The living science of Yoga has been organised into different paths of approach over the centuries.
Patanjali’s Yoga can be considered Raja Yoga or Supreme Yoga, because almost all other systems of Yoga have their fundamental teachings subtly incorporated within the Ashtanga Yoga framework.

Alongside Raja Yoga, there are Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga (and Mantra Yoga), Karma Yoga and Hatha Yoga, which focuses more on the physical aspect of the practice.

Jnana Yoga – The Path of Wisdom

Jnana means “knowledge”. Jnana Yoga is the Yoga of self-inquiry, asking profound questions such as “Who am I?” It is a spiritual practice that leads toward self-realisation through the discrimination between what is real and what is not.

This non-dualistic path, rooted in the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, teaches that the seeker uses the mind to go beyond the mind through reflection and reasoning.

A Jnana Yogi cultivates qualities such as control of the mind and senses, patience, faith, concentration, and the deep longing for liberation (Mumukshutva).

The three stages of practice are:

1. Śravaṇa – Listening to the teachings of an enlightened master.
2. Manana – Reflecting and contemplating on those teachings.
3. Nididhyāsana – Realising the truth through direct experience in meditation.

Bhakti Yoga – The Path of Devotion

Bhakti Yoga is the Yoga of love and devotion — the opening of the heart toward the divine. It is about surrender, humility, and seeing oneself as an instrument of something greater.

Devotion in Bhakti Yoga can take many forms — prayer, singing, chanting, or simple acts of service. It does not prescribe where or how to direct that love; instead, it invites the practitioner to cultivate pure, selfless devotion.

In the Bhagavad Gita, four types of devotees are described:

• The distressed (Arta)
• The curious (Jijñasu)
• The seeker of wealth (Arthārthī)
• The seeker of knowledge (Jñānī)

The practice of Kirtan — chanting mantras and sacred songs — is central to Bhakti Yoga. It transforms emotion into devotion and unites the heart and mind in love.

Mantra Yoga – The Yoga of Sound

Mantra Yoga works with vibration and sound as tools for transformation. The word mantra comes from man (mind) and tra (to protect), meaning “that which protects the mind.”

By repeating sacred sounds, the practitioner refines awareness, steadies the mind, and awakens subtle states of consciousness. The sound OM (or AUM) is considered the Mahāmantra — the supreme mantra, containing the vibration of all creation.

Karma Yoga – The Path of Action

Karma Yoga means “union through selfless action.” It teaches us to act without attachment to results — to work with a pure heart and offer every deed to the divine.

According to the Bhagavad Gita, the laws of Karma Yoga are:

1. Work with a sense of duty.
2. Work without attachment.
3. Do not let results disturb your peace of mind.
4. Accept success and failure equally.

Every action becomes a form of prayer. Through selfless service, the practitioner purifies the heart and moves closer to liberation (Moksha).

Raja Yoga – The Royal Path

Raja Yoga, often identified with Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, is the path of meditation and mental mastery. The term Rajameans “royal” — pointing to the highest form of self-discipline and control of the mind.

Also called Ashtanga Yoga (the Eightfold Path), Raja Yoga encompasses ethics, discipline, posture, breath, concentration, meditation, and ultimately, the state of union.

Hatha Yoga – The Path of Balance

Ha means sun and tha means moon — symbolising the union of opposing energies. Hatha Yoga is the Yoga of balance, willpower, and purification.

It begins with the body, preparing it as a vessel for higher states of consciousness. Through Shatkriyas (cleansing practices), Asanas (postures), Pranayama (breath control), Bandhas (locks), and Mudras (gestures), energy is awakened and directed through the subtle channels.

Hatha Yoga aims to awaken Kundalini, harmonise body and mind, and lead the practitioner toward stillness and self-realisation.

The six classical Shat Kriyas are:

• Neti: Cleansing of the nasal passage
• Dhauti: Cleansing of the digestive tract
• Nauli: Massaging of the abdomen
• Kapalabhati: Cleansing the lungs and energising the system
• Basti: Colon cleansing
• Trataka: Eye purification through focused gazing

These practices help balance the Doshas (energetic constitutions) and promote physical and energetic harmony.

Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga are often seen as complementary — one working through the body, the other through the mind — together forming the complete essence of Yoga.