Raja Yoga Dictionary

raja yoga: (Sanskrit) "King of yogas."

Also known as ashtanga yoga, "eight-limbed yoga." The classical yoga system of eight progressive stages to Illumination as described in various yoga Upanishads, the Tirumantiram and, most notably, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

The eight limbs are as follows.

1)    yama: "Restraint." Virtuous and moral living, which brings purity of mind, freedom from anger, jealousy and subconscious confusion which would inhibit the process of meditation.

2)    niyama: (Sanskrit) "Observance." Religious practices which cultivate the qualities of the higher nature, such as devotion, cognition, humility and contentment- giving the refinement of nature and control of mind needed to concentrate and ultimately plunge into samadhi.

3)    asana: "Seat or posture." A sound body is needed for success in meditation. This is attained through hatha yoga, the postures of which balance the energies of mind and body, promoting health and serenity, e.g., padmasana, the "lotus pose," for meditation. The Yoga Sutras indicate that asanas make the yogi impervious to the impact of the pairs of opposites (dvandva), heat-cold, etc.

4)    pranayama: "Mastering life force." Breath control, which quiets the chitta and balances ida and pingala. Science of controlling prana through breathing techniques in which lengths of inhalation, retention and exhalation are modulated. Pranayama prepares the mind for deep meditation.

5)    pratyahara: "Withdrawal." The practice of withdrawing consciousness from the physical senses first, such as not hearing noise while meditating, then progressively receding from emotions, intellect and eventually from individual consciousness itself in order to merge into the Universal.

6)    dharana: "Concentration." Focusing the mind on a single object or line of thought, not allowing it to wander. The guiding of the flow of consciousness. When concentration is sustained long and deeply enough, meditation naturally follows.

7)    dhyana: "Meditation." A quiet, alert, powerfully concentrated state wherein new knowledge and insight pour into the field of consciousness. This state is possible once the subconscious mind has been cleared or quieted.

8)    samadhi: "Enstasy," which means "standing within one's self." "Sameness, contemplation." The state of true yoga, in which the meditator and the object of meditation are one.

See: yoga, asana, samadhi, raja yoga.

(See also: Raja Yoga , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

RAJA-YOGA: A system of Yoga generally taken to be the one propounded by Patanjali Maharishi, i.e., Ashtanga Yoga. Yoga/Ashtanga Yoga.

(See also: RAJA-YOGA ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Raja Yoga: Royal Yoga. The Yoga path of meditation.  Hatha Yoga is actually a branch of Raja Yoga.

(See also: Raja Yoga ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Raja-yoga

understanding of the form of the absolute within many forms, realized through the practice of the eightfold yoga system (ashtanga-yoga).

(See also: Raja-yoga , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

raja yoga:

integral or royal yoga path of patanjali

(See also: raja yoga , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Raja yoga:

Literally "Royal Yoga". The path of concentration, meditation, of detachment.

(See also: Raja yoga , Body Mind and Soul)

Raja-Yoga:

Raja-Yoga ("Royal Yoga"): a late medieval designation of Patanjali's eightfold yoga-darshana, also known as classical yoga

(See also: Raja-Yoga ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Raja Yoga: integral or royal yoga path of Patanjali

(See also: Raja Yoga , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Raja Yoga

(Sanskrit) "King of Yogas", spiritual science developed by Patanjali emphasizing regulation and control of the mind

(See also: Raja Yoga , Body Mind and Soul)

RAJA YOGA: the Yoga of meditation

(See also: RAJA YOGA , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Raja Yoga:

The process in which one purifies and controls the mind, and prepares for meditation.

(See also: Raja Yoga , Psychic, Psychic Dictionary, Parapsychology, Parapsychology Dictionary)

Raja yoga:

yoga in which union is achieved through concentration of mind

(See also: Raja yoga ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Raja Yoga (Sanskrit) Royal union; more generally, the balance of all the faculties -- physical, mental, moral, and spiritual. Raja yoga is a true system of developing psychic, intellectual, and spiritual powers and union with one's higher self, the inner divine source of all our being.

This royal union with the self within must be attained by self-directed evolution. Union with this inner divinity is the source of all human genius and inspiration. Man increases his receptivity to the divine powers in his inmost being by cooperating with nature on its spiritual even more than its physical and astral planes, and by intellectual and spiritual aspiration combined with a fervent love for all beings.

(See also: Raja Yoga , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

A dictionary Of Commonly Used Sanskrit terms. From Pada to Svastikasana.

Please note that all words in grey, like "yoga", "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

Kundalini Dictionary

Dictionary over terms related to kundalini and kundalini awakening. Please note that words in grey like " Kundalini " are links to archives with related articles.

NIYAMA: The second step in Raja Yoga; observance - purity, contentment, austerities,

(See also: NIYAMA ,Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

 Raja-yoga:

the yoga of mastery over the mind

(See also:  Raja-yoga , Body Mind and Soul)

raja-yoga:

raja-yoga (raaja-yoga). Royal yoga of meditation, detachment, and desirelessness. Eight-fold path of yoga developed by Patanjali, which includes control of the mind and withdrawal of the senses from the external world.

(See also: raja-yoga , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Raja-Yoga (Sanskrit). The true system of developing psychic and spiritual powers and union with one’s Higher Self - or the Supreme Spirit, as the profane express it. The exercise, regulation and concentration of thought. Raja-Yoga is opposed to Hatha-Yoga, the physical or psycho physiological training in asceticism.

(See also: Raja-Yoga , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

raja-yoga:

raja-yoga - the yoga of mastery over the mind

(See also: raja-yoga , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)