yoga is a state of being
The Stages of Yoga are broken into 8 parts [or limbs] as a quest for the soul. These were stated in the ancient script by Patanjali, his infamous Yoga Sutras, which described these principles as a way of life. Many people in the West believe that yoga is simply a movement practice. This is but a small piece of the quest. One who studies the entirety of yoga will begin to connect with all limbs over time. The Sutras are the path of the yogi, a path toward self-realization.
This path is described as a set of disciplines and thus ways of life which allow us to reach the ultimate goal of a yogi: Samadhi, or complete consciousness. The eight limbs can be a lot if you are not familiar with Sanskrit terms or the ancient texts.*My hope is to explain in such a way that makes it easily identified.
The first of the 8Limbs is Yamas. Yamas are Ethical principles that a yogi is meant to follow in his/her life. The yamas have their own outlines of specific principles to live by:
*Ahimsa _non-harming or all-loving. Common examples of this are not killing animals for food (thus the vegetarianism prominence in this culture) as well as not pushing one’s self during the physical practice. Non-harming and loving of one’s self is just as important as non-harming and loving others.*Listen to your body & express love freely.
*Satya _truth. Being truthful with one’s self and others.*Do not hide the truth, be honest with yourself.
*Asteya _non-stealing. Non-stealing in a sense that if one takes more than what is needed, this becomes stealing. Not giving way to craving: only wanting the adoration of one’s higher power (instead of wealth, power or fame).*Don’t overfill your plate if you cannot eat it all.
*Bramacharya _religious study and self-restraint. Using moderation in one’s life, especially toward self-fulfillment. One who practices bramacharya will develop energy and vitality and use that to fight injustice, rather than self-fulfill.*Use your energy toward true devotion, not something without value (like video games, for instance).
*Aparigaha _be free from hoarding. This is another aspect of Asteya. One should not reserve or accumulate things one does not need. This can been seen as a lack of faith in what is to come. Traditionally, a yogi makes his/her life as simple as possible and learns to not feel lack of possessions.*Have a one-in, one-out policy in your closet. Only buy the top in one color, clear out the old things each season.
The second of the 8Limbs is Niyamas. Niyamas are individual disciplines that a yogi is meant to follow. As do the Yamas, the Niyamas have their own outline:
*Saucha _purity. BKS Iyengar states it best, “purity of the body is essential for well-being. Bathing purifies the body externally, asana and pranayama cleanse the body internally. The practice of asana tones the entire body and removes toxins and impurities caused by over-indulgence. Still important is cleansing the intellect of impure thoughts”*Eat well, clean well, practice asana to remain in balance, mentally and physiologically.
*Santosha _contentment. Feeling content in one’s life will allow for ease in living.*Be grateful for what you have.
*Tapas _a “burning effort under all circumstance to achieve a definite goal in life.” An effort towards purification in body, speech and mind, gaining courage, wisdom and integrity.*Be passionate about your goals. Write goals every year toward your health, personal and business achievements.
*Svadhyaya _self study, education. This suggests learning about yourself to understand that we are all interconnected, and are here for devotion, not entertainment.*Give yourself alone-time every day, free of distraction like music or tv.
* Ishvara _pranidhana~devotion and dedication to a higher power. Have faith in whatever higher power you believe in. Let go of the importance of “I.”*Feel the power of a like-minded community.
The third of the 8Limbs is Asana. Asana are the postures of our practice. This is what most westerners believe to be yoga, or at least begin their practice with. This practice can be transformative and allow you to dive more deeply into the entire path.
The fourth of the 8Limbs is Pranayama. This is the breath work. Allowing control over the breath and using that to calm the body and mind.
The fifth of 8Limbs is Pratyahara. Releasing the indulgence of and not succumbing to the senses, such as desire and fear. We will undoubtedly be effected by these senses in our life, but the practice allows for balance and taming of such.
The sixth of the 8Limbs is Dharana. A culmination of the last three limbs. Once we are in tune with the body from asana, purified from the breath, and calmed from our senses, we find Dharana, a stillness in our mind which allows for total absorption. Dharana is concentration.
The seventh of the 8Limbs is Dyana. This state is when our flow of concentration is interrupted: meditation.
Lastly we find ourselves at the eighth of 8Limbs. Samadhi is our highest state of being. It is what we have worked so hard for following all of the pre-listed ways of living. It is full-consciousness or alertness, a release of the personal connection in one’s body, but a feeling of being one with all.
This is a heavy way of life for most of us to even imagine. But, we may take bits of this and turn our life into a fulfilling and altruistic one. The movement practice of yoga allows us to see inside our own bodies and mind, creating a heightened awareness. We must practice on the mat so that we may find our place off the mat.
n a m a s t e
We speak this as a salutation to one another. It expresses that the light, love and divinity which resides in me honors that light, love and divinity that resides in you. As a mirror, we honor our unity.