A Journey Through the 8 Limbs
When you hear the word Yoga the first thing that may come to mind is an image of someone stretching or doing a balancing posture in a studio class. That is a great start, but that is only ⅛ of all that Yoga is. The 8 Limbs of Yoga act as a guide on how to live a purposeful life. The sage Patanjali first scribed the 8 Limbs around 1,500 years ago in India. Though the practice of yoga began even before then.
THE FIRST LIMB: YAMAS
There are five Yamas and five Niyamas. These 10 guidelines make up the first two limbs of yoga. The word Yamas translates from Sanskrit to mean “Restraints” and Niyamas to mean “Observances.” There is a great book by Deborah Adele that goes into great detail about the Yamas and Niyamas. I will share a quote from her novel beneath each guiding principle.
Ahimsa: Non-harming
To live Ahimsa, you must try not to bring harm to yourself, to those around you, or to your environment. Adele states, “Nonviolence asks us to trust others’ journey and love and support others to their highest image of themselves, not our highest image of them” (p.33).
Satya: Truthfulness
Satya reminds us to show up every day as our authentic selves. There are times in life when telling the truth may cause harm to others around us. Adele proclaims, “And when there is cause for disharmony or confusion between the two, truthfulness bows to nonviolence. First and foremost, do no harm” (p.16).
Asteya: Non-stealing
We all know that non-stealing possessions from others are wrong. But Asteya teaches us more than that. It teaches us that showing up late is stealing from another’s time and that not putting ourselves first steals from our self-worth and so on. Adele says, “We are visitors to this land, to our bodies, to our minds. To fully appreciate this reality is to accept that nothing on this physical plane does or can belong to us.” (p. 63)
Brahmacharya: Non-excess
“Brahmacharya is like this low entrance for us, it reminds us to enter each day and each action with a sense of holiness rather than indulgence so that our days may be lived in the wonder of sacredness rather than the misery of excess,” Adele stated (p. 77). Having too much of something good begins to bring stress. When we have too much food in the fridge, for example, we cannot eat it all, and some of it shall perish.
Aparigraha: Non-possessiveness
Adele suggests, “What if we could trust life like we trust the breath? What if we could take in all the nourishment of the moment and then let it go fully, trusting that more nourishment will come” (p. 91). For further context, what if you and a friend were stranded with only one piece of bread? You brought the piece of bread from home, and it is rightfully yours. Would you share with your friend and trust that more food will come, or would you keep it all for yourself? The same can be applied to clothes, friends, love, and everything else that we hold onto in life.
THE SECOND LIMB: NIYAMAS
The Yamas and Niyamas are the guiding principles that show us how to live in alignment with our highest self. These guidelines cannot so easily be checked off of our list for completion. They take constant effort and intention to maintain.
Saucha: Purity
“Breath practice and postures are means of purifying the body, as is meditation and following an ethical system, like the Yamas and Niyamas,” states Adele (p. 106). The 8 Limbs of Yoga can be used to help purify ourselves. This process will look different for every individual.
Santosha: Contentment
One of my favorite quotes from the book comes from this chapter. I believe it is because, in today’s age, people have so much to learn from Santosha. We are constantly bombarded by advertisements and society to believe we need the next new thing, more money, or more friends to bring us happiness. When happiness lies dormant within. To find it, you must first find contentment. Adele recalls, “I am reminded of the wisdom of a 116-year-old man, who, when asked the secret to his longevity, replied, ‘When it rains, I let it” (p. 123).
Tapas: Self-discipline
In order to follow all of the principles I have given, we must discover Tapas. I know the benefits of meditation… I have felt them. But this does not help me get out of bed and meditate each morning. The one thing that keeps me meditating is my self-discipline. Adele rephrases a line from a speech given by Charlene Westerman, “We have two choices: to break down or to break open” (p. 137).
Svadhyaya: Self-study
“Svadhyaya or self-study is about knowing our true identity as Divine and understanding the boxes we are wrapped in. This process of knowing ourselves, and the boxes that adorn us, creates a pathway to freedom”, says Adele (p. 149). A great way to learn more about yourself is through triggers. When someone or something triggers you and brings up strong emotion, you must go inward to understand why. Notice that often this is not that person’s fault, but it is something within you that needs attention.
Ishvara Pranidhana: Self surrender
When life unfolds in front of me, I have two choices: to resist or to surrender. It doesn’t matter if I like the circumstances. If I choose not to accept them, I find myself swimming against the current of a strong river. The other option is much more peaceful, let go, let the river carry you. Adele adds, “As the ego stops fighting to be number one, life begins to nourish and feed us in amazing ways” (p. 173).
THE THIRD LIMB: ASANAS
Asanas are yoga poses. This limb of yoga depicts the physical practice, the image we commonly picture when we think of yoga. There are many different styles of yoga and many different postures. Each style of yoga is created by stringing different sequences of pictures together with added elements such as heat, tempo, chanting, mantras, and more.
Some popular yoga styles are:
Vinyasa – flow class, heat building
Hatha – sun and moon, balance
Kundalini – rising energy, coiled at the base of the spine
Restorative – Relaxing, allowing energy to restore
Yin Yoga – Move through static holding of postures
Bikram- 26 postures, 90 minutes, heated studio
Iyengar – Alignment and precise movements, poses held for a long time
THE FOURTH LIMB: PRANAYAMA
The Sanskrit word prana means “life,” and pranayama means “life-force extension,” aka the breath. Pranayama is mastery over the breath. Breath-work can be incorporated in and out of classes. Each technique serves a different purpose. A slow, mindful technique such as alternate nostril breathing can be used to calm the body down, whereas the breath of fire is used to create heat and energy.
THE FIFTH LIMB: PRATYAHARA
Pratyahara is the withdrawal from the senses. I will share a quote from Eddie Modestini to help you further understand this concept. “Pratyāhāra, withdrawal from the sensory world or the practice of turning inward, is about moving toward the core of your being. Rather than attempting to shut off the sensory world and your reaction to it, yoga encourages you to move in the direction of your inner being, setting a quiet and receptive perspective so that you can begin to look at yourself with greater understanding.” This limb is the basis of meditation and prepares us for the next three limbs of yoga.
THE SIXTH LIMB: DHARANA
Dharana translates to mean focusing or maintaining concentration on something. Dharana is used to help us drop into a deeper state of consciousness or
meditation. Our minds are typically 24/7 chatterboxes. We are repeatedly telling ourselves stories and filling up every second of empty space. We are never in silence unless we try to be through focus. We can practice this limb by using an object of concentration. Commonly in Yoga, we use the breath, but we can also use a mantra, a candle, counting, or any other object.
THE SEVENTH LIMB: DHYANA
Dhyana means uninterrupted concentration. It is often translated to the English word meditation. Meditation is not the all-encompassing term for Dhyana. Instead, we can think of meditation as the path to Dhyana. The state between meditation and dhyana has been referred to as glimpsing the soul.
The difference between Dharana (6th limb) and Dhyana (7th limb):
When you achieve Dharana, you focus completely on that object
When you achieve Dhyana, you become one with that object
THE EIGHTH LIMB: SAMADHI
This is the final stop on the 8 Limbed path. We use the 8 Limbs to prepare the body for ascent towards Samadhi, or the ultimate state of bliss. This may be achieved through mastery over the first 7 limbs. Many believe that you cannot truly achieve Samadhi until you have passed on to the afterlife. Samadhi is said to bring you freedom from the cycle of karma.
OVERVIEW
Whether or not you are able to find mastery over any of the 8 Limbs, they can be used as guides to help enhance your quality of life. I have found that by studying these Limbs, my Yoga practice has become ten-fold more meaningful. I truly try to think about the 8 Limbs every day, especially the Yamas and Niyamas, and incorporate them into my life. I have found myself becoming a much more grounded individual with less reactivity to triggers. That is my ultimate goal, to achieve my version of bliss on Earth which is peace and non-reactivity. The Yamas and Niyamas have shaped who I am and what I value. I hope that they can do the same for you. Namaste.
