THE FIRST LESSON

THE ONE.

The Yogi Philosophy may be divided into several great branches or fields. What is known as Hatha Yoga The branch of yoga focusing on physical health, vitality, and mastery of the body. deals with the physical body and its control, its welfare, its health, its preservation, and its natural laws. What is known as Raja Yoga The "royal" path, focusing on meditation, willpower, and mastery of the mind. deals with the mind—its control, development, and unfolding. What is known as Bhakti Yoga The path of devotion, focusing on the practice of love and gratitude toward the Divine. deals with the love of the Absolute—God. What is known as Gnani Yoga Also spelled Jnana Yoga; the path of wisdom and intellect, seeking truth through study and rational inquiry. deals with the scientific and intellectual understanding of the great questions regarding life and what lies behind life—the "Riddle of the Universe." original: "Riddle of the Universe"; a popular 19th-century phrase referring to the fundamental mysteries of existence and the nature of reality.

Each branch of Yoga is simply a path leading toward the same end: unfolding, development, and growth. Those who wish first to develop, control, and strengthen their physical body so as to make it a fit instrument for the Higher Self The eternal, spiritual core of a human being that transcends the physical body and ego. follow the path of Hatha Yoga. Those who would develop their willpower and mental faculties, unfolding their inner senses and latent powers, follow the path of Raja Yoga. Those who wish to develop through "knowing"—by studying the fundamental principles and the wonderful truths underlying life—follow the path of Gnani Yoga. And those who wish to grow into a union with the "One Life" through the influence of love follow the path of Bhakti Yoga.

But it must not be supposed that the student must align themselves with only a single one of these paths to power. In fact, very few do. The majority prefer