Eight Limbs of Yoga: Understanding the Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga

Yoga is an age-old practice that connects us with the spiritual world. The eight limbs of Yoga help purify our body and mind. Are you curious about its origin, importance, and other interesting facts? Let’s read to learn more!

The Meaning of Yoga

The term’ Yoga‘ means to connect oneself to the divine. It comes from the Sanskrit word’ yuj‘, which means to unite or connect to the sacred. Yoga enhances well-being and leads to harmony of the body and mind. The sage Patanjali introduced the Eight Yoga Sutras, or eight forms, of Yoga. Below, let’s understand the importance of the yoga sutras.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

Patanjali, an ancient sage, mystic, and philosopher widely known as the ‘Father of Yoga‘, introduced the eight significant forms of Yoga. Patanjali is also called Gonardiya or Gonikaputra. This great sage lived from the 2nd to the 4th century and influenced modern yoga practices. In his book,’ The Yoga Sutras’, Patanjali discusses the eightfold path of Yoga, known as Ashtanga or Manavta Yoga.

Patanjali describes balance, discipline, and virtue as essential aspects of Yoga. The eightfold path of Yoga paved the way to moksa (liberation). He says that if anyone wants to reach a state of self-awareness, he has to practice all eight forms of Yoga. His book of Yoga contains the eight elements of Ashtanga yoga: the Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. 

Also Read: How Adhi Yoga is Formed in Kundli in Astrology?

The Eight Limbs of Yoga 

Let’s learn about the eight forms of Yoga in detail!

1. Yama (first limb of Yoga)– Moral Disciplines

The first form of yoga is Yama, which indicates moral standards. It is a person’s behaviour, practices, and interactions with the universe. This practice increases our physical strength and flexibility.

It also calms our minds and gives us the power to control ourselves. There are five types of Yama: Ahimsa (nonviolence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non-mealing), Brahmacharya (non-indulgence), and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness). 

How to Practice Yama?

We can practice the Yama Yoga by:

• Being kind and truthful to yourself and others.
• We should listen to others, take their wise advice and respect boundaries.
• A person should observe his thoughts and actions.
• We can use our energy wisely while practising Yamas.
• We should avoid negative gossip while practising this yogic posture.

2. Niyama- Positive Duties

Niyama refers to the duties one should perform internally. It tells you to be disciplined and follow your religion’s or spirituality’s traditional practices, which will guide you during this practice.

It also asks you to develop good habits that help you find your true purpose in life. There are five types of Niyamas: Sauccha (Cleansing), Santosh (Happiness), Tapas (Self-Discipline), and Swadhya (Self-Study). 

How to Practice Niyama?

You can practice Niyama, the second form of Ashtanga Yoga, by:

• Keep your space clean and maintain personal hygiene.
• Practice mental hygiene, let go of negative thoughts, and welcome positive ones.
• Eat good, and be grateful for what you already have in life.
• Avoid focusing on what you do not have.

3. Asana- Physical Posture

Asana, one of the forms of the eight sutras of Yoga, allows you to concentrate. This form of Yoga makes your body and mind ready for observation. It describes its purpose and emphasises the importance of a comfortable seat.

This means that your body should be balanced and your mind free. This posture of yoga prepares your body for the practice of the other limbs, and it should be done with happiness.

How to Practice Asana?

We can practice Asana by:

• Start with small stretches to prepare your body for warmup.
• During this Yoga, one should inhale breath and exhale to release it.
• Ensure that you don’t push yourself too much.
• After you end with the basic postures, start with the challenging poses.
• Finish the practice with Savasana (corpse posture). 

4. Pranayama (Fourth Limb of Yoga)- Techniques to Breathe

Pranayama is a Sanskrit word where Prana means energy and Yama means vehicle. This pose gives you energy and strength. Prana also means breath, which keeps us alive. This type of yogic practice provides us with an understanding of the connections between the body, mind and breathing patterns.

If you practice this sitting alone, it can be beneficial. Inhaling and releasing the breath can reduce your stress levels, improve your sleep, and reduce your anxiety.

How to Practice Pranayama?

To practice pranayama, follow these steps:

• Block the right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left nostril.
• Slowly release the breath from your right nostril and block the left, counting 5,8 or 10.
• Keep repeating this same process.

5. Pratyahara- Withdrawal of Senses

This yoga posture signifies letting go of the senses, cravings, and other influences. This form of yoga tells us to focus on our minds and take deep breaths. It can be effective if practised alone.

Pratyahara helps us avoid external distractions and concentrate. It also relates to the food we eat, which nourishes our body. There are four forms of pratyahara: Indriya (control of senses), Prana (control of energy), Karma (Governs actions), and Mano (withdrawal of mind).

How to Practice Pratyahara?

Pratyahara helps us to reduce distractions in our lives, and we can practice this by:

• Lessening the use of social media
• Limiting television to one hour daily.
• Meditating for at least 20 minutes in the morning.
• Avoid meaningless gossip about others.

6. Dharana- Concentration

Dharana is the sixth of the eight limbs of Yoga. This form of Yoga tells us to avoid internal distractions. Dharana is about concentrating on a single point to avoid other distractions.

This is done because we confuse right with wrong and mostly choose the wrong things. To get the right things, one should practice this yogic form.

How to Practice Dharana?

To practice Dharana, we should:

• Always focus on a single point to practice Dharana.
• We can also use an image or any object.
• Repeating a word sentence can be done to practice this.
• A person can focus on the sound of a mantra. 

7. Dhyana- Meditation

Dhyana is about absorbing oneself in deep meditation. Unlike Dharana, this Yoga asks about self-awareness without intentionally focusing.

It states that living in the present moment with peace, is completely a different experience from others. Dhyana is the experience of yourself that gives you internal happiness and joy. 

How to Practice Dhyana?

For practising Dhyana, we need to:

• Let your mind settle and focus without controlling it.
• Choose a symbol, picture or mantra that can help you concentrate.
• A mudra can help you to focus your attention.
• Let go of your expectations.

8. Samadhi- Enlightenment

As described by Sage Patanjali, the last stage of Yoga is Samadhi Yoga, which means being free from illusions, space, and time. This is a deeper state of meditation which leads us to the present moment.

It is a blissful experience in which we can find peace within ourselves and nature without becoming attached to any material aspect. This is considered one of the highest forms of spiritual practice.

How to Practice Samadhi?

You can practice Samadhi by:

• Take three or four deep breaths.
• Inhale and exhale the breath.
• Freeze the same body posture for a few seconds.
• When you inhale, focus on yourself.
• Repeat the same process, focusing on yourself. 

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Benefits of Eight Limbs of Yoga

The following are the benefits of Ashtanga Yoga:

• This Yoga helps you gain strength and flexibility.
• Ashtanga yoga can improve your cardiovascular health and breathing.
• It can improve your body posture and correct flat feet.
• This form of Yoga relieves back pain and nervous disorders.
• This promotes detoxification through sweating.
• Astanga Yoga lets us concentrate on improving our focus.
• This helps you to manage weight.
• It helps you to develop a deeper connection with your inner self.
• This can help you understand feelings and thoughts in a better way.
• This lets you develop emotional stability.

Frequently Asked Questions

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