"Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self."
— Bhagavad Gita
Hey lovely,
Now that we’ve wandered through the heart-opening sweetness of Bhakti Yoga and the deep inner inquiry of Jnana Yoga, it’s time to explore the third path, Raja Yoga, often called the Royal Path.
Why royal? Because Raja Yoga is the path that brings everything together, the body, the breath, the senses, the mind, the heart, and guides them gently toward stillness and inner mastery.
It’s yoga in its most complete, holistic form.
But don’t worry, you don’t have to sit perfectly still on a Himalayan mountaintop to practice it. Raja Yoga is incredibly accessible in everyday life, and I think you might find parts of it already woven into your routine without even realising.
What Is Raja Yoga?
At its core, Raja Yoga is the yoga of meditation, discipline, and inner organisation. It’s based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which outline a beautiful roadmap of eight limbs, a practical guide for living, breathing, thinking, and evolving with awareness. And the foundation teachings of my beginner's course.
Where Bhakti is heart, and Jnana is mind, Raja is the mind-body-spirit tuning fork.
It helps align all aspects of ourselves so we can access deeper states of peace, clarity, and presence.
The Essence of Raja Yoga: Training the Mind
If you’ve ever tried to meditate and suddenly remembered 12 errands you'd forgotten, Raja Yoga is for you.
If your mind sometimes behaves like a cat chasing laser pointers, Raja Yoga is also for you.
This path teaches us that the mind isn’t the enemy; it simply needs gentle training. Like a wild horse learning to trust its rider, the mind softens with patience, breath, and consistency.
The pillars of Raja Yoga include:
🧘♀️ Asana - moving into shapes that prepare the body for stillness 🕊️ Pranayama - refining and directing the breath 👀 Pratyahara - withdrawing from sensory overload 🎯 Dharana - focusing the mind ✨ Dhyana - effortless meditation, and🌌 Samadhi - deeper states of presence and unity
Most of us won’t experience all of these every day, and that’s perfectly fine. Raja Yoga is less about achievement and more about intention.
Raja Yoga in Everyday Life
Raja Yoga is alive in those tiny, powerful moments of awareness:
🙏 When you pause before reacting and choose a calmer response
🥳 When you stay with your breath even though your mind wants to sprint away
💃 When you create a routine that nourishes your wellbeing
🐚 When you turn down the volume of the world so you can hear yourself again
🧘♀️ When you sit in meditation and allow whatever arises to simply be
This path teaches us that inner peace isn’t something we stumble upon; it’s something we cultivate. One conscious breath at a time.
A Note on Discipline (the Soft Kind)
Raja Yoga involves discipline, but not the hard, self-critical kind. It’s more like tending a garden.
You show up. You water. You prune gently. You create the conditions for something beautiful to grow. Sometimes you get busy and neglect your garden, but it's only a temporary setback and with grace and patience, every weed can be removed to reveal your glorious garden again.
The discipline of Raja Yoga is a loving structure, a routine that supports you rather than restricts you. It’s the quiet strength of showing up for yourself even when your motivation has packed a bag and gone on holiday.
Your Inner Sovereign
Raja Yoga is often called the Royal Path because it helps us reclaim our inner throne 👑 that place of centredness, clarity, and self-leadership.
When your mind is calm, you make better choices. When your breath is spacious, you speak with more kindness. When your body is steady, your heart can open. When your inner world is organised, life feels less chaotic.
It’s not about controlling everything. It’s about governing your inner kingdom with wisdom rather than reactivity.
And that? That is a deeply empowering form of yoga. ♥️
What's Happening In The Pantry 🧘♀️
Beginner Yoga, our beginner yoga courses are in full swing. If you know someone who's looking to get into yoga and doesn't know how or where to start, then this is just the ticket. Our beginner Yoga course has been running for 11 years and is the best and most well-rounded around. With a good mix of philosophy, breathwork, and of course, physical postures, but what really sets us apart is the emphasis on finding ways to let the poses fit you rather than the other way around.
It's also a great course to brush up on your basics and get back into the swing of things if you've been away from your yoga practice for a while.
For more information and to secure a coveted spot in this fantastic course, check out our website.
Restorative Yoga is back! The second Sunday in March will be dedicated to your rest and relaxation. Yup, our 2-hour delectable restorative yoga workshop is back for March, yay!
Book your spot TODAY
Head here to book all your regular yoga classes. There are only a few more classes to go this year!
Remember, you can join us online from anywhere in the world, live or at a time that suits you, with our instant 14-day on-demand Zoom recording!
Don't forget you can also join us for a FREE meditation session every Saturday morning, and even if you can't, you can book in via Zoom and do the meditation later in the day, or every day, until the next session :)
Your YouTube Class Of The Week
Today's little yogic delight is a nice morning routine to get you moving and energised, so you can make the most of your day :)
Feel free to share these vids far and wide, because sharing is caring after all ;) x
Enjoy.
With stillness, structure, and a sense of inner sovereignty, Tash xx
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I see you, and I appreciate you. You are awesome...and don't you forget it ;) x
