In Jnana Yoga one will undergo the quest to answer the question ‘who am I’. Our true Self is beyond the reach of the normal intellect of our minds. Jnana Yoga is the journey and discovery to seek our true Self.
The individuals who are most suited to Jnana Yoga are those that have a greater need to understand. They want to believe but have many unanswered questions. Individuals who are not interested in using Jnana yoga probably already have a system of strong belief in God and spiritual survival. Jnana yoga originated from Vedanta which is the philosophy of Vedic Scripture. Writings of Vedanta are even older than the Bible.
In our normal existence most questions can be answered with the intellect of our minds. In Jnana yoga, one would seek answers to those questions which require a deeper awareness. For example, ‘who or what is God’ and ‘who or what is the Self’. During meditation, concentration is given to find the answer to the question ‘who am I’. Once the true Self is realized all other questions can be answered/realized during the same process of meditation. Eventually it will become clear that we are able to exist without thinking. Our ego is the obstacle to existence without thought. The ego can only consist of thoughts and this is why meditation is important to break down thoughts. Our ego is weakened by meditation.
The ultimate goal of Jnana yoga practitioners is possible Sahaja Samadhi. This is when the Self is present in all our regular activities with no anxiety, rather than only during meditation. During meditation we allow ourselves to move away from the person that we are not, which ultimately leads us to awareness of our true Self.
Often it is believed that the guidance of an experienced teacher can instantly help us achieve self-knowledge. Jnana yoga in relation to Vedanta consists of three phases.
