Eight Limbs of Yoga: Original Ashtanga

 

The benefits of yoga  in all its forms, or limbs is getting to be well documented and its use prevalent in our modern world.  There are still many of us who upon hearing of yoga think only of the limb known as Asana, consisting of the physical postures  .  This one element of yoga (which means to yoke) is often the doorway through which many of us enter or have entered the world of Raja Yoga, or the Royal Science of Yoga.  Yoga is a means to realizing our true nature and living out of it.  When practiced in its fullness it brings about the union (the yoking) of our ego self with our true Self (the part of us that is unchanging, ever existing). Living out of this true Self leads to a state of joy, peace and fulfillment.  The eight limbs (or branches) consist of :

1. Yama (restraints) – Ahimsa (non violence), – Satya (truthfulness), – Asteya (non-stealing), – Brahmacharya (sexual continence), – Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
2. Niyama (observances) - – Saucha (cleanliness), – Santosha (contentment), – Tapas (austerity), – Svadhyaya (scriptural study), – Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to God).
3. Asana (posture; literally perfect seat)
4. Pranayama (life-force control)
5. Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses)
6. Dharana (concentration)
7. Dhyana (meditation)
8. Samadhi (union of Soul with God)

Outside of these eight limbs as defined in Patanjali’s yoga sutras there are different recognized approaches of yoga, or paths to unification with the Divine.  The practice of Asana falls under the path of Hatha Yoga. In addition to Hatha are Bhakti (yoga of devotion), Jnana (yoga of knowledge ), Japa (repetition of mantra), Karma yoga (yoga of selfless service) and the all encompassing approach of Raja yoga (royal yoga). Yoga is said to be a scientific approach to realization in that all who follow the prescribed methodologies will ultimately have the desired result (unification). Yoga is free of traditional dogma and is therefore available to believers of all paths.