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The Eight Limbs of Yoga known as Ashtanga Yoga was written by Maharishi Patanjali, an ancient sage scientist in India and is a section in the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. Maharishi Patanjali created this path to help transcend human suffering and to reach self-realisation, and ultimate freedom. It offers a complete philosophy to live a happy and healthy life.

Sage Patanjali defines Yoga as:

Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah: Yoga is stilling the fluctuations of the mind.

Ashtanga – Ashta means eight, anga means limbs. These 8 steps are meant to guide a person towards self-discipline, ethical living, mental focus, and ultimately spiritual liberation.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga are:

1. YAMA (Ethical Standards)
2. NIYAMA (Self-discipline)
3. ASANAS (Physical Postures)
4. PRANAYAMA (Breath Control)
5. PRATYAHARA (Withdrawal of the senses)
6. DHARANA (Concentration)
7. DHYANA (Effortless Meditation)
8. SAMADHI (Enlightenment)

1. YAMA -Ethical Standards

YAMAs are universal morality, our attitude towards others and how we treat others. YAMA compose of the five social ethics namely:

• Ahimsa (Non-violence) – Ahimsa means to live harmoniously with the people around us and treat others as you would like to be treated.
• Satya ( Truthfulness and non-deception) – Satya states to stand by the truth no matter what and living with honesty and integrity.
• Asteya (Non-stealing) – No stealing what’s not yours
• Brahmacharya (Moderation of senses) – Controlling desires and practicing moderation.
• Aparigraha (Non-greed) – Letting go of greed and not be attached to material possessions

To what extent do you live by the ethical standards?

2. NIYAMA -Self-discipline

NIYAMAs are personal observance, self-discipline, and responsibility towards ourselves that lead to personal purification and spiritual growth. The 5 Niyamas are:

• Shoucha (Purity) – Means purifying our body, mind, and spirit
• Santosha (Contentment) – Being content and grateful for what we have.
• Tapas (Austerity) – Cultivating self-discipline and the inner fire that fuels commitment to spiritual growth and burn impurities.
• Swadhyaya (Self-Study) – It involves a deep introspective study of oneself, self-awareness, self-reflection and non-judgmental view of oneself.
• Ishvarapranidhana ( Surrender to the divine) – It means letting go of control, surrendering to the divine, and let the universe take care of you. In doing so, you embrace life’s joys and challenges and accept that good times or bad times are temporary phases.

How do you cultivate self-discipline in your life?

3. ASANAS – Physical Postures

Asanas are designed to purify the body and enhance the strength and flexibility of the body. Asanas are also used to prepare the body for meditation. The practice of asanas involves body awareness as well as breath awareness. Mindful asanas enhance our connection with our breath and improves our balance, muscles coordination,and body posture.

Yoga postures also help to decrease the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, thyroid, arthritis, and others.

How important is it to you to practice yoga asanas?

4. PRANAYAMA – Breath Control

Pranayama consists of the word Prana meaning life force and Ayama meaning control hence, regulating the flow of our life force. Our breath is directly connected to our emotions. By regulating our breath, we can regulate our emotions.

Pranayama also balances our energy channels and stimulates our left and right hemispheres of our brain. Moreover, pranayama activates our para-sympathetic nervous system and helps to calm the mind. In doing so, we attain more clarity.

How important is your breath to you?

5. PRATYAHARA – Withdrawal of the Senses

Pratyahara means turning our senses inwards and withdrawing our senses from the outer world. Especially, in our modern era, we often get distracted with sights, sounds, touch, taste, and other external stimuli. Pratyahara means allowing the mind to settle and calm down. Furthermore, it prepares our mind for meditation.

What do you do when you get distracted by your senses?

6. DHARANA – Concentration

Dharana is the fixing of the mind on a single point, object, thought or mantra. This helps to focus only one thing at a time and limit distractions. Dharana techniques include focusing on the breath and gazing a single point or a candle flame known as trataka. This technique sharpens focus, and enhance memory.

Dharana is a preparatory practice before meditation. Regular practice of dharana leads to mental clarity, peace, and an increased ability to stay focused on tasks in daily life.

How concentrated are you when you are doing a task?

7. DHYANA – Meditation

Dhyana is the practice of de-concentration and effortless meditation. It is the art of doing nothing and letting go. In doing so, inner peace is attained. Dharana is the uninterrupted flow of concentration. It is the act of witnessing the mind as an observer. The mind is then detached from the external world. Regular practice of dhyana leads to deep awareness and inner peace.

How do you feel when you practice meditation?

8. SAMADHI – Enlightenment

Samadhi is the merging of the individual soul with the infinite spirit. It is a state of profound meditative consciousness and is considered as the ultimate goal of meditation. It leads to a state of pure blissfullness and peace where the soul is free from the cycle of birth and death.

References: Sri Sri School of Yoga

Conclusion

The Eight Limbs of Yoga has been written around 400 CE but is still relevant and more than helpful in today’s modern era. The philosophy touches our daily lives and by integrating it in our lives, I believe that we can live a happy, healthy, and balanced life. Yoga is not only about practicing yoga postures but is a way of life comprising of a much greater wisdom.

Yashna Veera, Life Coach and Yoga & Meditation Practitioner

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