Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga

1 week duration
For national and overseas aspirants

The Bihar School of Yoga follows a system, or yoga chakra, which is divided into bahiranga yoga, outer or external yoga, for self-perfection, and antaranga yoga, inner yoga, to express the spiritual attainment. External yoga is that which you do to improve the quality of your body and mind, the expression of your senses and behaviour. The bahiranga (external) branches of yoga are hatha yoga, raja yoga, kriya yoga.

Raja yoga is the science of mind management; it deals specifically with modifying mental behaviour and managing mental modifications, known as chitta vrittis. Raja yoga is the yogic science of mental discipline, concentration, meditation and the experience of connecting with the higher qualities of one’s nature.

Who is it for?

Raja yoga is for those who are inspired to transform their entire personality and become better human beings by understanding, managing and awakening the strengths and qualities of the mind. Raja yoga is the yoga for aspirants who wish to bring about a qualitative change in their experience and interactions in life, and awaken their inner potential.

Eight fundamental stages of raja yoga

There are eight fundamental stages or limbs of raja yoga which form a comprehensive and progressive system for mind management.

The first five stages are the preparatory stages:

1. Yama: social code
2. Niyama: personal code
3. Asana: steady sitting posture
4. Pranayama: control and expansion of prana
5. Pratyahara: sense withdrawal.

These preparatory stages aim at gradually quietening the externalized tendency of the senses, the pranas and the mind. They progressively prepare the body-mind complex for the last three internal, esoteric practices of yoga, which are:

1. Dharana: concentration
2. Dhyana: meditation
3. Samadhi: superconsciousness.

The stages of raja yoga will be offered in sequential training modules. The training begins with understanding the aim of raja yoga and the practices applied in the raja yoga system by Sage Patanjali.

Yatras 3 and 4 will be offered every alternate year. Sufficient time is required for the sadhana to deepen and for the practitioner to become established in it.

To apply for Module 1, comprehensive knowledge of asana and pranayama and previous experience of yoga as a sadhana, is a prerequisite. However for the progressive modules of raja yoga, preference will be given to those who participated in earlier modules and have at least three years Satyananda Yoga experience.

The application form can be downloaded here.

Please contact Bihar School of Yoga for more information by phone or post. If contacting by post please send a stamped, self addressed envelope for reply.