NOTE:  Before you pick your path of choice, it’s important to understand how each path is structured and why it is structured as such.

Only once you have finished reading this entire page, should you choose your respective path. 

The aim of all yogas or paths is to become one with Brahman. Yoga means to yoke or union, hence it is a merging of your false identity with your true identity.  In other words, it is a revelation of who you truly are and what you were truly not. Your true identity right now is Brahman. However, due to ignorance of your true nature, you and Brahman appear to be separate. Why do you appear to be separate from Brahman? Because the experience you are having right now is suggesting otherwise. It is convincing you to believe that you are something else (i.e. a human being).  Yoga aims to reconcile this by recognizing your true nature as Brahman. In other words, there is only Brahman, i.e. a non-dual reality (i.e. advaita).

 

So how is this recognition made? By following a yoga or path, the mind goes on a journey of purification which helps in removing ignorance or the entanglement awareness has on its own false projection. Once this perception is corrected, you will no longer experience or perceive separation! Therefore, only once the mind is purified enough, will recognition of this truth come to be known experientially. The ultimate goal of all paths is to not just understand that you and Brahman are the same, but to directly experience this truth as a conscious living reality. 

 

So long as you hold a false perception, where life is experienced as an individual self that is separate from everything else, there will always be suffering since suffering is embedded in duality. The only way suffering can be removed, is if there is no longer any separation perceived. If there is no longer any separation perceived, then all concepts that imply the existence of duality such as joy and sorrow vanish. This is the only way conducive for liberation. 

There are many paths which aim to uncover your true nature.  In truth, any methodology that helps turn the existence of many into one, can be considered a path.  However, on this site, we will explain four main yogas: 

 

1.  Karma Yoga - The Path of Selfless Action

2.  Kundalini Yoga - The Path of Leveraging the Kundalini Energy for Objective & Subjective Meditation

2.  Ashtanga Yoga - The Path of Objective & Subjective Meditation through conscious attention alone

3.  Jnana Yoga - The Path of Advaita Knowledge & Subjective Meditation

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IMPORTANT: The four paths above are all independent from one another and lead to the same realisation if properly understood and followed using the correct methodology.  

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Why do each path lead to the same realisation? In order to understand this more, we will briefly explain why this false perception you currently hold needs to be corrected, and what each path will offer in order to correct this perception.

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The perception you hold right now is sustaining an illusion.  This illusion sustains your perception of multiplicity.  In other words, what you are perceiving right now, such as objects, appear to be separate from you. Because you identify as the body, and are immersed in all of its many functions, it makes you feel and experience reality as if you are a human being seeing and experiencing things outside of yourself. As such, here are just some of the different things perceived that are guaranteed to be coupled with this perception:

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1) Constant Change and movement

2) Causation

3) Time

4) Space

5) Dimensions

6) Attributes

7) Qualities

8) Reducibility 

9) Impermanence

10) Limitation

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All of the above appear to be true when one's perception is not correct, and as such, we refer to this as ignorance (known as avidya in Vedanta).  So, if one wants to correct their perception (i.e. remove ignorance) in order to experientially realize Brahman as their own self, then it must mean that all of the things mentioned above should be seen and known as the exact opposite!  This means that with self-realisation, there is no longer any perception of change, causality, time, space, dimensions, attributes, qualities, etc. as an ACTUAL or REAL phenomena.  What is known is now irreducible, perpetual, infinite and action-less. 

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So why do you currently hold a false perception?

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The reason why your perception is false, is because your attention is glued to an illusion which contradicts the truth of Brahman.  For there to be realisation of something that is timeless, dimensionless, spaceless, eternal and infinite, then it must mean that attention needs to be fixed on THAT (i.e. the indescribable), instead of drifting amongst an illusion that is apparently constantly changing. Anything perceived linearly, implies the existence of space and time, since whatever is moving linearly, such as thought, needs to transition from one point to the next in order to be consciously known. Therefore, attention must remain unbroken (frozen) and not diverged away from its point of origin, in order to avoid affirming the unreal existence of space, time and impermanence. If attention becomes broken, you now conceive of something false, and therefore split unity into subject and object, creating duality, since what you now conceive of, separates you from what is conceived, which contradicts the truth of Brahman (non-separation).  You now find yourself immersed in a dream, moving from one thought to the next.

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So how do we make our attention become unbroken, so that what we are conscious of is always infinite, spaceless, dimensionless and timeless? In order to do this, we must purify the mind.  The mind is what we refer to as Brahman when it's seemingly immersed in its own dream of movement.  In other words, conscious attention, which is inseparable from Brahman, is placed on something that is imaginary and because it is immersed in its own imagination, it conceives itself as something inside the imagination.  This is similar to finding yourself in your own dream every night while always being inherently free and without time and space ever being required for the inner dream to exist.  Therefore, we term Brahman, the impure mind when this false experience is in motion.  Because attention seems to be broken and stuck in the illusory forces of movement, we must make it still again by channeling attention or awareness back to its unbroken source, away from any perceived changes, since attention or awareness is all we ever have to use!  This is achieved by purifying the mind, since a pure mind is synonymous with Brahman.  In other words, the truth of the mind IS Brahman without any impurities.  It is only the impurities that makes us term Brahman the mind, when attention is glued to an illusion that sustains a false perception. 

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When attention is constantly immersed in a dream, one holds desires for dream-objects.  These desires continue to perpetuate the existence of the false self by continuing to gratify itself in some way through the attainment of those dream-objects, which keeps the dream character alive.  But by purifying the mind, attention becomes more still and starts to draw itself back inward to reveal its source, signifying a removal of ignorance, where one begins to not only lose desire for those dream-objects, but the deep-rooted desire to experience a dream as an individual self.  In other words, with the removal of ignorance, one begins to see the unreal existence of the individual self, as their true identity begins to dawn as the pure self (Brahman). 

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The process of removing ignorance is spiritual growth, which occurs through many lifetimes or re-occurring dreams with different forms. The height of removing ignorance is characterized by beings who become compassionate, loving and not budged by much since there is less movement in the mind to react, from what is perceived as external disturbances.  These beings naturally become contemplative because their attention wanders less and drifts away from anything seemingly contradictory that leads to suffering, anger, and other emotions when desires remain unfulfilled.  When attention becomes more fixed, there is less of an urge to take that attention elsewhere to fulfill a desire. The more still the mind becomes, the more your attention becomes fixated on the unchanging reality, where separation gradually starts to recede.  This leads to extreme depths of meditation culminating in samadhi, where attention is now completely and utterly unbroken. Your perception is now fully corrected, since all is now seen and known as infinite, eternal, changeless, timeless, spaceless, dimensionless and actionless. Experiential knowledge of Advaita (non-duality) is realized.​

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As you can see, every path includes this journey of making the mind still by transitioning from broken to unbroken attention.  The more broken attention is, the more active the mind is and the more desires you hold, since attention is not fixed and always drifting away, conceiving of things that affirms the existence of duality and remaining on them which further creates agitation in the mind.  The less broken attention is, the more still (purified) the mind is. The more purified the mind, the more still, peaceful, blissful and content you become as you no longer rely or depend on anything else for this inner peace.  As your attention starts to move less, you naturally become more meditative, until your awareness remains fixed and unchanging, signifying the truth of Brahman. 

 

This is why there are four main themes for every path that can be pursued.  There is not a single path a person can walk on without any of these themes. This is undisputable.

 

The four main themes are as follows:

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1) Mind Purification

2) Concentration

3) Meditation

4) Samadhi

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All paths consist of these four themes, which is why all the paths presented on this platform will be structured according to each of these different themes.  In addition to each theme, each path will begin by explaining non-dual wisdom which will be presented through many hyperlinks serving as lessons.  This will serve as the sravana phase, which is typically associated with the path of knowledge (i.e. jnana yoga). Sravana entails hearing or reading the truth in its most accurate manner, allowing one view the world and themselves differently. Its aim is to develop the conviction and faith needed to perform spiritual practices diligently, and to use it as support for spiritual practices.  

 

On this platform, we will infuse sravana on EVERY path.  While many believe sravana should only be associated with jnana yoga, it is ignorant to believe that learning non-dual wisdom cannot be applied on every path, since every path already consists of the four different themes.  Infusing each path with sravana will allow one to purify the mind *exponentially* before moving on to other advanced themes.  The only difference between each path is the methodology that is used throughout each theme, which we will explain in much detail later on.  Therefore, by infusing sravana in all paths, it will help expedite the purification process, allowing one to deepen their understanding about reality if it's practically applied, until it fructifies in an actual realisation through the methodology that is leveraged. 

 

Each path will use their own specific methodologies to explain the following:

 

1) How to purify the mind

2) How to develop concentration

3) How to go into unbroken meditation

4) How to plunge into samadhi (i.e. reveal knowledge of your true self)

 

Purifying the mind can only be done by leveraging your false identity through self-effort.  Self-effort or doership is used on every path and is the only way one's attention can become more still, since one's effort is all they have available to use in order to correct their perception.  There is no realisation without constant effort to break the conditioning of movement in attention. Through self-effort, one aims to make the mind more still (purified) which gradually leads to higher levels of concentration and one-pointedness.  Practices will become more advanced as you transition through different themes, if qualified to do so (as directly known through your own inner experience).  As practices deepen, it will allow you to become more meditative, where attention becomes unperturbed without breaking.  The pinnacle of the journey is when attention becomes completely unbroken, allowing one to plunge into non-dual samadhi. 

 

Note: There are many different types of samadhi which arises in deep meditative states, but the samadhi noted as the last theme, is the unbroken experience of non-dual Brahman which has no trace of separation perceived.  It is equivalent to the pure self, and is the ultimate aim of all spiritual practices.  The different types of samadhi will be explained in more depth as you journey on through your path. ​

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A deeper meaning behind the four themes, their purpose, and how each will be presented on this platform:

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On this platform, the first theme aims to purify the mind which will be split into two phases. The first phase will discuss how to develop sattvic qualities.  The development of sattvic qualities will help increase compassion and empathy, allowing one to be less egoic and selfish driven.  This helps decrease the gap between oneself and others, fostering a deeper connection with all. It will also help the mind become more drawn to its own inner self instead of gravitating outwards, thus giving it the capacity to turn inward. This allows one to be inwardly called in treading a path to drift attention in that opposite direction. The second phase will discuss the initial practices to help take attention away from disturbances of the mind, and into the realm of continuity and stillness.  This marks the transition from distraction to peace.  These initial practices will allow one to take attention somewhere beyond where it hasn't ventured before. It aims to move attention away from constantly breaking, into something that is more fixed, and not dependent on what appears to be external factors or forces.

 

The second theme aims to cultivate concentration.  This will consist of practices to help attention remain fixed and keep it away from anything else, although at first, there will be disturbances that arise.  The Third theme aims to cultivate meditation.  This will consist of practices to enable attention to go into one continuous stream of stillness without a single disturbance (i.e. unbroken).  The last theme is samadhi. This is complete self-absorption, where one loses the sense of being in meditation and also the sense of being the meditator.

 

As you can see, these themes simply allow one to turn broken attention into unbroken attention!  This process is engrained in every path, since the goal of every path is to reveal unbroken attention (the very definition of Brahman).

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Now that you understand the entire point of the spiritual journey and the final inevitable goal, here is a brief summary of each path and its associated methodology, followed by a brief assessment at the very end (noted in the conclusion) to help you decide which path you should pursue  - if needed).​

 

Karma Yoga - The Path of Selfless Action
 

Methodology: Detachment from motivated actions and desired results - i.e. renouncing agency

Karma yoga is the path of action. The word action simply means to act. All yogas or paths involve some type of action. Breathing and sitting down for the individual on the path of meditation is considered action.  Reading, listening and contemplating on the vedic teachings for one who is following the path of knowledge is also considered action. Any activity done with doership through attachment with the ego is considered action. The actions made by those who perform karma yoga aim to purify the mind first through the movement of the physical body. 

The path of karma yoga is commonly meant for those with a rajastic mind. A rajastic mind is a mind that constantly wants to act. It is always cluttered with thoughts that motivates the person to perform worldly activities. Someone with a rajastic mind is an extrovert. They feel motivated to pursue things for material enjoyment. It doesn’t matter what the motivation is behind their actions, they are attracted by the world of objects. If you are an extrovert and always feel the need to do something to satisfy your desires, then karma yoga can be the right path to embark on.

The preliminary aim of karma yoga is to turn selfish actions (any action that benefits you and thus preserves the ego) into selfless actions (any action that benefits others and thus weakens the ego). This means performing actions with a different inner mental attitude. Instead of doing things solely to gain personal benefit, which only enforces separation between you and something else, you begin to do things that benefit others. This helps break down the barriers of separation, bridging the gap between you and everything else. This doesn’t necessarily mean doing only charity work or some type of philanthropy. It also means small acts of kindness, whether it be smiling at someone or saying thank you to show gratitude. It is the act of giving without expecting anything in return. 

 

Karma yoga also means spiritualizing all of your actions no matter what they are.  It’s about having an attitude that you are not separate from anything and giving all of God’s creation an equal value. You see yourself in all, and every action aligns with that one single belief. Imagine how much your actions will change just by doing things with the underlying belief that everything is fundamentally the same? You will not only see the connection with all beings, but you will also begin to feel the connection with all beings.  This is a sign that the mind is transforming and being purified, as shown by your compassionate and non-reactive actions. 

 

As karma yoga is practiced, it doesn't just become an act of compassion and selflessness.  Practice is deepened when you begin to pursue something beyond righteousness and virtue.  You start to draw attention towards a higher power, even amidst your actions.  There comes more acceptance and contentment with how the world operates, no matter the good or bad that proceeds from it. The more this yoga evolves, the more your attention becomes fixed as it starts to wander less amongst objects.  Desires are reduced as one's attention turns away from them to pursue something greater.  This means the agency behind actions begin to dissolve as one becomes less attached to the motive and outcomes behind actions. The seeker who is in this phase of karma yoga is elevated and now becomes naturally concentrated in their actions, signified by attention that doesn't waver as much. As this is deepened, concentration becomes firmer as one now becomes meditative no matter what actions are taking place.  The final practice of karma yoga involves relinquishing the motive and volition to act out of will, along with the removal of any desire for a specific outcome to occur.  If motivation for actions and desires for results are no longer there, then there is no longer the need for the false self to exist, and what remains is the true self.  It is at this pinnacle, the ego is completely renounced and the seeker plunges into samadhi and realizes the truth of reality, since there is nowhere left for attention to go, other than its own fundamental pure self. 

Many people who follow the path of karma yoga may perform puja (rituals), japa (repetition of mantras), devotional prayers, chanting accompanied with music (kirtan) or charity work, etc. These are also commonly known as acts of bhakti which ultimately fall under karma yoga in the beginning stages as one perceives separation between them and the object being devoted to. The purpose of all karma yoga actions is to make the mind one-pointed by focusing all actions on God, no matter what action is being performed. This means you turn attention to source in every action that is made. This in itself is a form of meditation but with your eyes open while the body is moving. While spectators may believe that the mind of the karma yogi is overly active from all the activities they partake in, from the perspective of the most advanced karma yogi, their attention is focused on their true self only. 

 

By performing your actions selflessly, the mind becomes sattvic in nature (spiritually purified). This is because karma yoga helps in dissolving the agency behind actions, which would have otherwise been perpetuated if the actions continued to be egoic and selfish driven. With detachment from actions, the mind becomes transparent enough to reflect the truth of Brahman. 

As you begin this path, you will use agency to become more selfless and compassionate in your actions. This will be done by spiritualizing your actions, no matter what they are. As you become more selfless, you will gain the power to remove agency. The more advanced you are on this path through the higher themes, the more agency is removed. For the karma yogi, they do not need to give up any actions. You are not being told to not do anything. You can continue to perform all of your actions, no matter what they are, but with a different attitude so that every action you perform is done out of love, selflessness, compassion and ultimately for God only. The more you devote your actions to God; the more God works through you. This is what is meant by acting through grace. You will no longer feel as if you are the agent who is giving or receiving if you become extremely advanced in this practice. This is why this path alone can lead to realisation.

On this path, we will differentiate between those who are beginners, still with a selfish attitude and whose false perception is enhanced to mostly perceive separation (signified by a strong ego), and those who are more selfless, whose perception is less distorted and sees a connection with all (signified be a weak ego).  We will explain how to transition from selfishness to selflessness through the renouncing of agency as we progress through each theme.  All of this will be explained in great detail if you choose karma yoga as your dedicated path.
 

Kundalini Yoga - The Path of Leveraging the Kundalini Energy for Objective & Subjective Meditation
 

Methodology: Leveraging the awakened Kundalini energy 

The path of kundalini yoga involves leveraging the kundalini energy and using it as a means to realize the self. The kundalini energy is a primordial energy that remains dormant for most people, but if the mind is purified enough, this energy may awaken and ascend, piercing through each of the major chakras (aspects of the mind), allowing one to spiritually ascend and reveal higher states of consciousness that wasn’t normally perceived when attention was glued in the grossest state of the physical body. This ascension transforms the mind by purifying it to a great degree, allowing one to spiritually evolve radically.  The kundalini energy is so divinely intoxicating, it allows attention to stick on to its extremely subtle divine energy, burning away all objective knowledge it comes in contact with, such as thoughts about external things. Because attention latches on to this blissful energy, it can also remain glued to it when the energy is directed inward and away from thoughts and objects. This means kundalini can be leveraged for both objective and/or subjective meditation.

 

Objective meditation is when one focuses on a single object or thought in an attempt to suppress other objects or thoughts until the single object or thought vanishes for samadhi to unravel. Subjective meditation is when one turns attention away from all thoughts and objects, until the self is exposed. The kundalini energy can be used for both types of meditation, though many don’t believe that it can be used to realize the self of Advaita. This is because one has either never awakened the energy to know it’s extremely profound and divine powers, or they have not practiced using it long enough to know that it can increase the power of viveka to isolate awareness from the perception of duality. This energy itself exponentially increases the spiritual power of viveka to isolate awareness from the subtlest sheaths of the mind, fully discriminating the self (awareness) from the non-self (projection of the mind and thoughts). If viveka is used while leveraging the energy, it can allow one to reveal the self even amidst the appearance of actions.

 

The path of kundalini yoga is special in that the result of practicing to awaken this energy, enables an intelligence to arise (the kundalini) which then guides you through the inner mind to reveal the self. In other words, it is guided assistance!

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On the path of kundalini, we will explain how to purify all of the major chakras, which is none other than the mind itself. The chakras represent different states and qualities of consciousness that must be purified in order to help clear the main nadi or pathway for the kundalini to ascend. It is only when one cultivates sattvic qualities, through a purified mind, that one enables attention to go beyond the chakras which holds the notions of duality, and into a realm of stillness and continuity. When chakras and nadis are purified enough, we will speak about practices such as pranayama to help activate the kundalini. Only when the mind is still enough and with the right preparatory practices, will the kundalini become prime to awaken. Once activated, it can be used to further burn away impurities that keeps the mind turned outward onto the dream of duality. We will also explain this energy according to direct experience and intuitive revelations. With persistent practice using this divine energy, concentration levels begin to heighten, and meditation becomes much easier, especially when the kundalini is used persistently to keep attention very stable. Through this perpetual meditation while using the energy, one can eventually go into samadhi, allowing self-absorption to unravel. This means kundalini by itself can be used as a tool for self-realisation, contrary to popular belief by those who follow Advaita Vedanta. It only means their kundalini is not awakened to truly know or haven't used it with mastery to know the truth of what it can reveal. For seekers, one only needs to ensure that the precise methodology is being applied and executed correctly for the final inevitable goal to be unraveled. 

 

While this path can be suited for anyone as it also entails mind purification through purifying the chakras and nadis, it can be more suited for those who have already developed sufficient levels of concentration and who may be prepared enough to engage in practices that can help awaken the dormant and powerful energy. It is most definitely a path one should pursue if the kundalini is already awakened. As a general guideline, if you consider yourself an introvert, with a strong ambition and drive to engage in practices to help awaken the energy, then kundalini yoga can be a great path for you to pursue.

 

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Ashtanga Yoga - The Path of Objective & Subjective Meditation
 

Methodology: Sense withdrawal and control of thoughts (meditation with/without form) via conscious attention 

 

In Ashtanga Yoga per Patanjali's system of the Yoga Sutras, all of the eight limbs take a seeker from the beginning stages of mind purification and eventually to the ending stages of meditation and samadhi. The eight limbs entail a progressive path which starts with beginner practices to help purify the mind and leads to more advanced ones to further evolve one’s spiritual growth. 
 

On this path, we will discuss Sage Patanjali's recommendation on how to purify the mind through internal and external observances (Yamas and Niyamas) by developing sattvic qualities. With a more sattvic mind, you will begin to take attention with ease into a different direction, away from just righteous and virtuous actions.  This will help the seeker be prepared to advance to practices that helps turn attention away from disturbances of the mind. We will explain practices to help take it further, such as engaging in asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques) and pratyahara (sense withdrawal). While one on the path of kundalini aims to leverage the kundalini energy to take attention inward, one on the path of ashtanga simply uses their attention itself to travel inward, thus withdrawing from the senses and controlling thoughts, which is its main methodology. The final three limbs will then help allow attention to become more stablized. We will explain practices to help one be firmer in concentration (dharana) so that it can remain fixed and not diverge away from disturbances.  By being more fixed in concentration, this will allow one to enter dhyana (unbroken meditation), which ultimately fructifies into samadhi (self-absorption and uniting with Brahman).

 

We will speak about meditation as a one-off formal practice, but also as a perpetual practice that should occur throughout the day in all actions.  While formal practices are good to develop concentration, the more advanced practice comes when you're able to take this meditation with you and carry it forward throughout the day.  This will allow you to become more accepting and persevere through life no matter what obstacles arise, allowing meditation to deepen as a natural unfoldment. 

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Through the process of meditating on the path of ashtanga, intuitive knowledge is also uncovered along the way depending on how self-absorbed you are during meditation.  This allows one to gain access to spiritual powers, which we will explain as a way to leverage for spiritual growth and use strictly for selfless reasons. While there are different goals on the path of ashtanga, specifically for objective and subjective meditation, both ways can produce liberation as there are different routes one may take to bring attention back to unbroken source. Therefore, we will also explain the different types of muktis (liberation) in detail and how to produce each of them.

 

While this path is suited for anyone as it contains a systematic framework devised for one to progress through all four themes, it can be well suited for those who are naturally introverted and prefer to meditate as a dedicated practice since this yoga is often and commonly known as a yoga of meditation.  If you feel compelled to follow a systematic framework developed by a true Sage (Patanjali), then this can very well be a great path for you to pursue. 

 

 

Jnana Yoga - The Path of Advaita Knowledge & Subjective Meditation 

 

Methodology: Contemplation on Vedantic truths and subjective meditation

Jnana yoga is the path of conceptual knowledge and subjective meditation. While the individual who follows kundalini or ashtanga yoga controls the mind through practices such as pranayama, withdrawal of the senses, control of thoughts, or leveraging divine energy, the individual who follows the path of jnana, contemplates on the truths as explained in the Upanishads, which states that there is only Brahman.  This knowledge of Brahman is what is revealed with realisation through any path, however, for one on the path of jnana yoga, they are introduced with this knowledge first as a conceptual understanding.  This process begins with logic and rationality but eventually must be transcended as the individual begins to contemplate on these truths, leaving logic and rationality behind as this knowledge becomes more intuitive, as an inner knowing.

 

The purification process of this path begins by hearing the truth of reality.  If one understands this truth correctly as it truly is from one who has realised the truth such as a Sage, it will help them understand the knowledge of Brahman more precisely without corruption (i.e. in its most accurate manner).  Hearing it from one who only understands it intellectually, will not allow one to embrace the knowledge as it truly is. Understanding this knowledge in the deepest way possible, allows one to view things radically different in the world.  This allows the mind to transform exponentially as it becomes more spiritually purified. 

 

This path therefore starts with the sravana process via hearing or reading these conceptual truths.  Conceptual knowledge of the truth is meant to change one's perspective about themselves and this world, and to cultivate an understanding that there is truly no such thing as separation.  As one deepens their understanding of truth during the sravana phase, more faith and conviction arises as doubts are resolved. The removal of doubts does not just come from deepening one's conceptual understanding, but through inner reflection of the truths that are presented and the implications it has on one's identity and their perception of the world.  This happens through the manana phase. When one begins to contemplate more on this knowledge, conviction deepens, as they begin to let go of the conceptual processes once held by the rational and logical mind. This paves the way for concentration and meditation as intuition grows stronger, allowing one to let go of everything as they continue to deeply contemplate on the changeless nature of Brahman.  This marks the last phase, nididhyasana or subjective meditation, where attention drifts away from all objective knowledge conceivable, including the knowledge of Vedanta and the false identity of the individual self, eventually exposing the unbroken self through samadhi. 

 

On this path, we will explain how to apply non-dual wisdom to actions which will help cultivate sattvic qualities. This will help turn selfish actions to selfless actions as one aligns more with compassion than egoism.  We will review deep pointers to the self to help expand your understanding of reality and also review the four-fold qualifications which will be used as practices to help firm up your levels of concentration. As we begin to become more contemplative on the teachings we received about non-dual wisdom, we will gradually become meditative in our actions.  We will explain how to perform self-inquiry or nididhyasana from beginning to end, which will eventually help us to be naturally meditative or keep the unbroken flow of awareness firm until samadhi eventually ensues when turiya (the self) is exposed. 

 

The type of meditation followed on this path is subjective, meaning there is no concentrating on any thought or object.  Instead, one takes their concentration away from anything conceivable, as dictated by the truth of Brahman, which says reality is formless. Therefore, if one correctly follows the right methodology aligned with this path, the more they can negate the aspects of reality that is truly false and unreal.  This process is known as negation, which uses the subtle intellect to separate formless awareness from that which is perceived as having form.  This process of negation is also referred to as discriminating between the real (satya) and the unreal (mithya). Here satya means Brahman and mithya means anything that borrows existence from Brahman, i.e. an illusion. The negation is done through deep intuitive subjective meditation, which is the meeting point where all paths converge in their highest and most advanced practices. 

 

For those who follow jnana yoga, they do not necessarily need to go into meditation as a one-off action by suppressing thoughts or objects. Rather, their mediation should be continuous throughout the day while they are in the presence of empirical phenomena.  This means they must see things as they truly are in its most accurate manner through knowledge they received in the beginning. This eventually culminates in self-knowledge that is firm and continuous no matter what action is being performed by the body-mind. Since all is already Brahman and known as the self-evident "I", the seeker aims at attaining direct vision of Brahman here right now in this very world itself no matter where they are or what they're doing — it is a constant abidance.

 

As you can see, in jnana yoga, it is about putting all the teachings and reflections/insights gained from the Sages who have realised the truth, into practical use, so that you yourself can become a Sage and realise this truth yourself. This path, as with all other paths, culminate in meditating throughout every action. This is equivalent to formless dhyana of ashtanga and kundalini yoga and also the complete renouncing of agency on the path of karma yoga or selfless action.  While sravana and manana is often meant traditionally as a means to listen and to reflect on the teachings from a qualified guru; in a broader definition of sadhana (spiritual practice), we may say that sravana represents the acceptance of indirect knowledge (given to us by the Rishis via their own direct knowledge of Brahman) and manana represents the deep reflection of the indirect knowledge that is given. At each stage, the knowledge that is presented to us gets more and more mature and firm in the mind.  When the seeker turns within by channeling attention in the opposite direction, all the different functions of the mind become exposed and is finally negated until Brahman is revealed as the remaining source. The sudden realisation of Brahman will first come intermittently in the form of the brahmakara-vritti (i.e. unbroken experience of the self). But if this formless vritti becomes continuous by fully surrendering, the mind will fully take on the formlessness of Brahman.  The final fruit is direct liberation while still retaining form of the human body. This is called sahaj nirvikalpa samadhi, or permanent and natural abidance in turiya while still witnessing the imaginary appearance of the body operate.  This is the culmination of all yogas as explained on this platform. 

 

If you are contemplatively inclined and resonate with hearing the truths of reality in its complete depth and possess the capacity to fully embrace, accept, and absorb these teachings in life as a firm and committed practice, then this path is right for you.  This path can also be embraced by a beginner, as we will also explain how to put all themes into practical use, allowing one to evolve and fully transform from the conceptual truths that are introduced. It is by hearing these truths, one's behavior, attitude and actions will change, just like the beginning themes for all other paths when sattvic qualities are first developed.

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Note: It is a common misconception that jnana yoga is the last path undertaken prior to realising the self.   This is just a traditional framework that was devised to help seekers follow a systematic approach to realise the self.  However, it is not the only approach since all paths culminate in realisation if followed correctly using the precise methodologies.

 

In the more traditional framework of Advaita, it is recommended that seekers purify their minds before being introduced to the profound truth on the path of jnana yoga. Without such purification, the seeker may either fail to benefit or may be drawn into neo-Advaita, or the belief that spiritual practice is unnecessary because only Brahman exists. Neo-Advaita, along with other beliefs such as nihilism, does more harm than good, as the seeker remains attached to the body and mind, continuing to experience the effects of karma, which perpetuates suffering. In this case, spiritual practices are essential to purify the mind, break conditioning, and reveal the actual truth of Brahman—rather than merely understanding it intellectually while remaining absorbed by conditioning. However, these premature beliefs will eventually lead the seeker to the recognition that spiritual practice is necessary to overcome suffering, as they come to realize that merely knowing something intellectually does not fully remove suffering.

While mind purification can occur before being introduced to jnana yoga, it is also possible for seekers to embrace the truth immediately in their lives, with conceptual knowledge serving as a catalyst for further purification. Therefore, a good indicator of whether one is ready for the truth of Vedanta is the ability to avoid succumbing to neo-Advaita or nihilistic tendencies. If one does not fall into these traps, the path of jnana yoga, like all other spiritual paths, will continue to support the purification of the jiva, ultimately guiding the seeker to uncover their true nature.

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The uniqueness of jnana yoga is that at first, seekers took a truth that was experienced by the yogis/jnanis who realised the self and applied it to their practices at the very beginning which is why this yoga is radically different than the rest.  While other yogas are not traditionally taught this truth at first, they all still end with experiencing this truth as their very own self when practices are applied to enable attention to become unbroken.  This means EVERY yoga aims to merge subject and object together, thereby correcting perception, leaving only the subject as the remaining essence.  It is known here that there was never any object, but only the subject.  What appeared to be objects was in truth the subject all along, only appearing to be objects when perception was deluded or immersed in something imaginary.

 

Furthermore, anyone can read non-dual texts.  This doesn't signify that one is prepared to read them.  There are those who read non-dual texts while still continuing to indulge in desires, which is counterproductive to the actual fruit of these teachings, since all teachings aim to remove desires that sustains samsara.  Ultimately, there is no realisation without first calming the mind, which all paths aim to foster in the beginning stages, including the teachings taught on the path of jnana.  For one who just reads as an intellectual pursuit, realisation will never dawn and will only entertain the ego as attention continues to wander, perpetuating the dream of duality. 

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If an individual reads the truth and practices by perpetually grasping, absorbing, and applying this conceptual truth through their everyday experience, it starts to become meditation, just like the same meditative experience held by those along the path of karma, kundalini and ashtanga yoga. Through the practical means of removing agency via karma yoga, leveraging the divine kundalini energy via kundalini yoga, the systemic methodology of sense withdrawal and control of thoughts using conscious attention via ashtanga yoga, and fully contemplating on the advaitic truths via jnana yoga, ALL paths gradually lead to meditation and eventually yield the realisation of the same singular self. Every path only differs in the beginning and middle when different methodologies are used within the realm of the mind where separation is perceived to a high degree, which is why we explain things in many different ways. However, they all converge when the final and singular truth is revealed at the very end.

 

Take my word: I have realised the self through every yoga and methodology used. If you haven't, remain humble and do not place superiority in one path over others. Each serves a special route in the destiny of all. 

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Conclusion

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The four themes consisting of mind purification, concentration, meditation, and samadhi, span through all paths and make up the entire journey one has in the dream of samsara, encompassing many illusory lifetimes.  This is why it's important to assess where you are on your journey in order to help elevate your awareness to transition through these different themes. There is no need to assess which path you should belong to. You only have to assess which theme you should be enhancing according to your state of mind and choose a path you resonate with to help elevate the theme further.  Irrespective of what theme you are dominant in, each path has its own methodologies and practices to help elevate it so that you can take it to the next level.  This means you will naturally elevate your theme, no matter which path is pursued, since all of your efforts span through many lives and different approaches!  As you progress in a theme, you will naturally become qualified to explore that theme in any other path.

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With the progression of themes, the ego naturally diminishes, and knowledge of the self manifests proportionately, which is the gradual transitioning from an impure mind to a pure mind. In other words, the truth becomes more known for what it truly is and is experienced as your true identity in its manifestation. So, if one is venturing down any path and comes to a point where they are naturally meditative as their attention becomes more still in their own innate presence, then it is at this point, where all paths converge and become one.  In other words, the most advanced practices of each path consist of the same experience!  On the path of karma yoga towards the last themes, there is no longer the feeling or notion of having motive behind actions or the desires for results.  This is the same exact experience held by one on the path of jnana yoga, where they begin to separate the non-self (false) from the self (truth) through deep meditative inquiry.  This is also the same exact experience for one who withdraws from the senses, accessing the deeper parts of the mind where attention becomes exposed to its source of unbroken stillness. Likewise, it is the same exact experience when the kundalini transforms the mind into pure subtlety and gradually reveals the self, by taking conscious attention with it.  These all mean the same thing! All paths, therefore, eventually converge into one singular experience of non-separation (self-realisation). 

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Karma yoga works to break down the ego in selfless actions in order to destroy agency, while kundalini yoga leverages the awakened energy to diverge attention into the stillness of the self.  Ashtanga yoga withdraws from the senses allowing one to control thoughts through conscious attention, while jnana yoga uses the extremely subtle intellect to discriminate the unchanging from the changing by fully absorbing the teachings of non-duality until the intellect is purified, allowing unity to prevail.  Each path uses its own methodology and practices to reveal the same singular self.  If one is truly advanced, it wouldn't matter which path they follow, as they are already purified enough to be naturally meditative and are more compelled to reveal the truth as they are less immersed in the dream of separation. 

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Which path should you pursue?

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Since this platform will incorporate the sravana process in all paths, here is an essential guideline (if you wish to use) in order to determine which path, you can follow:

 

• If you want to apply non-dual wisdom through your physical actions because you are action-oriented, then choose Karma Yoga.

• If you want to apply non-dual wisdom while purifying the chakras and engage in practices to awaken the kundalini energy, allowing the pure intelligence to guide you, then choose Kundalini Yoga.

• If you want to apply non-dual wisdom while practicing breathing techniques, withdrawal of the senses, and the control of thoughts using your conscious attention alone, then choose Ashtanga Yoga.

• If you want to deeply contemplate on non-dual wisdom through intense inner investigation methods and other practices, then choose Jnana Yoga.

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Again, every path consists of all four themes.  So, each will have its own practices to purify the mind which will allow the seeker to progress to more advanced themes such as meditation, ultimately culminating in samadhi.

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Note: Other yogas, such as Kriya, Hatha and Bhakti will not be included on this platform as separate paths since many of their practices are already engrained in the above paths. For example, some kriya techniques will be included in the pranayama section under both Kundalini and Asthanga Yoga. Similarly, many hatha practices will be included in the asanas section under Ashtanga Yoga.  Bhakti which means devotion, is engrained in every path, since there must be devotion in each path to guide a seeker in the right direction. If you interpret Bhakti to be intense love and devotion, then it will be a natural occurrence in all paths as you progress through each theme cultivating extreme sattvic qualities. We will however explain bhakti as devotional services on the path of Karma.  

 

One naturally devotes to something separate at first, until there is only devotion to their non-separate self!  This is the HIGHEST devotion.

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​REMEMBER - Practice is an absolute necessity!

 

There is no realisation without persistent effort.  Therefore, all paths should be complimented with bhakti. Bhakti is the dedication, faith and will to constantly seek the self.  Without bhakti, attention remains broken by succumbing to the hard-coded conditioning of desires that sustains the dream of samsara.  It is only through spiritual efforts or engaging in a path, that one can revert back to conscious unbroken attention. It is bhakti that allows awareness to channel back to its source.  If bhakti is not present, then awareness remains stuck in an illusion, where attention appears to be broken, constantly perceiving linearity. Therefore, how can one turn broken attention into unbroken attention without constant bhakti in breaking this hard-coded conditioning? Without bhakti, practices will remain dry, and you will not have the motivation, desire and commitment to yield realisation. 

 

The most important part of this platform is to put this knowledge into practical use.  If you are lazy and not able to put this knowledge into use, then realisation will never dawn, and you will only entertain a truth that has only been consciously realised by the Sages and Rishis. This means suffering will persist as you keep identifying with the individual self and will be subject to the senses that gives you the experiences of pain and discomfort.

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Through bhakti and the drive to expose higher truths, one comes to realise that all paths lead to the same fundamental truth. Only the ignorant who want to label things as superior or inferior and who have not attended to samadhi, split them and debate to others on what is right and wrong.  This is the classic example of the blind leading the blind. If they have attended to samadhi (or even lower levels of samadhi), they would not preach a specific path such as jnana yoga to be the most superior. Furthermore, since they are still egoic, they will continue to entertain debates with pride until they decide to purify the mind through practice and be humbly drawn to an inner calling. 

 

If one simply understands the nature of Brahman (i.e. unbroken attention) through sravana, and how the four themes (which encompass every path) leads to unbroken attention, then one will truly understand what needs to be done and the many ways in which realisation can dawn. 

 

A realised being does not see all paths as separate but only sees them as one. However, you must first choose a path before this final recognition can be made. 

Good luck with your chosen path and may you find what you seek.