Rays from the Light Fountain -7.

According to the popular use of the term, however, yoga means, in this century, any of the exercises comprising the practices of Hatha yoga, Raja yoga, or Karma yoga. It means asanas or exercises, nauli, bhastika, and mudras. All these are comprehended in the popular term Yoga.

But the most significant meaning we have yet to define. What is that? It is Yoga in its essential import. Any process, any spiritual technique, any exercise that one engages in or employs in order to attain union with God is really Yoga. Whatever leads one towards the supreme goal is rightly referred to as Yoga.

Is there no other way to attain God-Realization? Is Yoga the only way? To answer this question, we must now specify what real yoga is not. Real Yoga is not Raja Yoga exclusively, nor Hatha Yoga exclusively. Nor is it yoga-darshana. Real Yoga is not confined to any one religious dogma, or to any one spiritual exercise or ethical practice or moral discipline, however thoroughly that discipline may be applied. Whatever may be your religion, whatever may be your spiritual discipline or practice, if it be done for the attainment of God-realization, then it is real Yoga. And Yoga in this sense, is the "only way."

So all those people who have been trying to attain God-realization through prayer, for instance, no matter what their religion may have been, have been practicing Yoga. They may have practicing Hatha Yoga, or Raja Yoga, or Karma, but they have been meditating. And meditation is the culmination of all Yogic practices.

Sri Swami Chidananda

To be continued  ...