Can yoga practice (raj-yoga) help in attaining Self-realization?

Yoga Practices and Self-Realization

Questioner: Can one attain darshan (vision) of the absolute Self through the practice of yoga?

Dadashri: What can practicing yoga not attain? But yoga of what?

Questioner: The natural raj-yoga (concentration of the mind) that people talk about.

Dadashri: Yes, but what do they consider raj-yoga?

Questioner: Where a focused meditation (ekagrata) of the mind occurs.

Dadashri: How does the atma (the Self) benefit from that? Do you want moksha or do you want to strengthen your mind?

Questioner: I am just talking about the vision (darshan) of the Parmatma (the Supreme Self).

Dadashri: Then why trouble the poor mind unnecessarily? There is nothing wrong with concentrating the mind, but there is no need to trouble the mind if you want realization (darshan) of the Supreme Self.

Questioner: Can one attain the state of nothingness (shunyata) through one-pointed concentration?

Dadashri: Yes, one can, but that is a relative nothingness. It is a temporary adjustment.

Questioner: What do the mind and the intellect (buddhi) do at that time?

Dadashri: They become still for a while and revert to the way they were before. There is nothing of 'Ours' (the Self) in it. We will not attain our goal and if that yoga (the act of uniting) becomes 'above normal' it is very dangerous. Many persons, who practice such yoga, come to me. Their whole body trembles even before they touch my toe for darshan, because of an overflow of their ego. Wherever you do anything, the ego of doership will increase and the Self-the absolute Self will move far away from it.

Related Spiritual Quotes by Param Pujya Dadashri:
1) Yama, niyam, asana, pranayam, pratyahaar, dharna, dhyan and samadhi are eight parts of the Yoga. When you attain knowledge of the Self through Akram Vignan, you have already surpassed all these eight stages. Beyond these eight steps, you have even attained the awareness of the Soul (your own Self).

Glossary: yoga: To join or union

chit: Subtle component of vision and knowledge in the inner functioning instrument called antahkaran. It is the one that wanders around! While sitting here, the chit shows you an actual photo of any place that you have seen before.