The Yoga of Wisdom Through the Intellect (Buddhi)
Jnana Yoga is a philosophical approach, the focus of this path is to gain the ability to distinguish between reality and unreality; to attain Self-Knowledge through study, practice and experience.
The term philosophy does not imply ‘thinking in a certain way’. The word philosophy is the combination of the Greek work “philos” (love) and “sophia” (knowledge) or, the love of knowledge. Not so much the love of factual knowledge, but the love of the knowledge of life, the ultimate Reality or Truth of what is not subject to change, death, or destruction. What never changes at any time and was never born and will never die. It is self existent and doesn’t depend on anything. Jnana Yoga is the science that suggests a systematic method to arrive at these realities.
Know The Self:
In the Jnana yoga path, the buddhi is strengthened so that one has the understanding that we are the Self we are seeking. This path uses questions like, “Who am I? Who just asked that question? Where does this question come from and why am I curious?” Here we sharpen the analytic skills of the intellect to discern between our ego’s vision of the world and the Truth behind he seeing. Here we learn about who is seeing, what is seen and the process of seeing itself. “From that revelation, a “super buddhi” then allows us to know the truth of our inner states to know ourselves on all dimensions leading to a deep and natural peace of mind.
Most of our Jnana yoga classes are in the form of Satsang (casual circle) and require you to attend a 4-part series. Fluent in meditation techniques and practices recommended, but not required, only an open mind. Teacher Training is rich in Jnana yoga as the the practitioner learns to see his or her true self, which we sometimes call the “witness.” The witness is not a judge, not your personality, and not your thoughts. The witness is the neutral observer of all
Sandy began her Vedanta Studies when she was 17 under the guidance of Swami Vishnudevananda and later with various teachers under Swami Rama’s influence at the Himalayan Institute. Through methods within the Vedanta, Sandy learned that the mind was a barrier between “the seeker” and the “true Self”. She welcomes complete beginners to the circle – no experience is necessary from any of the paths to attend.
A drop of water and a river become the ocean itself once they connect to the ocean. Expansion, not individualism is created. Once universal oneness is known, a freedom is created, called moksha or enlightenment.
TRUTH.KNOWLEDGE.BLISS.