Patanjali's 8 Limbs of Yoga

Most of us are familiar with the 3rd limb of yoga, that being Asana or the physical poses characteristic of a yoga class. What you may not be too familiar with is the 7other limbs laid out by Patanjali. Over the course of the next few weeks or months we will begin to explore each of these limbs in philosophical detail, personal journaling, and incorporate it into our Asana practice. For now take the time to introduce yourself to the basic definition of each limb and see how it may already be resonating within your life...

1. Yamas
Social Behavior,Moral Principles

2. Niyamas
Inner Discipline and Responsibility

3. Asana
Physical poses utilized to prepare the body for meditation.

4. Pranayama
Energetic life force that exists everywhere and moves through us as the breath.

5. Pratyahara
Withdrawal of the senses

6. Dharana
Concentration or Focus

7. Dhyana
Meditation

8. Samadhi
Absolute Bliss

*The limbs are progressive, each preparing us for the next, although they work together as well. Improvement in one limb often resonates to all aspects of our Self. As spiritual tools, the first 5 limbs (Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama, and Pratyahara) are preliminary steps to building a spiritual foundation. The final 3 limbs (Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi) recondition the mind and result from observance of the first 5 limbs.


Enjoy the journey :)

Welcome to the new YougaYoga Blog

Welcome

I could not be happier to announce that YougaYoga will be offering more classes and supplementary information in the weeks to come. Soon you will be able to come to this page and download videocast yoga lessons FREE. Thank you for everyone's support. If you have any questions, please contact me at lindy@yougayoga.com