The cultivation of spiritual knowledge is known as Jnana (Gyana) yoga. It is said that through the practice of Karma yoga we can attain the spirit of detachment, Jnana is insight or wisdom into the nature of non-dual consciousness. Gradually awakening the heart that is free from selfish desires. Integration of Jnana and Karma is recommended by the great teachers of the Vedas to culminate ultimately into Bhakti and self-realization.

Jnana yogis study the ancient Vedic scriptures to expand their spiritual wisdom. They understand the futility of working for material results and immerse themselves into the Vedic philosophical works, namely Brahma-Sutra, Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-Gita, etc.

Studying alone can have its pitfalls, so a guide or teacher with much knowledge of the Vedas is recommended. They will take your hand and stand by as you ask questions such as; Who am I? What is real and illusory?
Who is the Divine Creator and what is my relationship with Him/Her?

Jnana yoga is self-reflection and contemplation, analyses and deep spiritual synthesis to rediscover the greatest of truths, self realization. It is important to have a guide as it may be sometimes difficult to comprehend certain realizations and the aspirant can easily be drawn into a deluded state.

Fours stages are used in Jnana yoga to guide the student, they are called Sadhana Chatushtaya.

These four means are:

1 Viveka - Discrimination. The intellectual ability to discriminate, or discern, between the real and the unreal. Vedanta defines the real as being permanent and the unreal as being temporary.

2 Vairagya - Dispassion, detachment. After sufficient practice of viveka, the temporary, ephemeral nature of the world and its objects becomes obvious and a natural lack of attraction to them takes place. The aspirant should then endeavor to become more dispassionate in order to purify the mind, improve concentration and steadiness of mind.

3 Shad-sampat - The six virtues. This practice actually consists in developing six qualities or virtues. There are:

Sama - Tranquility or control of mind. Calmness. This is the ability to become calm and unaffected by the external world.
Dama - Control of the senses. Keeping the senses controlled helps to check the mind. The mind, like the wind is almost impossible to control!
Uparati - Renunciation of mundane activities. Most desires have fallen away and there is no more reason to perform the activities in which most people indulge.
Titiksha - Endurance, self-control of the pairs of opposites. The mind must become strong enough to not be affected by the dual natures of success and failure, hot and cold, pleasure and pain, sunshine and rain etc.
Shraddha - Faith. It is defined by Sri Sankaracharya as faith in one's guru, god, the self (atman) and the scriptures (shastras).
Samadhana - Perfect concentration, complete focus of the mind. It takes great degree of mastery to reach this level. Few reach it.

4 Mumukshutva - Intense longing for liberation. When this stage is reached, moksha (liberation ) is the only desire.

“When we speak of transcendental knowledge, we do so in terms of spiritual understanding. As such, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Ignorance is the cause of our bondage, and knowledge is the cause of our liberation.”
Swami B.V.Tripurari

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