Spiritual Message for the Day – Yoga of Synthesis
Baba Times Digest© | 7 November 2014 16.29 EST | New York Edition
Yoga of Synthesis
Divine Life Society Publication: Philosophy and Teachings of Swami Sivananda
Even as Swamiji tried to integrate the basic tenets of all religions, so also he integrated various Paths of Yoga and called this 'Yoga of Synthesis'.
His main admonition is:
"Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise; Be good, Do good, Be kind, Be compassionate."
The terms 'Serve, Love, Meditate, Realise' denote the four main Paths of Yoga, namely Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action), Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion), Raja Yoga (Yoga of Meditation) and Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge). That is, he advocated synthesis of all the Paths of Yoga on the rock-foundation of purity which is to be develop through broad-mindedness and generosity reflected through charity which is symbolised here by the word give. As a practical philosopher, Swamiji instructed everyone - irrespective of his spiritual level - to be good and to do good to others. "Real happiness", he says, "is in making others happy." His vision of Jnana Yoga was in seeing the Lord in every being and serving all the living creatures as if it is worship of the Lord. He was open-minded and did not impose on any aspirant a rigid sadhana programme. Swamiji believed that each sadhaka requires a different amalgam of spiritual practices, and that the sadhaka himself should find out a suitable mode by properly blending different Paths of Yoga, in accordance with his aptitude and temperament while keeping one Path as the main Path.
His explanation of the main paths of Yoga is very explicit and apt. He says: "To behold the one Self in all is Jnana Yoga. To love the Self in all is Bhakti Yoga. To serve the Self in all is Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga is suitable for a man of active temperament, Bhakti Yoga for a man of devotional temperament, Raja Yoga for a man of mystical temperament, and Jnana Yoga for a man of rational and philosophical temperament."
He used to suggest Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga sadhana to beginners, and only after proper purification, and control of mind and senses, he was initiating the sadhakas into meditation and Jnana Yoga sadhana.
THE THREE DEFECTS
If you want to see your face clearly in a mirror, you must remove the dirt in the mirror, keep it steady, and remove the covering also. You can see your face clearly in the water of a lake only if the turbidity (impurity) is removed, if the water that is rendered still, and if the (avarana of) moss that is lying on the surface is removed. Even so is the case with Self-realization.
In the mind there are three defects, viz., mala or impurity, vikshepa or tossing, and avarana or veil. The impurities of the mind should be removed by the practice of Karma Yoga, by selfless service. The tossing of the mind should be removed by worship or upasana, by japa and devotion. The veil should be torn down by the practice of Jnana Yoga, i.e., by study of Vedantic literature, enquiry, self-analysis, service to the Guru, and deep meditation. Only then Self-realization is possible.
Excerpts from: Yoga of Synthesis - Philosophy and Teachings of Swami Sivananda
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