Yoga and Mindspace

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Different paths of Yoga (Source: Incredible India! Website)

Raja Yoga, the path of (physical and mental) self-control. Raja means "king", and Raja Yoga is considered the complete yoga because it focuses on controlling both the mind and body in order to attain enlightenment. Absolute mental control, based on the Eight Limbs of Yoga, discussed in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, is the mental goal, and this is achieved through meditation, concentration, and breathing. Hatha Yoga, the most popular branch of yoga, is the physical aspect of Raja Yoga. It considers the body as the vehicle for the soul, and uses physical postures ( asanas ), breathing techniques ( pranayamas ) and relaxation to bring the body to a perfect state of health. This includes harnessing the life force called prana.

Karma Yoga, the path of actions. The Karma Yogi seeks to attain enlightenment through right actions, thoughts and deeds, and selfless service without thought of gain or reward.

Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion. Those who practice Bhakti Yoga, through prayer, worship, and ritual, see the Divine in everyone and everything they encounter, thereby developing acceptance and tolerance for all.

Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge. This seeks to unify intellect and wisdom through questioning, meditation, and contemplation. It is considered to be the most difficult path, because it requires an open, curious mind and acceptance of an existence beyond doctrines. Before practicing Jnana Yoga, the student needs to have integrated the lessons of the other yogic paths - for without selflessness, love of God, and the strength of body and mind, the search for self-realization is nothing more than an exercise in philosophy.

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Essence of Karma Yoga -

"Work done has to be performed as sacrifice, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, perform your duties for satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage."

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Use of Tapa in Yoga - Tapa means burning. In yoga, it is used to increase endurance and adaptability.

In Raja Yoga, it is enduring physical pain under extreme conditions like enduring extreme heat/cold, remaining in some yogic posture for longer durations etc. (Hattha Yoga is a segment in Raja Yoga which uses Tapa as its basis)

In Karma Yoga, it is enduring physical and mental work pressures.

In Bhakti Yoga, it is enduring pain due to love, devotion, forgiveness etc.

In Jnana Yoga, it is used to increase your mental/emotional endurance. It is also used to tackle negativities in mind like using your own anger to burn your ego within.

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Jnana Yoga

Jnana means wisdom or discernment. Jnana yoga is the path of wisdom and jnana meditation is many-faceted.

The main purpose of jnana meditation is to withdraw the mind and emotions from perceiving life and oneself in a deluded way so that one may behold and live in attunement with Reality, or Spirit.

One principal way that the "jnani," the yogi of discernment, meditates is to patiently release or put aside all thoughts and feelings until the luminous glow of the soul dawns in the mind and heart and is allowed to do a work of transformation and enlightenment.

One way this is accomplished is through the technique called neti-neti.

Neti-neti means "not this, not this."

Whenever a thought or feeling which is not the goal of the meditation — that is, which is not the soul, the inner self — occurs to the mind, the meditator simply says, "Not this, not this," and dismisses the thought, image, concept, sound, or sense distraction.

Any thought, any feeling, is discarded — patiently discarded — again and again if necessary, until the mind is clear and the soul is revealed.

Remember never to meditate in a passive way. This state of consciousness is one of alertness, an amazing application of awareness.

When you get into the habit of "neti-neti," you can also discard worry, doubt, or fear, and become established in the light of your inner self. You can then look back at worries and fears with deep insight and handle them.

From - http://www.yogaworld.org/jnana.htm