12 RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS

12 RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ SYMBOLS OF TWELVE MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

7.10.10

RAJA YOGA OR DHYANA YOGA

Raja Yoga (Dhyana Yoga):
Path of Meditation:
Raja Yoga is the path of Meditation. Patanjali, the teacher of Raja Yoga has given us a spiritual ladder with eight steps that takes us to perfection.

 1. Yama – observance of five virtues:
  a)Ahimsa – non-violence
  b)Satya - truth
  c)Asteya- non-stealing
  d)    Brahmacharya- continence
  e)     Aparigraha- non – dependence on others’ charity.  

2. Niyama – five rules of conduct:
a)    Sauca—purity of body and mind
b)    Santosa – contentment
c)     Tapas – austerity of life
d)    Svadhyaya – self study
e)     Ishvara-pranidhana – self-surrender ot God.

3. Asana – sitting postures

4. Pranayama – breathing exercises

5. Pratyahara – detachment

6. Dharana – fixing the mind

7. Dhyana – meditation

8. Samadhi – realization of the Paramatman, the Supreme Being


It is shown above that by  following this path of spiritual ladder one attains spiritual perfection.

Source: 'Meditation and Spiritual Life'

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