Yoga of consciousness – Raja Yoga – the highest form of yoga (of course, if we consider Patanjali as an authority in this area). The system of Raja Yoga is focused on purposeful development of consciousness and gaining the ability to enter the state of Samadhi, which develops mental abilities and gives Enlightenment .

The task of Raja Yoga is to achieve this state, learn to enter it, properly manage this state and use its consciousness as a tool for studying various objects or developing other abilities.

For this “supertask” we need not ideal, but normally prepared and purified bodies: physical, emotional and mental. Therefore, the Raja-Yoga includes “external” and “internal” means of yoga, as well as “Exercise” and “dispassion” (which are the result of the realization of external means of yoga).

Many of these means of yoga are separated into separate systems: Karma Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and others. 

Raja Yoga uses all kinds of external yoga to prepare the lower bodies for the conscious manifestation of the Divine Light in them and the transition of the mind of the individual to the state of consciousness of the “Higher Self.” In the Yoga Sutras Patanjali refers to the External Yogic means as yoganga, since they prepare bodies and psyche for the proper flow and speed of realization of internal means.

Raja Yoga deals with the attainment of the state of Samadhi consciousness through the internal means of yoga: the work with consciousness takes place, and the state of Samadhi, Enlightenment and the disclosure of supernormal abilities are achieved.

We are all different, we are on different “Rays”, all have different starting karmic possibilities, and thereforeEveryone needs an individual approach . Need flexibility. We can not be perfect in all bodies, but we can bring them to a state acceptable to work. Therefore, the internal and external means of Yoga can be individually used as necessary, depending on which part of the person requires urgent changes and removal of obstacles, or which body requires correction (etheric, astral or mental).

Raja-yoga does not require you to perfect physical preparation and hour-long sitting in asanas (poses), it is convenient enough to sit on a chair with an even back. But if you are more comfortable in the lotus position, then, of course, it is wonderful. The task of Raja Yoga is that you are always in the state of Samadhi, regardless of the posture and time of the day,active perception of reality by the discriminating knowledge of your Higher Self . Therefore, I will be more interested in not the ideal position of your physical body and the rhythm of breathing, but the state of your astral and mental body, the state of consciousness, the mind of buddhi and the chitta-vritti nirodha (restriction-stopping the oscillation of matter of consciousness).

About the individual use of the means of yoga, we can say that, for example, brahmacharya (sexual abstinence) is not suitable for everyone, but its absence can be compensated by other practices of Yama and Niyama to achieve an acceptable result of control of consciousness.

For example, if you need to correct the etheric body and regulate the circulation of prana, then you need to do some time Pranayama exercises, or exercises from qigong (if this system is closer to you), or just start walking regularly at a quick pace. You choose what is closest to you. Therefore, if you have a problem with energy circulation, you should quickly use the most convenient way for you to restore it. In the class I give exercises that do not require special preparation, initiations and other difficulties. If your chakras do not work well, you can restore them by proper concentration and conscious work in the etheric body.

At the first lessons you should master the practice of samyama, and when you transfer your consciousness to the etheric body, you can make yourself a “technical inspection” and eliminate the shortcomings. It’s the same with the state of the astral body: you can change the composition of its matter and remove all evil eye and other astral troubles that accidentally or intentionally decided that your body is their home. This is quite realistic and achievable.