In the classical text “Hatha Yoga Pradipika” the author says:

“To those who wonder in the darkness of the conflicting sects, unable to obtain raja yoga, the merciful Swatmarama Yogi offers the light of Hatha Vidya”

Very often a spiritual seeker may be confused about the final goal of life, the nature of the Self, the spiritual path and the best way to realize God, causes by the differences in the teachings and belief systems of different religions or philosophical schools.
Even in India, there are so many different philosophical systems and there are debates between the exposer of a doctrine and its opponent.
Even tough they are all enriching the intellect and understanding, they can also bring a lot of confusion to an aspirant.
One teacher may recommend one type of sadhana as the best, while other recommends a totally different one. One praises “Saguna” meditation (contemplation of God in a personal form with some specific qualities and name) while others praise the contemplation on God as beyond all names and forms, abstract, without qualities or “nirguna”.
One praises Bhakti yoga as the highest. Another praises Gyana yoga as the highest. Some praise Karma yoga. Some say there is only one eternal reality (Brahman), while others say there are two eternal principles, independent from each other (Purusha and Prakriti)
Some say there is always a difference between the individual soul and god, while others say that that duality is only caused by ignorance and wrong perception.

But Hatha yoga is absolutely practical and experiential. It is a scientific approach to subdue the thought waves by subduing the Prana, the life force, whose grosser manifestation is the breath and its highest manifestation is the thought.
Hatha Yoga does not require the practitioner to accept a particular belief or philosophical system neither to convert to a religion or to have an intellectual contemplation, but it teaches a path of practice, a specific discipline of the body, breath and subtle energies so that the mind can be easily controlled and made completely still, silent. This is called Raja Yoga. At that time the highest truth reveals by itself.
All the great masters and founders of the religious systems had their own direct personal experience of the reality and of the soul’s divine nature, a mystical, direct experience.
  Hatha yoga teaches that by following the prescribed disciplines and regulations, under the guidance of a qualified teacher, that direct experience can be reached by the practitioner himself. After one attains that, there is no more discussion, no more intellectual speculation, the experience speaks by itself.
When the Nadis are purified, the prana brought under control and confined to the Sushumna nadi, the Kundalini Shakti or spiritual power is awakened and united with the pure consciousness in the Sahasrara Chakra. At that time the mind itself is completely absorbed in the pure consciousness, all experience of dualism disappears, al doubts are removed, the individual dwells in its true nature, the light, the highest truth is revealed in that deep inner silence.
After that… there is nothing else to discuss… no more conflicts.

In the Siva Samhita, a classical yogic text, we find the following teaching and explanation:

“4. Some praise truth, others purificatory rites and austerities; some praise forgiveness, others justice and sincerity.
5. Some praise alms-giving, others laud works done for the good of one’s ancestors; some praise action (Karma), others think (vairagya) indifference to be the best.
6. Some praise the works of the householder; other authorities hold up fire-sacrifice, &c., as the highest.
7. Some praise Mantra Yoga, others pilgrimage; thus manifold have been the ways declared for emancipation.
8. Those who know what actions are good and what evil, though free from sin are deceived; and are even more subjected to bewilderment.
9. Persons who following these doctrines, have committed good and bad actions, continue to move in this world in the cycle of births and deaths through dire necessity.
10. Others, wiser among the wise, and eagerly devoted to the occult, declare spirits are many, and eternal, and omni-present.
11. Others say “only those things can be said to exist which are perceived through the senses; Where is heaven or hell?” Such is their firm belief.
12. Others believe only in an ocean of knowledge; some call the void space as the greatest. Others believe in two essences—Matter (Prakriti) and Spirit (Purusha).
13-14. Thus believing in widely different doctrines, devoid of real meaning (the sublime truth), they think according to their limited sense that this universe is without God; others believe there is a God; basing their assertions on arguments as full of contradictions as they are untenable.
15-16. These and many other sages with various different denominations, have been declared in the Shastras as leaders of the human mind into delusion. I cannot uphold their doctrines as they are fond of quarrel and contention, and wander in this universe, being driven away from the path of emancipation.
17. Having studied all the Shastras and having pondered over them well, again and again, this Yoga Shastra has been found to be the only true and firm one.
18. When by that Yoga all this cosmos is certainly known, it ought to be practiced with industry and labor. What is the necessity then of any other doctrines?
19. This Yoga Shastra now being declared by me is a very secret doctrine, only to be revealed to a
high souled, pious devotee throughout the three worlds.” Siva Samhita I, 4-19

Om Shanti !

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• Krishna Darshan is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and has been a yoga and meditation teacher for over 35 years. He serves as the main Hatha Yoga instructor in many Sivananda Yoga Teachers Training Courses (TTC), advanced yoga teachers training courses (ATTC), Sadhana Intensive Courses and advanced sadhana retreats at various of the Sivananda Ashrams worldwide.
  He is the director of the Sadhana kutir - El Silencio, a retreat center in Uruguay. He is also a certified professional vedic astrologer and teacher.

  
  Om Namah Sivaya!

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