Tag Archives: Patanjali

The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 3 – Asana)

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Asana is a Sanskrit word literally translated as “to sit”, although, generally speaking, asana refers to an assumed body position, pose or posture. Asana is the third of Patanjali’s “Eight Limbs” of Raja Yoga (or classical yoga).

Yoga asana can be static or dynamic. Many asanas look static from the outside, but they are dynamic by their very essence. When the yogi or student uses the body to perform any pose, this requires engaging their muscles to assume and maintain that form. So therefore, all asanas involve muscle work and stretching, and are by definition, not static because any tension is related to the dynamic process and this holds true for all bodies. There are of course, exceptions to the rule, being Shavasana, the posture of “conscious self-shutdown”, and Padmasana the “perfect meditating posture”, done with the body fully balanced and relaxed in the sitting cross-legged position. Asana when intended as a dynamic set of movements between poses generally refers to the transfer of a student’s posture from one stage to another, or even to a completely different pose.

Basic categories of Asana are…

  • Seated (with twists)
  • Standing
  • Core
  • Backbends
  • Arm Balances
  • Foreword bends
  • Inversions
  • Restorative
  • Meditation
  • Pranayama
  • Mudra & Bandha

You will find there are many varieties and techniques of actual asana practice available and plenty of opinions about content, but most teachers start by having their students focus on structural alignment, methods of breathing during the practice, and increasing awareness.

Asana simultaneously produces both contraction and expansion, massaging the muscles, connective tissue and the skin, keeping them moist and elastic. Joints are moved through their complete range of motion safely, although some precautions and contra-indications may be given by a responsible Yoga teacher since not all body types have the same immediate capacity. Because correct alignment is emphasized, the stretching muscles will move along certain planes, increasing blood flow to specific areas without putting a strain on other body systems.

Asana has many proven health benefits and continued personal experience affirms the effectiveness of its practice, though the benefits will vary with the individual. Asana does not just affect skeletal muscles and their associated joints, it also has added value for the body’s circulatory, lymphatic and respiratory systems. Additionally, it is designed to produce health giving affects on connective tissue, the nervous system, and the various organs of the body.

*In summary: While asana practice is a set of postures designed to enhance health and harmonize us with our inner consciousness, according to Maharshi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, the original intent and purpose of asana is the attainment of a sustained and comfortable sitting posture to facilitate meditation. To achieve this asanas help in balancing and harmonizing the basic structure of the human body which is why, if performed regularly and consistently, they have a wide range of therapeutic benefits, both physical and mental.

Related article, click on: The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 2 – Niyama)

Check back soon for “The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 4 – Pranayama)”

The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 2 – Niyama)

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Niyama – In Sanskrit, means “observance,” or religious observance (aka, the 5 dos of Yoga)

Niyama is the second step in the Eightfold Path (the 8 Limbs) of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and contains the five internal practices of Niyama. These observances outline the five principles which are control (or regulate) the organs of perception; the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue and the skin. As these sense organs are brought under our conscious control, it will reduce attachments and help to free the mind of its clutter.

Niyama extends the ethical codes of conduct described in Patanjali’s first limb (the Yamas) to the yoga student or practicing yogi’s internal environment, i.e.; the body, mind and spirit. The practice of Niyama helps to maintain a positive environment in which to grow, giving us the self-discipline and inner-strength required to insure continued progress along the path of yoga.

Patanjali considered all five of the Niyamas as interesting tools for self assessment and personal growth. Applying these concepts, can shift a situation; so often our thoughts and attitudes dictate out past experience, and these practical observances help us to see where we actually are and improve upon that. The Niyamas refer to a positive attitude that we may adopt regarding ourselves, as they empower us to create a code for living purposefully and meaningfully.

Cultivating Niyamas allows you to cultivate discipline and responsibility. They are ultimately designed to help purify your body, mind and emotions.

Niyama: The Five Dos of Yoga:

  1. Shaucha (purity, cleanliness)
  2. Samtosha (contentment)
  3. Tapas (austerity, asceticism)
  4. Svadhyaya (self-study, spiritual-study)
  5. Ishvara Pranidhana (devotion, worship)

As we progress towards living a more balanced life, the qualities presented in the Niyamas will tend to naturally arise in us. In reality they may be viewed as evolutionary qualities that are a reflection of our connection with universal spirit. As such the Niyamas can be considered milestones along the path of our spiritual growth.

Related article, click on: The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 1 – Yama)

Check back soon for “The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 3 – Asana)”

The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 1 – Yama)

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Yama – Self-restraint, self-control and discipline (aka, the 5 don’ts of Yoga)

Yama is the foundation of yoga.  It is the first step in the Eightfold Path (the 8 Limbs) of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Yama tells us what to avoid doing because it would bring harm to the individual and others.  The observance and practice of yama disciplines the five organs of action; the arms, the legs, the mouth, the organs of regeneration, and the organs of excretion. It is quite natural for the organs of action to control the organs of perception and of the mind. Whenever the mind intends to bring harm to something and the organs of action refuse, no harm will be done. Therefore, Yama is regarded as the foundation or root of the tree of yoga.

Patanjali considered the Yamas to be great, mighty and universal vows. He instructs us that they need to be practiced on all aspects of our being (meaning; actions, words, and thoughts) and that they are not confined to class, race, gender, time or place.

Yama outlines the moral, ethical and societal guidelines for students of yoga and the practicing yogi. These guidelines are all expressed in a scientific and positive manner, thus becoming dynamic descriptions of how a yogi behaves and relates to the world when fully immersed in the experiential unitive state of yoga, called Samadhi. For those of us who have yet to achieve such a pure state, the Yamas are still highly appropriate and valued guides to help us consciously lead a more moral, ethical and honest life.

Yama: The Five Don’ts of Yoga:

  1. Ahimsa – Non-violence
  2. Satya – Non-lying (truthfulness)
  3. Asteya – Non-stealing
  4. Brahmacharya – Continence (celibacy)
  5. Aparigraha – Non-coveting

In a very practical sense, observing and practicing the Yamas eliminates, or at least reduces the accumulation of negative karma as well as preventing the draining of our energy caused by leading a false and/or unconscious life. When practicing the Yamas we’re promoting a healthier, holier and more peaceful life while simultaneously raising our awareness, strengthening our will and increasing our power of discernment. Engaging these practices is formidable task, although by doing so we fortify our character, improve our personal relationships, and further our progress on the spiritual path to the yogic union between the individual self and the universal self.

Related article, click on: Patanjali’s Eightfold Path (the 8 Limbs of Yoga)

Check back soon for “The Eight Limbs of Yoga (Part 2 – Niyama)”

Patanjali’s Eightfold Path (the 8 Limbs of Yoga)

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In his classical yoga treatise, Raja Yoga, Patanjali ordered yama and niyama before asana and pranayama on the eightfold path. But most contemporary students learn asana first, and oftentimes they learn asana outside the context of the other essential limbs on the tree of yoga. If you teach hatha yoga in isolation or without reference to the other limbs, it can be difficult to integrate the teaching with traditional yoga philosophy and science. As said by Swami Gitananda Giri; “…Patanjali’s Ashtanga yoga is ‘no option yoga’. Simply performing asanas and pranayama without the higher aspects of yoga is fruitless”.

In his Yoga Sutras (Raja Yoga) Patanjali compiled 195 sutras (concise aphorisms) that are essentially an ethical blueprint for living a moral life and incorporating the science and practice of yoga into that life. In these Yoga Sutras, the eightfold path is collectively called “ashtanga” in Sanskrit, which literally means “eight limbs” (ashta-eight, anga-limb). These eight steps serve as basic guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. They function as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct through self-discipline, directing attention toward one’s health and helping the student to recognize and acknowledge the spiritual aspects of their own nature.

These eight limbs of Patanjali intertwine like the branches of a tree in the forest. They aren’t commandments (although they sometimes sound like them), laws, or hard and fast rules. They are simply Patanjali’s suggestions for living a better life through yoga.

In future articles I will go into details of each individual limb, including each one of the five Yamas and Niyamas. Here’s a list of the eight limbs of Patanjali.

  1. Yama (5)
  2. Niyama (5)
  3. Asana
  4. Pranayama
  5. Pratyahara
  6. Dharana
  7. Dhyana
  8. Samadhi

Stay tuned – more to come…