Jnana Yoga for Beginners

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Preface

Jnana yoga is the ’path of knowledge'. It was designed in the vedic period, for people with stronger minds than the hearts. It is basically the method of finding an answer to the question, ‘Who am I?’ One keeps pondering on all possible answers and goes on negating them one by one, till the right answer is reached. The right answer is that one is soul or atma, and since atma is akin to God, one gets an intuitive understanding of God. Notable jnanayogis were King Janaka, Socrates, etc.

Although Jnana yoga is in itself the complete path to the knowledge of self and God, the right approach would be to first undergo Karma yoga to achieve equanimity and an equipoise mind, and then undergo Jnana yoga to know first hand that there exists a superintelligence called God, and finally to undergo Bhakti yoga to taste the Godhood personally. Without the taste of God in person, dry philosophical knowledge does not give full satisfaction; one keeps missing something — joy or bliss.

This book presents the elements of Jnana yoga in a simple and comprehensive way, so that it is understandable to the common man. Simple and practical methods are presented that have been followed at the Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul (AKYQS) for a long time. The publisher deserves congratulations for his attempts to present the truth to the general masses. I wish to thank William Henry Belk II for his support and encouragement. Sincere thanks are due to Jytte Kumar Larsen for the many thought—provoking discussions and for computing help and facilities.

Introduction

Though the path of knowledge, which is Jnana yoga, is enough to bring self God realisation, yet the natural sequence is karma, jnana and bhakti, in that very order. Karma yoga is the path of selfless action in which one acts without expecting the fruits of one’s actions. When this is successful, the practitioner achieves an equipoise mind. With this mind the practitioner then follows Jnana yoga, which ultimately leads him / her to the knowledge of the Supreme Being or God. After this, it is Bhakti yoga, the path of devotion, which unites the person with God Almighty. Karma yoga should be of the order of Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Teresa, and Jnana yoga should be of the order of Socrates and Ramana Maharishi, before you can expect some results. However, if you combine the three paths simultaneously, you have greater chances of success in a single lifetime, with fewer obstacles on the way.

Unless bhakti (devotion) is practiced, karma and jnana will lead to dry knowledge, which does not give full satisfaction. You miss the rasa (joy) which comes only through devotion, which induces love, and love is God. This is the importance of devotion, which has also been emphasized by Lord Krishna. It is based on the practice followed at the centres of Academy of Kundalini Yoga and Quantum Soul.

Back of the Book

Jnana yoga is the method of finding an answer to the question ‘Who am I?’ it is the path to knowledge, self and God. Yet, the right approach would be to first undergo Karma yoga in order to achieve equanimity and then undergo Jnana yoga to know that there exists a super intelligence called God.

This book presents clearly the practical methods leading to self or God realisation.