Raja-Yoga
by Swami Vivekananda
a review by John Gilbert

Vivekananda wrote this Yoga classic back in 1953 under the title "Vivekananda: The Yogas and Other Works.  It was this original work that introduced me to the subject of Yoga in the fall of 1953.  The present work "Raja-Yoga" is condensed from the original work by the Trustee of Vivekananda's Estate, Swami Nikhilananda.  "Raja-Yoga" (ISBN 0-911206-23-X) is published by the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center in New York and available through your local bookseller.

Vivekanada describes the yoga process according to Raja Yoga in the first third of his book.  This description is complete and forms the basis for Raja Yoga practices.  These include the eight steps of Yoga: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi all of which are explained by the author.  In his chapter "Raja Yoga in Brief" the author summarizes these first seven chapters of his book.  

The second section of his book is devoted to a discussion of the Yoga  Aphorisms of Patanjali.  These aphorisms set down the primary practices and observations of most, if not all, forms of yoga.  

The third section of the book is devoted to the primary practices of Raja Yoga: Concentration and the powered achieved through concentration.  This is the essence of Raja Yoga - loving and gentle control of the mind through concentration.

To understand Raja Yoga is to understand the basis of Kriya Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Karma Yoga and all the sub-branches of these yogas.  To understand Raja Yoga is to know how to concentrate.  All meditative practices depend upon the student's ability to concentrate.

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