The Yoga Sutras, also known as, “The Eight Limbs (ashtanga) of Raja (King) Yoga,” were the first fully developed recorded yoga system. Created by Patanjali around 2nd century BCE, this system influences much of the yoga that is practiced today. Although most of the sutras are based around “yoga of the mind,” what is practiced here in the West seems to be more concerned about “yoga of the body.” Somewhere along the way, we’ve begun practicing the movement of yoga in isolation of its philosophies – we’ve become obsessed with yoga gymnastics.
Everything we do has its roots in the mind (speech, movement, emotion, and thought). And, in order to affect real change on your life, you must seek to resolve matters at their core. Expecting your life to radically change from going through the motions and doing only the yoga poses is like ridding a garden of weeds by cutting off the heads of dandelions. On the surface, while it may seem to have solved the problem, the heart of the problem still exists – and is multiplying in numbers at that! When not addressed at the source, these weeds continue to persist in the mind, correspondingly flowing into your speech, emotions, and actions. Pantanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga will help you form the necessary groundwork to confront your problems at their roots.
If you want to reap the full benefits of the yoga experience, I strongly recommend implementing the eight limbs into every aspect of your life. There are volumes of information on the Eight Limbs of Yoga. And, because this can be quite intimidating for the beginner, I have broken down the Yoga Sutras in a digestible manner while simultaneously keeping the integrity of the original teachings.
Your first and second limbs, Yama and Niyama, form your foundation. Here, awareness and realization is established. Yama and Niyama lay the footing for everything to come.
FIRST LIMB
Yama | Self-Restraint
This first limb differs from the second limb in that it helps develop your relationship with the outer world while the second limb deals with matters of the inner world.
1)Ahimsa: Non-violence in thought, word, and action; not inflicting injury or harm to others and oneself
•When we reach a level where there is no longer Ahimsa (harm) in our thought, speech, and actions, one’s aggressive tendencies are overcome, causing others to let go of any hostile feelings in your presence.
2)Satya: Truth to be expressed in thought, word, and action
•When your practice of Satya (truth) is well-developed, what you say becomes reality.
3)Asteya: Non-stealing and non-covetousness; even to the extent that one should curb desiring something that is not your own
•When you become a living example of Asteya (non-covetousness), you will be trusted with the greatest of treasures.
4)Brahmacharya: Sometimes translated as abstaining from sexual intercourse when not married. In the case of married people, practicing monogamy and not having sexual thoughts about another person who is not your spouse
•When Brahmacharya is fully realized in marriage, the sex lives of both improve because the level of trust and devotion deepens their connection. It is also said that for the celibate person, the energy and zest for life increases.
5)Aparigraha: Non-possessiveness or non-greediness
•When you attain a high level of Aparigraha, others are automatically drawn to share with you.
These values are as important today as they were centuries ago. The Yamas are not a moral straight jacket, but are instead meant to help develop one’s relationship with the outside world – developing a greater awareness about one’s place in the world. It is not a coincidence that this is the first limb of the practice. When taking steps to transform our inner world, our outer world becomes a total reflection of this.
SECOND LIMB
The second limb helps refine your spiritual path. It is like a self-study course that helps develop your relationship with yourself.
Niyama | Personal Observances
1.Saucha: Cleanliness of thoughts, speech, and body
• When you develop Saucha (cleanliness), unwholesome thoughts and acts that lead to suffering are cleared.
2. Santosha: Contentment – to be satisfied with what one has
• When you achieve Santosha (contentment), bonds to the material world are broken and authentic peace and happiness are established within.
3. Tapas: Self-discipline that is sometimes associated with austerity and being able to conquer the body and mind through mental control
•When Tapas (self-discipline) is attained, laziness is overcome and both willpower and character are developed.
4. Svadhyaya: Self-study that leads to introspection and a greater awakening of the soul and the source of creation within and around you; traditionally studied through Vedic scriptures
• Svadhyaya (self-study) leads to a greater awakening of your true potential, providing you with a better sense of reality and your place in the world.
5. Ishvarapranidhana: The surrender to God.
• When Ishvarapranidhana is developed, the vision of ultimate reality helps destroy the ego, thus strengthening your practice of all the limbs leading up to Samadhi (the eighth limb).
Asana and Pranayama are the third and fourth limbs. They give us health and longevity – allowing us more time to achieve the ultimate goal of yoga (enlightenment), not waste time chasing the material world or compound our suffering by acts of ignorance. The third and fourth limbs are important, as they prepare the body for meditation which will be the key to stilling your mind and discovering your true potential.
THIRD LIMB
Asana | Seat or Posture
All yoga poses should have steadiness (Sthira) and lightness (Sukha). Concentrating on the sound of Ujjayi breathing (the most commonly practiced breathing technique in yoga), can provide the steadiness. If you lose your breath, it is most likely because you are pushing too hard; ease off the pose and let the pose cater to the breath.
Postures help keep the body disease-free. They help prepare us for meditation, relieving tension and protecting the body from disturbances by purifying the nervous system. As we will talk about later, there is no such thing as a perfect pose; let the poses come like the steps of a dance. Just like in dance, when we focus too much on the mechanics, we let go of the ability to enjoy the music. While the mechanics of alignment are important to prevent injury, never forget the final goal. Feel the music of life flow through you as you do each pose and your body will learn the moves naturally. There are more than enough postures to keep you busy for the rest of your life, so allow yourself to let go of ambition and enjoy the journey. Incorporating a combination of forward bends, backbends, twists, and inversions in your yoga session is optimal for health.
FOURTH LIMB
Pranayama | Control of Breath
Breathing right is fundamental to our very existence and there are many types of breathing techniques (Pranayama) in yoga. Your brain feeds on oxygenated blood which is supplied with every inhale. If you are unable to draw oxygen into your body, you will become brain dead after a few minutes. On the other hand, proper exhaling helps dispel carbon dioxide. If your body were to shut down for 24 hours, impairing your lymphatic system (which can be considered as the body’s sewage system) and your ability to exhale, you would most likely die due to the toxic build-up of carbon dioxide and poison.
Stress also tends to negatively affect breathing patterns which contribute to a chain of effects that cause wear and tear on both your body’s nervous and immune systems. In fact, ninety percent of illness is stress-related and for this reason, more attention should be put on breathing properly.
FIFTH LIMB
Pratyahara | Sense Withdrawal
Our perception of reality is predominantly influenced by our sensory experience – what we see, feel, hear, touch, and taste. Pratyahara refers to the withdrawal of the senses from their external objects. Our minds are constantly being pulled outward to evaluate all the information the senses bring in. Evaluation involves categorizing what has been perceived; often, we grasp on to what we believe is desirable, push away what we believe is undesirable, and ignore what we believe to be neutral. Pratyahara gives our minds a moment to rest. Think of a pond. When you throw a pebble in it, your reflection becomes distorted from the resulting ripples. Your mind works in very much the same way – every thought creates a ripple that distorts the ability to see your true self clearly. Constantly disrupted by these ripples, you begin to believe that the distorted reflection is who you really are.
Practicing Pratyahara stills the mind, allowing you to see yourself clearly. Not only will your view of the surface be clear, but your view of the bottom – from which everything grows – becomes undistorted as well. With enough practice, your unconscious thoughts can then become conscious ones, allowing mannerisms like addictive behaviour to lessen in intensity.
SIXTH LIMB
Dharana | One Pointed Concentration
Dharana helps prepare us for meditation. By practicing one pointed concentration, we clear the mind of all distracting thought. This can be achieved by focusing on your breath, counting, reciting mantras, observing a candle flame, or an image. Because we are constantly entangled in reliving past memories or living in anticipation of what is to come, it is very seldom that we live in the present moment. It is even less common to be mindful of the present moment with a calm and focused mind. However, this is crucial when trying to build the ultimate future for ourselves. The power is in the now!
SEVENTH LIMB
Dhyana | Meditation
Just as there are many different types of yoga poses, there are many ways of meditating. Meditation is a form of inner contemplation that allows you to access a state of mind that has bypassed the ego. All meditation leads to a state of full awareness that does not discriminate or categorize things in a dualistic manner; this is the part of you called, “the Observer,” which we will cover in more detail later.
EIGHTH LIMB
Samadhi | Total Absorption
Samadhi occurs when the analytical mind becomes absent and oneness with the object of meditation is achieved. Total absorption involves the feeling of oneness with all creation, dissolving all lines between the act of meditation and the object being meditated upon.
The goal of all yoga is enlightenment or, as we say in the West, self-realization. By consistently meditating on these philosophies, your understanding of these fundamentals will gradually deepen. Every moment in your life gives you an opportunity to practice the eight limbs. Learn at your own pace, but stay focused and enjoy the journey!