Rajyoga is not just practice of meditation for half an hour or an hour. To be a Rajyogi means bringing all the understanding and attainments into a complete way of life. Just as a ‘raja’, a king, behaves as a king throughout the day – in thoughts, words, actions and relationships — even when he is not sitting on his throne, so too a Rajyogi keeps a check on his or her behaviour, words, tone. A simple life and royal manners are the credo of a Rajyogi.
Yoga means connection, relationship. A Rajyogi has four principal relationships or connections. Relationship with the self, with God, with people, and with nature.
The key words for the relationship with the self are attention and awareness. Having a harmonious relationship with the self means to be constantly aware that I am an eternal being, a being of divine light, a soul. My original nature is peace, purity, love, happiness and truth. I use the body while remaining aware of my true nature.
The key words for a relationship with God are faith and love. God is love. I remember God with love and put the wisdom of God into my life for the benefit of the self and others. This makes me worthy of receiving love and respect from all.
When it comes to relationships with all others, then the key words are mutual respect and healthy communication. It is so much easier not to create any conflict with anyone, than to try to mend the damage that conflict can cause. Share only good news. Bad news and gossip spoil the atmosphere and draw others into negative, heavy energy. Be light, make big things small, be honest and transparent, and in this way we gain the trust of all.
Finally, in our relationships with nature the key word is learning. Despite all that we have done to our natural world, nature just keeps on bestowing. We need to learn from nature how to keep on bestowing with love for all and cooperate in bringing peace and benevolence into the world.
All the elements have a lesson for us:
a) Water: It has flexibility, the ability to flow around obstacles and adjust to situations. Water has coolness.
b) Earth: The earth is tolerant of all that we do, just like a mother. We need to learn to tolerate the behaviour of others, to be patient and make sure to cause no pain.
c) Air – It teaches us to be light. We must make sure to maintain the right attitude and not make the atmosphere around us heavy with negative feelings and conversations. We need to learn to uplift others by lightening the burden they are carrying in their hearts.
d) Fire: It brings warmth. Intense fire transforms. Intense fire removes the alloy from gold. We must transmit warmth with a big heart and compassion.
e) Ether – It is unlimited, vast. Let us have unlimited hearts that can accept everyone, with no exceptions. We must not limit our love and kindness to just one or two, but hold everyone as worthy of our regard and good wishes.
Rajyoga is a way of life — a life of understanding, compassion, attention and benevolence.