8 Limbs of Yoga
Based on Patanjali’s The Yoga Sutra there are eight limbs of yoga. A path leading to enlightenment… connecting to the divine.
I’ve talked about how yoga is the melding of mind body spirit… mindbodyspirit. The eight limbs help you… meld. Over the next few weeks I’d like to discuss the various limbs within the limbs. They are like limbs on a tree, one is not better than the other. Simply they are branches that make a tree. Make you, make the universe, make goodness. I’m going to give you my take on each of the branches in a series.
The eight limbs are:
Yamas: essentially rules of morality; maybe not rules per say, but examples or characteristics to live by
Niyamas: paying attention to yourself; rules for self in a way. Niyama’s are observing personal actions
Asanas: physical postures; this is what most of western culture think of as yoga
Pranayama: breathing; focusing, controlling one’s breath
Pratyahara: sense control; essentially observing emotions and senses
Dharana: concentration and focus; focusing the mind on one thing (inner focus in a way)
Dhyana: meditation
Samadhi: union… hey didn’t I say that yoga is yoking, merging, melding the mindbodyspirit at one point? Union.
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