Modern day yoga philosophy was developed by the Indian Sage and philosopher, Patanjali. Patanjali wrote the yoga sutras which consist of 196 sutras or principles that guide an individual on their yoga journey. Within these sutras, Patanjali outlines an eight limbed path to follow when practicing yoga.

Yamas - restraints or morals.

• Ahimsa - do no harm.

• Satya - speak the truth.

• Asteya - do not steal.

• Aparigraha - do not be greedy.

• Brahmacharya - do everything in moderation.

Niyamas - duties.

• Saucha - live purely.

• Santosha - be content.

• Tapas - be disciplined.

• Svadhyaya - study yourself.

• Isvara Paridhana - recognize that there are forces greater than you.

Asanas - physical postures.

During a yoga class you move your body into and out of various postures also called asanas. These help you to get out of your head and into the moment, allowing you to focus on the present. They also help you learn about your physical and mental abilities and in some cases push you to challenge them.  The physical postures also nudge you to check in with your ego, for example when you are in a class and decide to take the most challenging variation of each yoga posture and end up falling on your face out of a pose. This might be a moment when you take a step back and ask yourself what the purpose of pushing so hard was for, was it to come across as the “strongest” or “most advanced” student in the room? If you answered “maybe” or “yes” to yourself then it is your reminder to pull yourself back on your mat and bring awareness to the true meaning of your practice. The asanas can also be a wonderful tool for building strength, stability, balance and increasing range of motion.

Pranayama - rhythmic breath control.

The practice of yoga will often include breathing techniques that involve manipulating the length, depth, retention, location and movement of breath. Your breath is an energy force, prana, and to control your breath is to control subtle energy in and out of your body. Breathwork and conscious control of it can be a powerful tool for decreasing stress and heart rate, calming the mind, building resilience and even regulating emotions.

Pratyahara - withdraw from distraction. 

We live in a society built on distraction with jobs and expectations that pull our attention in many different directions all the time. Pratyahara is the opposite of distraction, it is a turning inward to practice withdrawal from external stimuli. To practice pratyahara leave your cell phone out of your yoga space.  If music is a distraction, then practice without it. When sounds or reminders pull your attention away, try to bring your attention back to your yoga practice. For some people this can be the most difficult to practice we are so used to the multitasking mentality that stepping away from the routine of doing many things at once can be very difficult.  Breath can be a powerful tool to assist! Another helpful tool may be to draw your attention to one part of your body or to one object in your space.

Dharana - single focus point. 

This is a practice of focusing on one specific point; an image, item, word or even thought. The mind often wanders, and dharana is the act of holding attention in one place, not allowing wandering thoughts to pull that attention away from the present moment and action. It is an act of diligent focus.  Oftentimes in a yoga practice the instructor will refer to a drishti or gazing point to draw your focus to a specific spot.

Dhyana - meditation.

Dhyana is the natural progression from Pratyahara and Dharana. Once you have mastered drawing your senses inward and focusing on a single object, you are ready to meditate. Meditation is the act of sitting with yourself and simply being without distraction or expectation. You can visualize meditation as a line being drawn on paper with a pencil. If your attention is pulled away it is as if the pencil is lifted from the paper and there is a break in the line. Once attention is brought back and meditation resumes, so does the line. The longer this line becomes without breaks in it, the stronger your meditation is.

Samadhi - bliss.

The peak of meditation and practice of yoga where the mind is alert, but the body is in a state of rest. This is a state where you are not fully conscious but not unconscious either. A state of complete bliss.

The limbs of yoga do not have to be practiced in a linear manner, these are in fact practiced in combination with each other and build upon each other. It is normal to ebb and flow between the layers of your practice. Some days it will feel easier to pull your attention inward and maintain it and other days it will be a challenge and you will have to keep pulling your mind back to the moment and out of your thoughts.

Sources

Iyengar, B. K. S. (2000). Light on yoga: The bible of modern yoga (revised). Schocken Books Inc.