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Bhagavad Gita and the Six Branches of Yoga
Bhagavad Gita – The Six Branches of Yoga
The Bhagavad Gita famously distinguishes several types of yoga, corresponding to the duties of different nature of people. Capturing the essence and at the same time going into detail about the various Yogas and their philosophies, it constantly refers to itself as such, the “Scripture of Yoga” (see the final verses of each chapter). The book is thought to have been written some time between the 5th and the 2nd century BC. In it, Krishna describes the following types of yoga:
1. Karma yoga, the yoga of “action” in the world. Its practice aims to perform selfless acts of work.
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2. Jnana yoga, the yoga of knowledge and intellectual endeavour.
3. Bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion to a deity. This yoga practice is a form of worship.
4. Raja yoga, the yoga of meditation.
5. Hatha yoga, the yoga of the physical body. This practice of yoga uses postures, breathing exercises and cleansing to achieve physical purification. The term “Hatha” means “forceful”.
6. Tantra yoga, the yoga of rituals to find spirituality through physical and ritual cleaning, breathing exercises (pranayama), contemplation, visualization and repetition of mantras.
An Introduction to Yoga and Online Yoga Lessons
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