Eight (8) limbs of yoga BY: Shobha Saraiya
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Yama:
=====The first limb, yama(Don’ts), deals with one's ethical standards and sense of integrity,
focusing on our behavior and how we conduct ourselves in life. The five yamas are:
Ahimsa: nonviolence
Satya: truthfulness
Asteya: nonstealing
Brahmacharya: continence
Aparigraha: noncovetousness
Niyama
======Niyama(do’s), the second limb, has to do with self-discipline.
The five niyamas are:
Saucha: cleanliness
Santosa: contentment
Tapas: heat; spiritual austerities
Svadhyaya: study of the sacred scriptures and of one's self
Isvara pranidhana: surrender to God
Asana
=====
Asanas, the postures practiced in yoga, comprise the third limb. In the yogic view, the
body is a temple of spirit, the care of which is an important stage of our spiritual growth.
Through the practice of asanas, we develop the habit of discipline and the ability to
concentrate, both of which are necessary for meditation.
Pranayama
=========Generally translated as breath control, this fourth stage consists of techniques designed to
gain mastery over the respiratory process while recognizing the connection between the
breath, the mind, and the emotions. As implied by the literal translation of pranayama,
"life force extension," yogis believe that it not only rejuvenates the body but actually
extends life itself. You can practice pranayama as an isolated technique (i.e., simply
sitting and performing a number of breathing exercises),
These first four stages of Patanjali's ashtanga yoga concentrate on refining our
personalities, gaining mastery over the body, and developing an energetic awareness of
ourselves, all of which prepares us for the second half of this journey, which deals with
the senses, the mind, and attaining a higher state of consciousness.
Pratyahara
=========
Pratyahara, the fifth limb, means withdrawal or sensory transcendence. It is during this
stage that we make the conscious effort to draw our awareness away from the external
world and outside stimuli. Keenly aware of, yet cultivating a detachment from, our
senses, we direct our attention internally. The practice of pratyahara provides us with an
opportunity to step back and take a look at ourselves. This withdrawal allows us to
objectively observe our cravings: habits that are perhaps detrimental to our health and
which likely interfere with our inner growth.
Dharana
=======
As each stage prepares us for the next, the practice of pratyahara creates the setting for
dharana, or concentration. Having relieved ourselves of outside distractions, we can now
deal with the distractions of the mind itself. No easy task! In the practice of
concentration, which precedes meditation, we learn how to slow down the thinking
process by concentrating on a single mental object: a specific energetic center in the
body, an image of a deity, or the silent repetition of a sound. We, of course, have already
begun to develop our powers of concentration in the previous three stages of posture,
breath control, and withdrawal of the senses. In asana and pranayama, although we pay
attention to our actions, our attention travels. Our focus constantly shifts as we fine-tune
the many nuances of any particular posture or breathing technique. In pratyahara we
become self-observant; now, in dharana, we focus our attention on a single point.
Extended periods of concentration naturally lead to meditation.
Dhyana
======
Meditation or contemplation, the seventh stage of ashtanga, is the uninterrupted flow of
concentration. Although concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana) may appear to
be one and the same, a fine line of distinction exists between these two stages. Where
dharana practices one-pointed attention, dhyana is ultimately a state of being keenly
aware without focus. At this stage, the mind has been quieted, and in the stillness it
produces few or no thoughts at all. The strength and stamina it takes to reach this state of
stillness is quite impressive.
yoga is a process. Even though we may not attain the "picture perfect" pose, or the ideal
state of consciousness, we benefit at every stage of our progress.
Samadhi
=======
Patanjali describes this eighth and final stage of ashtanga as a state of ecstasy. At this
stage, the meditator merges with his or her point of focus and transcends the Self
altogether. The meditator comes to realize a profound connection to the Divine, an
interconnectedness with all living things. With this realization comes the "peace that
passeth all understanding"; the experience of bliss and being at one with the Universe.
