8 LIMBS

The 8 Limbs of Yoga -

 

The 8 Limbs are a specified set of of guidelines set out by Patanjali in the sacred text, The Yoga Sutras over 2000 yrs ago. Put simply they are a collection of 195 aphorisms, (short concise teachings) Each 'sutra' is a line, if put altogether, would fit on a page or 2.

 

We can interpret so much from each sutra. Each aphorism. Patanjali specifies in the sadhana pada the 8 fold path. Ashtanga yoga is not the asana practise which comes from Mysore in India that’s different ashtanga from sutras means ashta 8 anga - limb. 8 limbs are the system of yoga- that a practitioner will take in her life to achieve freedom from ignorance which creates freedom from suffering - self realisation. 8 limb system is a very clear system if you like, of liberation. 8 fold path often compared to a tree - 8 different components they are all 1. They belong together. Can’t take one and hope it will lead you you need all- together they form the path of yoga. Similar to a tree we can speak about roots, leaves, bark, separate components but we know are all a part and cannot exist of every other component. 8 limbs below together and need each other to work What are they? Say and repeat. Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyhara, dharma, dhyana, samadhi. Say x2. Sanskrit words. Yama is the roots of the tree. Yama means restraints or control. 5 different Yamas - helping us in our relationships with the world around us, our surroundings. Niyama trunk of tree - observances we have with ourselves . Yama is relationship to external. Niyama observances of ourselves. So roots and trunk hat really supports the growth of our yogic journey are Yama and niyama. 3rd limb is asana most familiar with - comfortable seat, comfortable connection to earth in our times is interpreted to 1000s physical postures in patanjalis time it more meant a comfortable seat that we ca hold for a long time - original time. We can take it to mean in our time regardless where we are a part of practise is to be remain comfy and steady here in mind no matter what position the body is in and adjust ourselves accordingly. Branches. Find essentially comfort in our bodies - important we have to be comfy with what we see before we can go into the parts we can’t and be comfy with them. Pranayama - breath control - yogis use breathe to enter energetic field and body, to shift and transform energy in body. Breathe is queen or king of nervous system knowing how to breathe well we become masters of our being, pranayama is 4th limb of tree and leads us into more subtle limbs can be the leaves. Leaves can be compared to breath work they take in energy from sun, allow breeze to move through them you can visualise. Prana is lifeforce . Now more subtle practises each limb is taking us more and more inwards.  - 5th limb pratyhara withdrawal - when we consciously to decide not to eat certain things, watch certain things or listen when we have a conscious choice of what were taking in real changes our lives - eg not eating food made from violence, form of pratyhara - together with pranayama they form a bridge from outer practises of yoga to internal practises - first 3 limbs outer practises - prana and pratyha bridge - 6th limb more invisible dharna - concentration on one point on a visual, like a symbol, a deity, on a sound, a mantra, syllable, concentration on body part, breathe when done with full devotion naturally runs into next limb dhyana - meditation happens on its own state of deep uninterrupted concentration. State in which the mind is still for time. When mind is without fluctuation and meditation is sustained it becomes the next limb samadhi - bliss/ absorption. Samadhi is when there is no more separation between the observer and the observed they become one. union. Happens. Came full circle. 5 Yamas ahimsa- non violence, satya - truthfulness, astaya - not stealing, bhramacharya - non excess aparigraha - non attachment. 1st Yama is seed of entire yogic tree. Niyamas. No restraint translated as observances. 1. Soucha - purity. Santosha - contentment. Tapas - self discipline heat 4. Swadyaya - self study. 5. Ishvara pradinaha surrender. Each one takes to the next. Anything can turn into an experience of full absorption full samadhi especially when we follow the 8 limbs… everyday we see that yoga practise is without barriers there isn’t a practise time we are always practising when we are aware of the 8 limbs and make conscious effort to this very clear system at last in my experience works. Patanjali put it into words for us to follow and this is what we as yoga students aspire to practise everyday . 

Yamas Niyamas