Author: Swami Vivekananda

The Complete Book of Yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga by Swami Vivekananda is a comprehensive guide that delves into the four main paths of yoga. Here’s a detailed summary and some reviews:

Summary

1. Karma Yoga (The Path of Selfless Action):

• Focus: This section emphasizes performing one’s duties without attachment to the results. It teaches the importance of selfless service and how actions can be a means to spiritual growth.
• Key Concepts: Detachment, duty, selflessness, and the purification of the mind through action.

2. Bhakti Yoga (The Path of Devotion):

• Focus: This path is centered on love and devotion towards a personal deity. It highlights the power of devotion and surrender in achieving spiritual enlightenment.
• Key Concepts: Love, devotion, surrender, and the transformation of emotions into spiritual energy.

3. Raja Yoga (The Path of Meditation):

• Focus: Based on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, this section covers the techniques of meditation and mind control. It provides a systematic approach to achieving mental discipline and inner peace.
• Key Concepts: Meditation, concentration, mind control, and the eight limbs of yoga (Ashtanga Yoga).

4. Jnana Yoga (The Path of Knowledge):

• Focus: This path involves the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom. It encourages self-inquiry and the study of philosophical texts to understand the nature of reality and the self.
• Key Concepts: Knowledge, wisdom, self-inquiry, and the realization of the true self.

Reviews

1. Neel (Goodreads):

• Rating: 5/5
• Review: “Not the easiest read (took me almost 2 years to finish all 4 sections), but its wisdom and insight are priceless. Swami Vivekananda writes with a clarity exclusive to those who have intimate experience of the Truth. He presents the four Yogas and explains each path to union, addressing all the common pitfalls and criticisms that have come up in the last 3,000 years. A life-changing book, but only for those who sincerely aspire.”

2. Leigh Anne (Goodreads):

• Rating: 4/5
• Review: “This is a book of philosophy, not asana, so it will be most interesting for yogis/yoginis on a spiritual quest that goes beyond (though probably still incorporates) physical postures.”

3. Amazon Review:

• Rating: 4.6/5
• Review: “Complete with timeless universal wisdom, and not restricted to asanas and physical exercises, the yogic practices explained by Vivekananda become a way of life and hence lead to the realization of the Absolute.”

This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the deeper aspects of yoga and spirituality. It provides a holistic approach to understanding and practicing yoga beyond just the physical postures.

Source:
(1) The Complete Book of Yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana …. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48753986-the-complete-book-of-yoga.
(2) The Complete Book of Yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana …. https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Yoga-KARMA-BHAKTI/dp/9389178789.
(3) Complete Book of Yoga Swami Vivekanand: Swami Vivekanand’s World Most …. https://www.amazon.in/Complete-Book-Yoga-Swami-Vivekanand-ebook/dp/B08FHZCYTL.
(4) The Complete Book of Yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana …. https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Complete_Book_of_Yoga.html?id=4jmozwEACAAJ.
(5) The Complete Book of Yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana …. https://www.amazon.ca/Complete-Book-Yoga-Fingerprint/dp/9389178789.
(6) goodreads.com. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48753986-the-complete-book-of-yoga.