Meditation vs Yoga

Many people confuse yoga and meditation differently. But the actual meditation is one of the 8 limbs of yoga called Yama (Social Discipline), Niyam (Individual Discipline) , Asana (Postures or physical exercises), Pranayama (Breathing techniques), Pratyahara (Discipline of senses), Dharana (Concentration), Dhyana (Meditation), Samadhi (self- realization).

Yoga is a holistic system created by the ancients to offer humans an opportunity to break out of this ‘matrix’ of illusion that is the visible universe around us. This science is thousands of years old and is not restricted to just Asanas as is the popular belief.

However ‘Yoga’ today can mean either Hatha Yoga (Mastery over body ~ Asanas) or Raja Yoga (Mastery over mind ~ Meditation). All forms of Yoga that focus on physical asanas are derivatives of Hatha Yoga with different brand names (Whether Jivamukti, Ashtanga of Mysore or Sivananda). Likewise most forms of meditation can be defined under the purview of Raja Yoga where the ultimate goal is Samadhi.

The earliest known texts that actually document the range of physical asanas are Hatha Yoga Pradipika or Gheranda Samhita. These are medieval texts written between 15th and 17th Century. The earliest known text on the Raja Yoga philosophy is Yoga Sutras of Patanjali which at the very least is 2500 years old and as per some scholars maybe even over 5000 years old. So it holds more gravitas and authority as the original resource for Yoga.

Patanjali defined Raja Yoga under the tenets of eight principles which came to be known as the Ashtanga Yoga Philosophy (Nothing to do with the brand name ‘Ashtanga Yoga’ of Mysore which is a practice of Hatha Yoga Asanas in a set sequence). In this philosophy before the practitioner can even begin the practice of Asana or Pranayama, he/she must purify through the first two practices of Yamas (morals) and Niyamas (ethics).

After purifying through moral restraints and ethical observances the third stage of Asana siddhi is started. Patanjali has dedicated only one sutra to this stage as follows ~ Sthira Sukham Asanam (Stable and Comfortable Pose). Because only in being still can the body move on to the higher practices of Raja Yoga.

Therefore all Hatha Yoga Practices aim to help us achieve this one ability to sit still and meditate. The goal of asanas was never to help us protect from diabetes or heart diseases, they simply aimed to give us the best possible health so we could pursue our spiritual practices. The end goal of Hatha Yoga is Raja Yoga and the end goal of Raja Yoga is Samadhi.

So there is no difference between Yoga and Meditation. They are both a part of the process that is intended towards the ultimate goal of ‘Enlightenment’. There is no yoga without meditation, there is no meditation without yoga.