Rāja yoga is a mental connection of the soul with the Supreme Soul, which empowers us to create a divine connection with ourselves, our body, people and the universe. It is a meditation without any rituals or mantras and can be practised anywhere at any time. This meditation is practised with ‘open eyes’, which makes this method of meditation simple and easy to practice. Meditation simply means the management of your thoughts. It is to have the ability to think of what you want and when you want, without interference from other thoughts. Yoga, which is associated with meditation, simply means to have a union or make connections with some object, subject, person or God. However, yoga is usually associated with spirituality. Yoga is to have a connection and to have dialogue or sweet conversation with the divine source of inspiration, whom people call God.
Meditation, therefore, is a prerequisite or condition that assists spiritual seekers to have unbroken, undisturbed and continuous access with divinity and this experience is called yoga. ‘In meditation, I go into the depths of myself, and deep within my inner being, I find the beauty of peace, love and happiness that is there inside me. I also realize that this same beauty lies inside each soul. Then naturally and very easily, without any effort, I get connected to the same qualities in others.’ Thus, while meditating , we learn to observe our inner self and recover the resources that can cleanse (heal) and fill us with virtues like peace, love, truth, wisdom, purity and happiness. Through concentrated thought, we learn to let these positive and pure energies manifest (show) themselves in our conscience and in our day-to-day actions. Meditation is full attention without tension. All of us are constantly living a life of yoga, which in spiritual terms is called a link or connection between two entities i.e. the one which remembers and the other one which is remembered. Examples of what we have yoga with – it could God ( Rāja yoga) or your actions (Karma yoga) or spiritual knowledge (Jñāna yoga) or bhakti (Bhakti yoga) or your breath (Prāṇāyāma) or your physical body (Haṭha yoga) or even a physical object like a candle flame. Rāja yoga is the highest amongst all since it is the communion between soul and Supreme Soul. Yoga is life and should not be limited to sitting in a particular posture for a few minutes at a particular time of the day. Basically, remembering anything or anyone is yoga. The word yoga should not be limited to the narrow definition of ‘exercise’. Focusing on one’s own body is extremely important, but only one aspect of a yogic lifestyle.
A complete or comprehensive yogic lifestyle is focusing on pure and constructive sources right through the day including God, because yoga means union or link, a union that will benefit the soul and body positively. The body and mind must remain healthy for the overall progress of a human being. As Haṭha Yoga is required to keep the body healthy, Rāja yoga is equally essential to keep the mind healthy since a healthy mind is a base for a healthy body. If the mind is powerful then the body also becomes strong. Therefore, it is said, “As the mind, so is the body”. It is also said, “The conqueror of the mind conquers the world.” The soul acts like a battery in our body which gets discharged through our negative and wasteful thoughts due to which the divine qualities & powers of the soul get depleted and it becomes weaker. Hence its charging is a must on a daily basis for smooth functioning and proper control over the mind & body. The mind becomes strong by acquiring powers through the remembrance of the Supreme Soul. In Rāja Yoga, one learns a method of connecting the mind and intellect with the Supreme soul. This dispels anxiety, fear, stress etc. of the mind. Rāja yoga is an easy path to calm down and stabilize thoughts. Through it, we gain the power to remain happy in every situation of life.
This year, on the International Day of Yoga we must focus upon methods to stay motivated while at home and adopt a healthy lifestyle by doing exercise and yoga. Exercise helps us to stay optimistic and yoga builds inner capacity and creativity.
16. Brahma Kumaris is a worldwide spiritual organization dedicated to personal transformation and world renewal. Founded in India in 1937, Brahma Kumaris has spread to over 110 countries on all continents and has had an extensive impact in many sectors as an international NGO. However, their real commitment is to helping individuals transform their perspective of the world from material to spiritual. It supports the cultivation of a deep collective consciousness of peace and of the individual dignity of each soul. They are individuals of all ages and backgrounds who study spiritual knowledge that nurtures respect for all faith traditions, coherently explains the nature of soul, God, time and karma, and inspires an enlightened lifestyle. They practice and teach Raja Yoga meditation, which relaxes the mind and nurtures a healthy balance between our inner and outer worlds. Through numerous social service activities and partnerships, they promote spiritual understanding, leadership with integrity and elevated actions towards a better world. Brahma Kumaris Amsterdam – Bijlmermeer, BK Harmony House; Kagelinkkade 5, 1104 ME, T: (020) 752 9893; E: bijlmermeer.ams@nl.brahmakumaris.org www.bksa.org, www.brahmakumaris.org
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