Four Essential Yogic Paths
Karma, Bhakti, Kriya & Gnana ~
Your human experience is run by four ultimate realities ~ your body, mind, emotion and energy. Everything you experience and everything you do can only be achieved through these four dimensions. And who you are, or how you live, is an animated expression of these sacred elements and their unique balance within your system.
Good Morning Family 🌞
It’s that time of the month again, and I am stoked to be back in your inbox.
Feel free to put the kettle on and make yourself comfortable. It’s time for us to chat 🫖
I recently listened to an inspiring podcast with the great yoga master, Sadhguru. It was a pleasant conversation about yoga and spirituality. But still, it surprised me with an unexpected but much-needed reality check. It reconnected me to some primary yoga roots I had accidentally neglected in my exciting pursuit for more. And honestly, it shouldn’t have shocked me. Because I always say, ‘it’s the most simple things in life that are often the most enlightening.’
Our human cognition and capacity for logic are so incredibly powerful. But we often deplete these mental resources by over-complicating everything. We spend so much time thinking and not enough time feeling. As a result, we make things far more complicated than they need to be. It can be a liberating reminder to peel back a few layers and meditate on the simplicity beneath the details.
Did you know that any style of yoga or spiritual practice ultimately serves one of four essential yogic paths?
Perhaps you’re already familiar with some of the different styles of yoga? {e.g. Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Ashtanga, Kundalini, Iyengar, and so on} And maybe you even know some of the limbs or yamas of Patanjali Yoga? {e.g. asana, pranayama, ahimsa, satya, asteya, and so on} Each one of these expressions of yoga {and many more for that matter} are descendants of these four fundamental streams:
👉 Karma Yoga {action, body, physical}
👉 Bhakti Yoga {emotion, devotion, surrender}
👉 Kriya Yoga {energy, alchemy, realisation}
👉 Gnana Yoga {intelligence, mind, understanding}
Do any of these sound familiar?
Your human experience is run by four ultimate realities ~ your body, mind, emotion and energy. Everything you experience and everything you do can only be achieved through these four dimensions. And who you are, or how you live, is an animated expression of these sacred elements and their unique balance within your system. So, for example, someone might be body dominant, using their body and physical senses to find meaning and understanding in life. In contrast, another person might be mind-dominant, seeking enlightenment through study and cognitive expansion.
These four realities will shift and change throughout your lifespan and characterise your life at different stages. But when you are in a state of yoga, you bring the body, mind, emotions and energy into an ultimate place of harmony. Remember, yoga = union.
So whether you are moving through a powerful vinyasa practice or dedicating time and effort to a local flooded community, you are choosing to practice karma yoga {action}. If you try Kundalini, Yoga Nidra, Reiki, or even sound healing, you practice kriya yoga {energy}. Whether you’re studying, learning, journaling, or using your intellect to broaden your understanding of life, you are connecting with gnana yoga {intelligence}. And whether you pray, laugh, cry, or feel deeply, you are embodying the sacred art of bhakti yoga {emotion/devotion}
Remember that yoga is a living practice and is discovered both on and off your mat. So if you’d like to chat about these sacred elements or would love additional resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Chat with your fellow teachers and be a part of this open conversation. Your contributions are always deeply celebrated.
Namaste xo
