Eight Rungs on a Royal Ladder: Reading the Origins of Raja Yoga

Background on the origins of Raja Yoga, the royal path of the mind, from its classical eight-limbed framework to its modern reputation. Imagine a ladder with eight rungs, leaned against a wall that no one has ever fully seen the top of. That is a fair picture of how classical yoga describes itself, and the version most associated with the phrase "royal path" is called Raja Yoga. This article is a background guide to where that phrase comes from and what the old framework actually lays out. It is not a summary of any particular book. The title that inspired it is THE BILLIONAIRE RAJA YOGA (https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=WmTuEQAAQBAJ) by Dr. Ajarn Robert Shumake (Ajarn Shaman Shu), whose subtitle speaks of the royal path of the mind. We will walk the ladder one rung at a time, because the structure itself is the history. Why "royal"? Get the book: Google Play Books · Apple Books — THE BILLIONAIRE RAJA YOGA by Dr. Ajarn Robert Shumake.