Are There Any More Schools of Yoga

[wizanda]

• Karma Yoga - The path of action (selfless service).
  
• Bhakti Yoga - the path of devotion.
  
• Jnana Yoga - the path of spiritual knowledge.
  
• Raja Yoga - the path of mind & meditation.
  
• Tantra Yoga - the path of divine sexuality.
  
• Kirya Yoga - the path of inner cleansing.

 

[Vinayaka]

Vivekenanda and successive writers were famous for separating yoga into categories. I assume it was to simplify things for his western audience. In reality, they are all related, and work together as a unit. You can't successfully practice any on it's own without some integration. Besides that, there are many different understandings based on schools. Some see them more as progressive stages. In that sense, there is only one yoga.

Some don't see jnana yoga as a yofa at all, but do see jnana as a state of being. What some people call 'jnana yoga' others will call mere intellectual study going in circles.

But the most distorted by far is tantra. Classically, tantra means methodology. The sexuality aspect has been way overblown by western indologists with Freudian mindsets.

Hope this helps.

 

[wizanda]

Classically, tantra means methodology.

Thank you, hadn't questioned the root meaning of the word.

'Tantra Sanskrit: तन्त्र often simply means "treatise" or "exposition".'

Methodology is a much clearer word, could do with adding that on Wikipedia.

The sexuality aspect has been way overblown by western indologists

That bit I'd question tho, as by understanding the methodology of the human anatomy from ayurveda...

The root of our whole vitality is regulated by the kundalini chakra; thus by recognizing our divine sexuality, we can be charged with positive energy.

 

[Vinayaka]

Kundalini rises from transmutation of the sexual forces, in other words celibacy. Yes westerners have questioned this, due to instinctive mind overriding superconscious mind. The instincts can be strong and convincing, and practically be themselves alter teachings to derive pleasure. In deriving this 'pleasure' kundalini goes down from the muladara, not up, allowing anava to take hold. Classical yoga is about restraint.

 

[Vinayaka]

But going back to the OP, there are many new words added to 'yoga' to describe it or to market it, besides the differing schools using different words.

Other schools have raja yoga, kundalini yoga, hatha yoga. and more. Modern ones are like hot yoga, naked yoga, power yoga, moksha yoga, strength yoga, etc. As well, there is probably some overlap and differing understandings. For example kundalini is such a cool sounding word that it might be good for marketing, but in reality very little of it's traditional understanding, if any at all. Yoga is in the top 10 economic growth industries in America today.

 

[wizanda]

Other schools have raja yoga, kundalini yoga, hatha yoga.

Have listed Raja already, as it has a unique characteristic to accept it as a different school, even though it might stem from other schools to begin with.

• Karma Yoga - a path of mindful action (selfless service).
  
• Bhakti Yoga - a path of devotion.
  
• Jnana Yoga - a seeking of spiritual knowledge.
  
• Raja Yoga - a path of mind & meditation.
  
• Tantra Yoga - a methodology of controlling the bodies vitality.
  
• Kirya Yoga - a path of inner cleansing.
• Kundalini Yoga - a practise to awakening the Kundalini.
• Hatha Yoga - a way to keeping the body balanced through stretching.
• Pranayama Yoga - a practise of regulating the breathing.

Please feel free to add or correct anything, to make it more succinct.

Modern ones are like hot yoga, naked yoga, power yoga, moksha yoga, strength yoga, etc.

Personally questioning, that due to missing out some of the contexts above, these are not even practising any form of Yoga really.

 

[Vinayaka]

Wizanda, there is no 'right' way to view it. Schools vary, and if you asked the Hindua (and maybe some others) on here how they personally view it, you'g get the specific school answers.

We agree about all that modern stuff ... not really yoga at all. in any traditional sense. Still, to each his own.

 

[blue taylor]

• Karma Yoga - The path of action (selfless service).
  
• Bhakti Yoga - the path of devotion.
  
• Jnana Yoga - the path of spiritual knowledge.
  
• Raja Yoga - the path of mind & meditation.
  
• Tantra Yoga - the path of divine sexuality.
  
• Kirya Yoga - the path of inner cleansing.

I have a friend who is into tantric yoga, martial arts and tantric sex. I asked him what was the reason for his interest in it, and what he expects to get from his efforts. I never got a straight answer from him. He did not know. Sad.

 

[Wu Wei]

Look for things by Georg Feuerstein, he wrote extensively about the history of Yoga and traditional Yoga

Short History of Yoga by Georg Feuerstein

The history of Yoga can conveniently be divided into the following four broad categories:

Vedic Yoga
Preclassical Yoga
Classical Yoga
Postclassical Yoga