The Eight Limbs - Lets Get Back To Yoga
Recently I have started asking people what part of yoga they enjoy the most. To this I typically get
I love how relaxed I feel while doing it
I love stretching and how I can explore my body.
These answers all show the benefits of practicing yoga on the mat, but the secret is that these benefits can be achieved off the mat from a full practice.
Today, Yoga = Asana (poses).
And why would anyone think yoga is more than stretching when that is what is offered in studios and taught? But while Asana is a critical part of yoga, for thousands of years, Yogi’s have been practicing and teaching 8 stages of yoga as defined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and other practices.
So, why should we care that we are only practicing one out of 8 limbs of yoga? It’s almost like if India got a copy of the USDA food pyramid and decided to only eat dairy. No one would have a balanced diet, and the goal of being healthy would be far from attainable. Similarly, yoga was passed down to help people find liberation and freedom from suffering by stilling fluctuations of the mind. And while many people are practicing a watered down version yoga, there is no need to fear. All this means is we have so much to look forward, and so much peace to discover!
Patajanli set us up for success by teaching us what yoga is through the Eight Limbs of Yoga. The eight stages, depicted in the graphic below, allows us to vastly expand our practice. A yogis path is to practice all the stages deeply in order to reach a state of complete bliss (Samadhi).
My depiction of the Eight Limbs of Yoga with the 8 limbs as branches and the techniques and the principals shown in leaves.
The first three stages — Yama, Niyama & Asana — are outward quests that help one master the body. The next two stages — Pranayama & Pratyahara — takes one deeper to gain control of the mind. And the final stages, Dharana, Dhyana & Samadhi takes the yogi on a deep quest to the inner soul.
Below is an overview of the 8 stages, When you are ready to dive deeper check out The Outer Quests, The Inner Quests and Quest To the Inner Soul.
1. Yamas consist of 5 moral vows that teach the yogi how to live in harmony with others.
2. Niyamas consist of 5 internal disciplines on how to live an engaged & purposeful life.
3. Asanas provide us with a set of postures that keep the body healthy and in harmony with nature.
4. Pranayama provides techniques for breath regulation. Mastery of the breath stills the mind.
5. Pratyahara refers to withdrawing the senses and practicing mindfulness. Silencing the mind begins the journey inwards.
6. Dharana, concentration, speaks on the practice of focusing on a single point with complete engrossment.
7. Dhyana is meditative absorption achieved from deep meditation.
8. Samadhi is the final stage where the yogi reaches a state of super-consciousness brought by profound meditation.
To get started on the 8 limb path, I would recommend slowly adding these deeper practices into your daily Sadhana one at a time. If you are interested in learning more about the each of the limbs and how to practice them, check out The Outer Quests, The Inner Quests and Quest To the Inner Soul.