana, but try to break through the rigidity in our body, despite the sharp pain, we violate the principle of ahimsa, which should be applied not only to other beings, but and in relation to oneself. And this also does not contribute in any way to progress in yoga, but often on the contrary - it leads to injuries and the need to suspend the practice for an indefinite period in order to restore damaged body tissues.

The fourth stage - (the method of controlling prana) gives energy and removes many physical obstacles to the study of yoga, such as weakness of the body and laziness. Breathing exercises help to gain control over emotions and calm the mind. Body, breath and mind are very closely related. Learning to control the body and breathing, we directly affect consciousness and come to the ability to control it. In most people, the mind is so weak that it is constantly under the control of the body - its desires and manifestations.

The goal of Raja Yoga is to learn to control your mind, to control it, thus mastering the ability to concentrate its power.

Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda points out that a person who has achieved perfection in control over prana is able to control the universe. “Just as the Vedas generalize all the diversity of the universe into One Absolute Existence and whoever knows this Unity knows the whole universe, so all manifestations of energy are generalized in prana, and whoever knows prana knows all the forces of the universe, spiritual and physical. A person who is able to control prana controls his mind, and therefore the mind itself. A person who is able to control prana controls his body, and therefore every body in general, since prana is a generalized manifestation of energy. "

The next stage of Raja Yoga, Pratyahara, teaches us to turn the mind inward, to be able to separate the mind from sensory perceptions and control it. To do this, you must first of all stop trying to control thoughts, let them go and just observe them. “Let go of the reins: monstrous thoughts may come to mind, you will be amazed that you are capable of such thoughts. But soon you will be convinced that every day the rumblings of the mind subside ...

In the first months you will be surprised by the number of thoughts rushing through your head, gradually there will be fewer of them, then even less, until the mind is under control, but for this you need to work from day to day. " The goal of pratyahara is to learn to see objects only with the mind, without resorting to the help of the senses. Consciousness becomes a pure mirror of contemplated objects. Consciousness directly receives information about objects, not distorted by the perception of the senses. Pratyahara is also a state in which the senses are used for concentration and meditation - for example, contemplation. The main principle of pratyahara is the subordination of sensory perceptions to the mind.

Concentration, or dharana, the next stage of raja yoga, will come much easier for one who has learned pratyahara. Otherwise, uncontrollable thoughts and feelings will constantly distract from the object of concentration. The goal of dharana is to learn to concentrate on one object, not allowing extraneous thoughts and feelings to disturb this flow of attention.

The capacity for concentration opens (dhyana). If during the onset of dharana the mind moves in one direction, then in dhyana it plunges into a certain object and establishes a connection between its I and the object.

Despite the fact that the sequence of the steps of Raja Yoga was indicated by the sage Patanjali in this order, it should be emphasized again that these steps complement and influence each other. A person who seriously practices asanas and pranayama learns to experience the state of dharana already at these stages, since his mind should be focused on the sensations of the body.

“When performing any practice, be it asanas, pranayama or meditation techniques, the most important thing is mindfulness. This means that attention is directed to a specific activity, such as breathing, and at the same time you understand where the attention is directed. This is the first step to higher awareness. You become an observer in relation to the processes in own body, then learn to observe the activity of the mind, and then - and the deeper aspects of the mind. "

At the last stage, in the consciousness of the practitioner, a complete merging of the object of meditation and one's own self takes place. The self dissolves in the object of meditation and feels itself as a single whole with it. "Samadhi is a progressive, consistent going beyond (transcendence) the spheres of object, movement, thought and instinct." In the state of samadhi, which is the goal of raja yoga, the mind is absolutely free from avidya and sees all objects, patterns and cause-and-effect relationships in their true light.

If dharana, dhyana and samadhi are directed at one object, the last three stages of raja yoga are combined into one state - sanyama. Sanyama is complete mental control over awareness of an object. "Through samyama, all other states of consciousness disappear, but the seed remains." The seed is mental constructs, the "foundation for consciousness."

The yoga sutras of Patanjali describe six stages of samadhi: savitarka, nirvitarka, savichara, nirvichara, ananda and asmita.
These are the names for very subtle fluctuations that occur before the highest samadhi - nirvikalpa. In a more general sense, the state of samadhi is divided into two types - savikalpa and nirvikalpa samadhi. In the state of savikalpa samadhi ("samadhi with a seed") in the mind there are objects of meditation (purusha, Shiva, Aum, etc.) - these are seeds that tend to grow. In the state of supreme samadhi, or nirvikalpa, the last traces of samskara and vikalpa are removed. In samadhi there is consciousness, but there is no object.

“Individual consciousness disappears…. There is not even a desire to be liberated. This state without time and without changes is the highest samadhi. " This state is the goal of Raja Yoga, the true realization of a person in this world, giving liberation from the circle of rebirth and suffering experienced by ordinary people in each new physical incarnation.

Raja Yoga, sometimes referred to as "Royal Yoga", is the totality of all yoga styles. Today, the essence of Raja Yoga goes beyond many areas of yoga.

Raja Yoga emphasizes the importance of meditation for self-realization and purposeful progress of human consciousness. This direction focuses on awareness of one's state of mind, therefore, Raja yoga is also called "Mental Yoga" or "Yoga of Mind".

By practicing the state of concentration of the mind, a person learns to calm his mind and focus on one point. At the moment of deep concentration, we turn inward, discovering the true nature of the divine principle.

You can achieve this by following the eight-year Raja Yoga path, which includes observing the following:

• Yama (abstinence): Ahimsa (without injury), Satya (truth), Aseta (without stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity), Apragraha (not greed);
• Niyama (Moral Observations): Dry (cleanliness) Santosha (satisfaction), Tapas (strictness), Swadhaya (study of the scriptures), Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to God);
• Asana: steady posture, motionless posture;
• Pranayama: control of vital energy through breathing and breathing practices;
• Pratyahara: withdrawal, distraction of the senses;
• Dharana: concentration of the mind;
• Dhyana: meditation;
• Samadhi: full realization, enlightenment, union with the divine.

These 8 steps of yoga will help a person to comprehend the basics of yoga, achieve harmony and clearly see the picture. inner peace, realize yourself. Any spiritual path of yoga begins with the first two steps - Yama-Niyama.

Pit - Self-control

Yama means self-control and self-control. The first step, which preaches principles and negative qualities, which must be got rid of. Consists of 5 principles:

Ahimsa - the principle of non-violence

Ahimsa means that any living being has the right to life and it is not in our power to decide the fate of these living beings. In simple words- not to inflict pain, suffering, not to kill at the level of thought, word or action.

This includes the consumption of animal meat, since eating requires killing. According to the principle of ahimsa, yogis become vegetarians. This happens naturally, during the practice, purification of consciousness, you feel good and you want everyone to feel this state, even the animal that grew up to become food.

Animals are endowed with a strong instinct, a reflex, the process of which starts at the moment of awareness of impending death. Somehow they sense that their death is coming soon and a feeling of wild fear begins. At this moment, the hormones of fear and death are released throughout the body of the animal, which remain in the meat after killing.

Consuming meat, people do not even suspect why they can suddenly feel uncontrollable fear, outbursts of anxiety, neuroses.

Satya - Truth

Always telling the truth is good and correct, but more important is how we communicate the truth. We have the ability to “throw” the truth at someone like a knife, but we are also able to dress that same truth in loving words.

Truth and truth are important, it is important not only to convey the truth, but also to convey the truth by your actions. Sometimes the truth can hurt like a knife, so you need to try to convey it delicately, tactfully and through your example. The teachings say not to violate the principle of non-violence in all available ways.

Take some advice about truth:

"Each of your words should fall like flowers from your lips."

Mahaprabhuji

Truthfulness means openness of feelings, freedom from evasiveness, resourcefulness and excuses. Each person must know his own truth and true face inside himself. Of course, for a while you can hide who we are from others, but we are pure in front of ourselves. We are witnessing true personality.

Asteya is not theft

Asteya says about the prohibition of theft. You have no right to take away what does not belong to you, be it material values ​​or intellectual property. Asteya also concerns human feelings - one cannot take away joy, happiness or any opportunity from a person. This area also includes a disrespectful attitude towards nature, destruction of the environment around oneself.

Brahmacharya - a pure way of life

Brahmacharya is one of the stages of spiritual development, which means sexual abstinence or celibacy. But this is rather not an end in itself. but a consequence of the practice of yoga in life. All our thoughts should be directed towards spiritual development, towards the divine principle. At the same time, it is important to observe harmony in reality, to fulfill duties consciously. By observing brahmacharya, one also acquires virya (energy and heroism).

Aparigraha - Non-Aligned Possessions

Accumulation, buying and storing unnecessary things, excessive consumption - all this is not about aparigraha. The practice of aparigraha is not accepting gifts, not hoarding. The principle of aparigraha means that you should not have feelings of longing for momentary gratification, even the simplest desires. A person should be satisfied with exactly what he has at a given moment in his life. The more property, the more worries. Less property means more freedom.

Niyama - Discipline

Niyama is the second stage of yoga philosophy, which preaches the qualities that need to be included in your life. It also consists of five principles:

Shauka - Purity

Santosh - Satisfaction

Santosh is similar in meaning to aparigraha and means surprise with what we have. Adhering to the principle of satisfaction, a person is humble, satisfied with the prevailing circumstances and considers what he has to be the greatest wealth in his life. The inner feeling of contentment gives happiness much more than material possessions. In our time of materialism and consumerism, it is necessary to strive for balance.

Tapa - Self-control, Self-discipline

In our opinion, the most difficult rule, since it requires a lot of willpower and discipline. Tapa means following the direction of your development path through adversity and obstacles. You must practice with patience, diligence, and persistence. Sticking to the chosen path regardless of the circumstances is the path to success.

Swadhaya - Study of the Scriptures

Svadhaya means teaching, spiritual enlightenment of the traditional scriptures of yoga philosophy: Bhagavad-gita, Upanishads, yoga-sutras of Patanjali, etc. These scriptures convey valuable knowledge and provide invaluable help on the path to yoga.
Ishvara Pranidhana - Devotion to God

Convey whatever you do with the Divine Self with pure devotion. God protects all who betray with trust and faith.

Asana - steady posture, motionless posture

Asana is traditionally defined as "place." Most often this is a sitting posture used for meditation. Usually in yoga, this term is used to refer to any physical posture of hatha yoga. This is the third limb of the eightfold path of Patanjali Ashtanga, following Yama and Niyama.

Asana practice is considered important for yogis because it helps to keep the physical body healthy, strong and enduring. Considering that the body is a conduit for the spirit, taking care of the physical body is important for spiritual development. Asana practice can also bring a number of emotional and energetic benefits, increase discipline and concentration, and prepare the mind for meditation.

Pranayama - breathing exercises

This is the fourth step of yoga, which is mind control, achieved by learning to control the body and breath. Pranayama is performed to improve the movement of prana - living energy in the subtle body of a person. It is prana that gives a powerful impetus to work with energy and helps to achieve spiritual development.

Pratyahara - removal of the senses

Pratyahara is the ability to abstract, control your senses and consciousness through the practice of yoga. The teachings say that a constant thirst for the satisfaction of momentary desires distracts us from our true goals. This prevents us from being happy and free.

In conditions of constant absorption of unnecessary information, the human mind processes it and becomes restless. All this noise fills the mind and makes it difficult to notice the reality of what is happening around us.

Pratyahara teaches us to control the state of mind and feelings, to regulate the flow of any information.

Dharana - Concentration

Dharana helps to focus your thoughts and feelings on one object. Usually we succeed in this for a short time, then other thoughts come and distract us. We find out about our lack of concentration in just a few minutes. Until we are able to focus on a thought or object for any length of time, in any situation, we still have not mastered Dharana.

Meditation with candles (Trataka), special Asanas and Pranayamas, and chanting of the Mantra are very helpful in improving the ability to concentrate.

Dhyana - meditation

Dhyana is realized through preparation through various meditation techniques. With the help of concentration, meditation and illumination in this sequence, we gain spiritual perfection and pure consciousness.

What the practice of meditation gives us:

• peace of mind and humility;
• calm mind and concentration;
• knowing yourself, your inner world;
• gaining pure consciousness.

We wrote more about meditation.

A person achieves a greater effect in meditation when his mind is calm. The yogi experiences pure being, the boundaries of the gross and the subtle are erased, and the pure light remains that shines in the heart. This unity is capable of providing answers to many fundamental existential questions.

Samadhi - Full Realization

The end point, stopping the path of development and the complete unity of the inner and outer world. This is the place where a person unites with the Divine principle, the Higher consciousness. Samadhi gives yoga silence, tranquility and eternal bliss.

In this state, all duality dissolves. There is no day, no night, no darkness, no light, no quality, no color. All is one in the Higher Self. This union of the individual soul with the Cosmic soul is the goal of yoga.

Adhering to all the laws of yoga, a person understands his own path of destination in this world. And the most interesting thing about this is that the world will oppose yoga in every possible way on the way to finding oneself - illness, crowd opposition, depression, stress, doubt. Therefore, it is important to accept yourself and understand why all this is being done.

Raja yoga

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