The Yoga school - astanga yoga , 8 limbs of yoga

The Yoga school - astanga yoga , 8 limbs of yoga explained

1. 8 Limbs of Yoga Shubham Connor Verlekar

2. What is yoga? Yoga means to JOIN To join Atman with Paramatman PARAMATMAN The controller of the universal energy ATMAN The controller of the self If Paramatman is the ocean, Atman is a drop of its water, kept separate in a container (Body ) Atman is confined to the body mind complex, and has its own separate identity When Atman merges with Paramatman , it looses its own identity. This is the aim of Yoga!

3. Ashtanga Yoga (Eight Limb Yoga) Yama : Social Discipline Niyama : Self Discipline Asana : Posture Pranayama : Breath control Pratyahara : Withdrawal of sense organs Dharana : Concentration of Mind Dhyana : Meditation Samadhi : Contemplation

4. Yama – Restarint (Sutra 2.30) Ahimsa – Non Violence Satya – Truthfulness Asteya – Non Stealing Brahmacharya – Sexual Control Aparigraha – Non Possessiveness

5. Niyama – Self- Disipline (2.32) Shoucha – Cleanliness, Purity Santosha – Contentment Tapa – Austerity Swadhyaya – Self Study Ishwara Pranidhana – Surrender to God

6. Niyama – Self- Disipline (2.32) Shatkarmas Dhouti – Cleaning of the digestive tract Basti – Cleaning of the rectum Neti – Cleaning of the Nasal passage Tratak – Cleaning of the eyes Nouli – Improving the digestion Kapalbhati – Cleaning of the lungs Swadhyaya – Self Study Study is the process of acquiring knowledge, both theoretical & practical The explanation given by Patanjali of study is as follows: Deerghakaal – for long period Nairantarya – continued, uninterrupted Satakarasevito – with full unconditional faith

7. Asana Posture must be steady and comfortable (2.46) Asana implies a seated posture suitable for meditation , e.g., lotus Steady = no shaking or trembling, firm Comfortable posture needed for steadiness of breath and stillness of the mind In Hatha Yoga, asana practiced to develop a strong and flexible body resulting in comfortable and steady seated posture

8. Pranayam Asana having been accomplished, Pranayama is cessation of inspiration and expiration (2.49) Breath is the gross manifestation of prana the cosmic life force Link between the body (matter) and the mind (consciousness ) The vehicle for prana is the pranamaya kosha with all its channels ( nadis ) of subtle energy

9. Pratyahra In Pratyahara , by withdrawing themselves from their objects, the senses seem to imitate the mind (2.54); supreme mastery over the senses then follows (2.55 ) Content of mind at any time determined by : Sensory input Memories from the past Anticipation of the future Pratyahara is to eliminate all sensory input

10. Dharana and Dhayna Fixing on a particular object Mature dharana is dhayna

11. Samadhi To place or fix together Final stage