Introduction

 

The Eight Limbs of Yoga is a way that an individual utilises its energy and transmits from the inner to the outer world intentions. They were first mentioned around 500 B.C by Patanjali and woven into the teachings of The Yoga Sutras. In the second chapter, he describes The Eight Limbs of Yoga as Ashtanga Yoga (not to be confused with Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice). Practising The Eight Limbs of Yoga helps you live a more meaningful and purposeful life as well as connect with a sense of acceptance to everything that exists.

 

1. Yama

 

Abstinences or the things you are supposed to avoid.

 The first limb is Yama which refers to the inner compass that guides us through the world around us, the way we engage with it and the energy we generate within it. A great question to ask is ‘What is my intention here?’. These five refined ethics or jewels as they are also called are:

 

Ahimsa

 

Non-violence turns us towards kindness. In Eastern culture, being kind is the core of yoga philosophy. First and foremost, our capacity to be kind to others starts from the capacity of being kind to ourselves. As we are speaking words of love towards ourselves and listening to our inner wisdom, we can bring that into the outer world. Ahimsa also refers to doing no harm through thought and worries, to invite curiosity into the challenges rather than judgement and separation. A great question to ask yourself is ‘What really makes me complete?’ and as you engage with others let them answer that question themselves.

 

Sataya

 

Truthfulness goes beyond words and refers to living life with integrity. It means being your authentic self, the real self rather than someone to be liked. In order to build a better relationship with the world around us we must have the courage to love ourselves as we are and from there, we can then love those around us. It also means having the intention, to be honest, and not self-delude or delude others. It means doing things right so we don’t have to give up on our goals and our own truth. A great question to ask yourself is ‘What would I do if I wasn’t so afraid?’

 

Asteya

 

Non-stealing is the understanding of not stealing anything that is from others. A common situation is when someone is sharing an experience and you transform the conversation about what happened to you in a similar circumstance. This is something that we all probably have done at least once. Another situation when we often steal from ourselves is when we rush and move from one task to another without allowing ourselves the time to ‘digest’ what just happened. A great question to ask here is ‘What am I running from, not towards?’

 

Brahmacharya

 

Refers to how we can live in connection with gratitude, with what it is rather than chasing constantly more as this takes us to the stress of excess. Conserving energy and fasting are ways to practise moderation as well as directing our energy towards finding purposeful actions and less ego-driven ones. Strongly connected with Asteya, Brahmacharya brings into the light the common belief that overdoing any activity – overworking, overeating, overdrinking, overwatching TV equals success and or is pleasurable. The truth is that it is not. A great question is ‘What truly makes me feel accomplished, happy and rich?’

 

Aparigraha

 

Generosity and non-attachment refer mostly to releasing our expectations and desires in order to embrace the freedom of travelling through life lightly. As the breath that is held on for too long becomes toxic, we know that anything that we become attached to can become a burden. A great question to ask here is ‘Why don’t I let go of this particular thing, what is holding me back?’

 

2. Niyama

 

Observances or invitations are the things you are supposed to do.

This second limb is about self-discipline and spiritual observations. A great question to ask ourselves through this journey is ‘What truly makes me feel good and how can I generate that more in my life?’ There are five personal practices:

 

Saucha

 

It invites us to the purity of our inside (hygiene, diet, thoughts) and outside (our environment and activities), along with the purity of the present moment while giving our undivided attention to every given task. As we embody this grace, we become congruent and we purify our thoughts and actions. This will then reflect in the habits we develop that will benefit ourselves and others. It also means meeting everyone and everything with the beginner’s mind, with purity and clean ‘glasses’ to feel lighter, more alive and more compassionate. A great question to ask here is ‘What is making me feel tired and what is bringing me alive?’

 

Santosha

 

Contentment, accepting and appreciating what we have, where we are in our journey already, and moving forwards from there. We must appreciate our journey and achievements before we move on. This practice could also be referred to as being grateful for what we already have. Although this can sometimes be challenging, given the advertising campaigns that tell us we need just that one more thing in order to fit in or to be happy. A great question to ask yourself here is ‘What is your vision and where are you trying to fit in?’

 

Tapas

 

Refers to cultivating a sense of self-discipline, and developing composure, passion and courage in order to release the struggle. As we develop the sense of becoming aware of the energies that shape our realities, we can acknowledge what we want to engage in and how we come across it. A great question to ask here is ‘What are you getting ready for and what would you like to be ready for?’

 

Svadhyaya

 

Whilst we can observe our thoughts, we have the power not to become them. Self-study is the study of our physical form, our ego, our beliefs and habits and who we consider ourselves to be. Pratyahara, a later teacher, goes into more detail about this practice. A great question to ask ourselves is ‘If our greatest belief proves not to be true, who will we be?’ 

 

Ishvara-pranidhana

 

Surrender, cultivating a deep and trusting relationship with the Universe, refers to trusting the process along with the divine act of acceptance. In yoga practice, Shavasana which usually concludes the yoga practice is also one of the most challenging as it involves surrendering while being fully present. A great question to ask here is ‘What will lift a weight off me if I surrender?’ If you find that it is too much to start living in accordance with all these teachings at once, why don’t you start by embracing them one by one as you go along in your daily transformation and as you create motivation for yourself and for a more balanced way of living?

 

3. Asana – Postures

 

Asana refers to posture, aiming to keep a rooted and strong composure when on the yoga mat as well as in everyday situations. Patanjali describes that it should be steady and comfortable. This way the mind-body-spirit is becoming one and transforms us into the perfect vessel for the life force energy, Prana. A great question to ask yourself is ‘What am I thinking when I struggle on the mat when I lose my balance?’ as well as ‘What gives me strength and motivation?’

 

4. Pranayama – Breath Control

 

This refers to the aim of mastering breathing as well as acknowledging the connection between our mind, emotions and breath. The mastery of Pranayama is predicted to rejuvenate and extend life. The three stages of Pranayama to maximise our self-awareness are; inhalation (Puraka), retention (Antara-kumbhaka), and exhalation (Rechaka). These stages can be as slow and steady as you like, for example, try applying the 6-6-6 breathing exercise for calmness or the 4-4-4 exercise to remove anxiety from your emotional and mental state. Breathing is an invitation from nature to participate in our own process of self-regulation in order to respond from a balanced space to our ongoing demands whilst feeling safe and connected. This happens as we, through controlled breathing, activate our parasympathetic nervous system. A great exercise is to become aware when you unconsciously sigh and to create a habit of consciously elongating your exhale when you are facing a difficult situation.

 

5. Pratyahara – Withdrawal of The Senses

 

This practice aims to turn our concentration onto ourselves internally by focusing on our breathing, the area between our eyebrows or the Yoga Nidra as we rest our attention on different parts of our body. This can help us take a step back to look at ourselves objectively with the detachment of our senses. An external image of ourselves helps us see ourselves with more kindness, compassion and curiosity. 

 

6. Dharana – Concentration

 

Dharana trains us to have the ability to slow down the mind by effortlessly focusing on a single object or emotional thought for a long period. Fixed concentration on a singular object for a long time leads to a meditative state and it is ok if you are in a state of meditation on or off the yoga mat as it means your mind is in a sense of unity and peace. Meditation is thought to be the vessel through which God communicates with us and this is why sometimes it is used as a way to escape reality and is considered a form of spiritual bypassing. Invite mindfulness into your practice and the intention of the Yamas and Niyamas you are already practising in order to transition closer to the next limb, Dhyana.

 

7. Dhyana – Meditation

 

This is the concept of being in a flow where the mind, the breath and the body are one and in harmony.  An emotional and physical state where we mute out any external distractions to be in a position of togetherness with everything that is. This state enables us to entirely focus on empowering our self-awareness and existence. 

 

8. Samadhi – Enlightenment

 

This is the last part of the journey after we have re-regulated and improved our relationships internally and externally. Whilst diving into our consciousness and spiritual awareness, this is the aim of transitioning ourselves together to unite as one and part of a great whole. This is the bliss stage of the highest possible mental concentration people can reach whilst still being bound to the body.

 

Conclusion

 

Challenges 

 

Challenges you may face when practising the eight limbs of yoga include struggling to find the space both mentally and physically. The motivation to break out of old habits that are keeping you from living this lifestyle. The thing that gets noticed in yoga, is that participants can see their mental, spiritual, emotional and physical development quickly after only practising for a little while. The Pareto principle can be applied to lifestyles based on yoga, as 80% of the outcomes come from 20% of the input. These fast results make the lifestyle feel fulfilling. As well, think about the famous Tale of The Two Wolves, where an old man told his grandson about the battle that goes inside people. He said, “My son, there is a fight between two “wolves” inside us all. One is Evil, it represents anger, fear, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good, it shines joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.” The grandson then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?” The old man replied simply, “The one you feed.” So, ask yourself ‘What part of me I am feeding and what part of me needs acknowledgement and respect but not food?’ You must be prepared to look at both sides, the dark and the bright one but choose to feed the greatest.

 

Benefits

 

As you step from self-centeredness into oneness and realise that we are part of the whole, just like the river that when surrenders become part of the big ocean, we begin to feel at peace and united with our surroundings and existence. The Eight Limbs of Yoga can truly be practised within our everyday lives. So, the question is: ‘Are you able to connect with your inner good feeling compass and turn around any less useful habits and urges and replace them with greater routines?’ One of the most powerful actions is to bring awareness into the light. Our overall health and well-being will benefit and we will live in peace within ourselves. 

 

*Contains lessons I’ve learned from Deborah Adele