"Awareness is the thread that takes you through the transitions of life."
Radhika Shah Grouven
Author, Mastering Pranayama
Raja: The Royal Path
Saucha: Purity in Relationships
Saucha or Purity is one of the Niyamas or Commitments. Times are changing rapidly. Households and marriages are breaking up and new non-traditional relationships are developing. Traditional or otherwise we need a few guidelines that allow us to measure our relationships. Rishis and yogis laid...
Yamas and Niyamas: Value Training in Raja Yoga
Integrating values into an asana session lifts it from mere gymnastics to a profound spiritual science. Yamas, the 5 observances and Niyamas, the 5 commitments are the ethical aspects of Raja, the Royal Path of Yoga. They lay down a strong moral and ethical foundation. It is important to...
Tapas: Touching the Yoga mat counts
A case for a gentle approach to disciple in Yoga. Tapas means discipline. I am a writer and for years I struggled to write. Don't get me wrong. I loved writing but every time I sat down to write my mind wanted to do something else. It wanted to eat or watch television or chat with someone on the...
Practising Pratyahara and Raja Yoga
Raja, the Royal path of Yoga comprises of 8 limbs. One of these limbs Pratyahara is explained here in a unique and insightful way. When we meditate upon our breath in the classic meditative postures of Sukhasana, Swastikasana or Siddhasana, we do so with the intention of making our minds...
Raja Yoga: Samadhi and Surrender
Samadhi is the eighth and last limb of Raja, the Royal Path of Yoga. Raja is also known as Astanga, the Eightfold path. I was walking along the Arabian Sea in Mumbai when a group of village folk got out of an old bus. They looked at the sea for the first time in their lives. They were simply awe...
Dharana: Fear in Meditation
Meditators experience fear and discomfort in the early stages of meditation, technically called Dharana. This article explains how meditators can deal with their fear and discomfort. Beginners on the path of Raja, the royal path of meditation, expect that meditation should bring them instant joy,...
Dhyana: One-pointedness in Raja Yoga
Dhyana, the flow of meditation, is the seventh limb of Raja, the Royal path of Yoga. Raja is also known as Astanga, the Eightfold path of Yoga A one-pointed mind is necessary for any one desiring success in any field. One-pointedness is also an essential prerequisite for anyone who wants...