FOUR YOGAS

Vedanta emphasizes self-effort.  It encourages us to realize God within by the practice of four yogas.  These four "methods" orient the tendencies that we already have and lead us to God.  A harmonious balance of the four is the ideal.

Bhakti yoga is cultivating a devotional relationship with God through worship, prayer, and ritual.  Here, our emotions are given a "God-ward turn."

Jnana yoga is approaching God through reason and discrimination.  Our miseries in life are caused by our seeing difference everywhere, but with jnana yoga we break through this delusion, seeing oneness everywhere.

Karma yoga refers to selfless service to others.  By working in this spirit, we worship God within us.

Raja yoga, the yoga of meditation, is at the heart of all of the yogas.  It is attuning the mind to God through concentration and meditation.