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The 8 Limbs of Yoga
1. Yamas = Restraints
2. Niyamas = Observances
3. Asanas = Postures
4. Pranyama = Breath Control, Life Force Control
5. Pratyahara = Sensory Withdraw, Internalization
6. Dharana = Concentration = Thought
7. Dhyana = Meditation = Realisation
8. Samadhi = Cosmic Consciousness = Absorption
1.
Yamas = Restraints
 Ahimsa
= Non-violence, compassion, loving yourself and others,
gentleness
Satya =
Non-lying, truthfulness, being true to your nature
Asteya
= Non-stealing, not keeping for yourself when others lack
Brahmacharya
= Non-lusting, moderation in all things
Aparigraha
= Not grasping, desire, non-hording
2. Niyamas = Observances
Saucha
= Purity, inner and outward cleanliness, positive thoughts
and actions
Santosha
= Contentment, feeling no loss, tranquility
Tapas =
Discipline, heat, fiery cleansing, every painful experience
is an opportunity to let go
Svadhyaya=
Self-study, study of spiritual text, study of yourself in
relation to the body of knowledge that exists
Isvara
Pranidhana= Surrender to God, surrender to higher self,
devotion to the universal, seeing it in all things
3
Asanas = Postures
Through the practice of the physical stretches and
opening the body, one breaks through blocks as a means of
breaking through psychological blocks, conditioned thoughts
or behaviours.
4. Pranayama = Breath Control, Life
Force Control
"The practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong
willpower, and acute sound awareness.”
-BKS Iyengar
There are 3 aspects of breath:
Puraka
– Inhalation
Rechaka
– Exhalation
Kumbhaka
– Retention
Through the practice of breath observation, control and
extension, one frees the conditioned mind from its restless
scanning and analysis. Thus pranayama is the connection
between the body and the mind.
Ujjayi
– Victorious Breath
Nadi
Shodhana – Alternative Nostril Breathing
Kapalabhati
– Shining Skull Breath
5.
Pratyahara = Sensory Withdraw, Internalisation
“The best and the most beautiful things in the world cannot
be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.”
- Helen Keller
With the physiological activities well harmonised and under
control, the next step is to bridge the gap between the body
and the mind through psychosomatic training, with an aim to
control the external and internal senses which affect
equanimity and peace of mind. Strict control over the senses
alone will lead to difficulties instead of spiritual
practice. Mastering pratyahara, one transcends dualities.
6. Dharana = Concentration = Thought
Progressively, through a sound and healthy body, the purity
of human nature can be focused mentally. In yoga, the
control of the mind is followed up through the control of
the senses. The next stage begins with concentration “Dhyana”.
Dhyana will lead to meditation “Dharana” in time.
7. Dhyana = Meditation = Realisation
Meditation covers a vast field of mental culture projecting
into the higher levels of consciousness. This is a place to
commune with the true self, once the many superficial layers
are removed. It is in meditation that deep realisations
surface and the answers will flow from intrinsic wisdom.
8.Samadhi = Cosmic Consciousness =
Absorption
Trance-consciousness, wherein the yogi remains unmoved by
physical and mental afflictions, is the final stage of yoga
and has been described as a state of uninterrupted joy and
peace, absolute consciousness and self-realisation.
Intuition and other transcendent powers of the mind and even
of the body are suspended and the yogi is freed from the
laws of natural causation following the result of the
awakening of the human energy potential.
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