Transcript Raja Yoga - Castle High School

Hindu Deities
• Polytheistic or Monotheistic? (Vedas/Upanishads)
• Brahman - Omnipotent, Omnipresent,
source of all manifest existence,
incomprehensible
• Trinity – “Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva” (Henotheistic)
• Humans are not apart from God – “Atman” lives
in each and every one
• Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of
all existences. There is no being--moving or
nonmoving--that can exist without Me. (Bhagavad Gita 10.39)
Sacred symbol representing Brahman
AUM / OM
•symbol to help realize the “Unknowable”
•“Aum” is root of universe and everything that exists
"The goal which all the Vedas declare,
which all austerities aim at, and which
men desire when they lead the life of
continence … is Om. This syllable Om is
indeed Brahman. Whosoever knows this
syllable obtains all that he desires. This
is the best support; this is the highest
support. Whosoever knows this support
is adored in the world of Brahma."
~ Katha Upanishad I
HINDU TRINITY
BRAHMA
VISHNU
SHIVA
BRAHMA
CREATOR of the universe and
of all beings.
•not to be confused with
Brahman the Supreme Being
or Almighty God
•Vedas are attributed to
Brahma
•found to exist more in
scriptures than in homes and
temples
VISHNU
PROTECTOR OF THE
WORLD AND THE
MORAL ORDER
(Dharma)
•PEACEFUL
•COMPASSIONATE
KRISHNA (8TH)
SHIVA
DESTROYER
•destroys all that is evil
and unwanted in order to
enable the divinity to
enter the world and
replace the ordinary
human consciousness
characterized by evil
passions and animal
instincts
DURGA
destroying evil
forces such as
selfishness,
jealousy, prejudice,
hatred, anger, and
ego
GANESHA
•REMOVES OBSTACLES
AND ENSURES SUCCESS
•APPRECIATED FOR
HIGH INTELLIGENCE,
STRENGTH, AND
DEVOTION
•9.21.95 – “Milk
Miracle”
The Sacred Cow video clip
YOGA
• “to unite” –
“union with
God”
• based on
personality
KARMA YOGA
• Action
• Selfless Work
– Ego = distance from Brahman
• “Gita” – work w/out expectation of reward,
give results to Brahman – no longer
emotionally bound by results
• Every work brings positive/negative karma
• As desire/ego subside past karma
(Karmashaya) is reduced
BHAKTI YOGA
• Love - Love for Loves Sake
• Just want to hang out with Brahman
• Ends desire for wants/sadness – Absolute
surrender
• Tend to become that which they love
• Purity of heart
Jnana Yoga
• Knowledge
• Self-Awareness – understand the storm of
life
• See life as it really is (as Brahman sees it)
• Only 1 “supreme reality” (Rope/Cobra)
• Moksha is achieved by realization that
your “Atman” is Brahman
• Get rid of “Avidya”
Raja Yoga
• Royal
• Self Restraint / Control of Mind
• “8 Limbs”
1)Yama = Morality
3)Asana = Posture
5)Pratyahara = Senses
lose attachment
7)Dhyana = Meditation
”one thing”
2)Niyama = Ethics
4)Pranayama = Breath
6)Dharana = Concentration
8)Samadhi = Absorption
”yoked”