Interesting stuff about Hinduism

The goal of life is to reach enlightenment, reincarnating into higher or lower existences based on your actions in each life until you finally exit the cycle of life and death. You have a lot of paths to choose from called yogas.

The yoga that is popular in the West is Hatha Yoga, part of Raja Yoga, which focuses on meditation and mental control. Yoga classes really are derivative of if not explicitly a Hindu religious practice.

Karma Yoga is the path of selfless action and servant-hood, which is milkily reminiscent of Western understanding of karma in that it involves kind actions, but it is for the sake of losing yourself in the divine.

Bhakti Yoga is the path of love and seeking a personal relationship with God.

Jnana Yoga is the most interesting to me - salvation though pursuit of knowledge and wisdom. You also deeply explore and understand yourself as part of this yoga.

In Christianity, the path is narrow and few find it. This path will lead through the valley of the shadow of death and trials and tribulations in every person's life, so it is fundamentally unpleasant unless you allow God's concept of goodness and timing to eclipse your own. He is lovingkind and will be faithful through it. But you don't get to pick your path, and it's guaranteed to be something you don't fully expect - sometimes not even a tiny little!

It seems Hinduism allows you to choose your path, and the paths include universally appealing options like studying and reflecting all day, perfecting your mind and body, being rapturously in love with God, and throwing yourself into service projects. It is natural to want to work on one of these and struggle with or have disdain for others, so it's indulgently humanistic to offer the choice.

(I was only taught these in high school from a Bob Jones textbook, so I surely massively misunderstand.)