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Sadhana, the means of self-realization, is the path that leads to enlightenment. Yoga is one of these many paths to reach this goal, and within the practice of yoga, there are many different Sadhanas. Raja yoga is the practice of meditation, erasing the ego-thinking mind and dissolving into oneness. Karma yoga is the path of selflessness through serving and working without desiring an end reward. Bhakti yoga is the worship of the divine spirit, usually practiced by chanting prayers to the Hindu gods and goddesses. Jnana yoga is the study of the self, spiritual scriptures and the divine, seeing through the illusions of life into the reality of oneness.
All of these Sadhanas can be combined in hatha yoga, to deepen your practice and spiritual connection. Use raja yoga in your practice by closing your eyes, drawing your awareness inside, focusing the mind on the breath and becoming still and meditative in the postures. Apply karma yoga by letting go of needing to get anywhere with your practice, simply doing the postures without expecting any rewards from them. By making each posture a prayer, each breath a celebration of life, we invoke the power of bhakti yoga and bring the energy of the divine into our practice. Through the exploration and awareness of the body and breath, through a constant self-exploration in the postures, we use jnana yoga to study our bodies, minds and spirit.
Learning to consciously bring these aspects of spirituality onto our yoga mats, we can create a more enriching and rewarding practice. Sadhana allows cultivation of self-knowledge and self-transformation to realize our inherent oneness with the universe.
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