The Eight Limbs - Inner Quest

eightfoldpathphilosophy
Written By Meera Dhawan

This article follows in outward stages of the eight limbs and expands on the forth and fifth stages as discussed in Let’s Get Back To Yoga. Pranayama & Pratyahara are inward quests to help master and still the the mind. By quieting the mind we prepare ourselves for the last three that take us deep within, The Eight Limbs — Quest to the Soul.

4. Pranayama — breath regulation

‘Prana’ means life or breath, and ‘Ayama’ means length, expansion or restraint. Together you get breath control, or ‘Pranayama’. Iyengar speaks on some of the benefits of Pranayama,

“The yogi’s life is not measured by the number of his days but by the number of his breaths. Therefore, he follows the proper rhythmic patterns of slow deep breathing. These patterns strengthen the respiratory system, sooth the nervous system craving. As desires & cravings diminish, the mind is set free and becomes a vehicle for concentration (1).”

What does Pranayama look like? Their are a vast set of techniques offered, including Ujjayi & Kapalbhati. These can be added to your daily Sadhana practice along with asana. While I can’t go into all the techniques here, a great starting place for your exploration is the Art of Living.

5. Pratyahara — control of senses

This stage refers to the withdrawal & emancipation of the mind from senses and external objects. This is an important stage that allows us to go deeper and closer to understanding our true selves.

How can we practice Pratyahara? Firstly it is important to acknowledge that the mind is influenced significantly by sensory input, some of which leads to suffering. From there take a microscope to your life. Where do you get the most “noise”, how can you address it? Can you limit or delete the use of social media & set boundaries with negative friends? Learning to channel your inner zen during difficult situations is key to this practice.

Pranayama & Pratyahara are critical to stilling fluctuations of the mind, preparing us for a journey to our true inner-self. CheckThe Eight Limbs — Quest to the Soulold Path — Quest to the Soul for more details about the last three stages, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

  • Chip Hartranft 2003. The Yoga Sutra’s of Patanjali book link

Meera Dhawan
Previous

The Eight Limbs - Outward Path
Next

The Eight Limbs - Quest to the Inner Soul