Raja Yoga - Fourth Basic Yoga

Each basic form of yoga serves as the way to attain enlightenment.  These are the five basic yogas:

Bhakti Yoga  -  stresses love and devotion
Karma Yoga - selfless work
Jnana Yoga -  knowledge and discernment
Raja Yoga - eight-limbed system of disciplines emphasizing meditation.
Hatha Yoga - purification of the physical to attain purification of the mind.

Raja literally means royal or kingly. Raja yoga meditation is based on focusing one's energies to put the mind and emotions in a state of balance that facilitates in focusing on the Lord immediately.

The process is done by directing the life force to move up and down the spine until it achieves balance and the mind and emotions are in a state of contentment. Then the awareness is moved to a place at the center of the lower forehead. This meditation point is called ajna, or the third eye which is found around half an inch between the eyebrows.

If the life force is in a state of balance throughout the mind and body and is directed in the meditation point ajna, the mind achieves a state of utter calmness. In this state, the mind continues to be conscious but is no longer muddled by empty thoughts and worries. One naturally feels a state of bliss and well-being and the mind seems to be overflowing with velvety darkness.

As the consciousness is directed to the third eye, one can see pastel colors appearing in the forehead. Pastel colors could be bright shades of pinks, yellows, whites, blues, indigos, greens, and purples constantly run through your forehead alternately.  It is similar to seeing fireflies as the energy gets more intense and more actively readies the practitioner to be in a state of higher consciousness. This process allows the person to be in her/his true nature where pure consciousness, pure spirit, pure awareness abound.

The light in your forehead glows brighter than the sun.  Despite the glowing brightness, it appears soothing to the eyes and not blinding. This is the person's inner light manifesting itself.

A teacher is necessary in learning Raja yoga, because this particular yoga could strain the beginner.  Experiences of seeing the light could be a result of hallucinations instead of attaining higher level of higher consciousness.  A raja yogi who surrenders his or her will to God would eventually attain bliss.

Raja Yoga comes by repeated effort to follow the disciplines that result in permanent thought control.  It must be made over a long period with earnest devotion, deliberately expelling desire for what is experienced, and uniting or identifying with one's higher Self.