The Eight Limbs of Raja Yoga: A Path to Enlightenment

(More than just asanas)

"Hatha Yoga and Raja yoga complement each other and form a single approach towards Liberation.” B.K.S. Iyengar- 'Light on Yoga'

A highly regarded resource for learning about all the facets of yoga are the Yoga Sutras, written in loose form over 4,000 years ago and assembled into one text by the Indian sage, Patanjali, some 2,000 years ago. The ancient aphorisms found in the Yoga Sutras thousands of years ago can still be applied today. Within the assembled sutras are the eight limbs of yoga, or astanga (not to be confused with the popular yoga style, ashtanga, developed by Pattabhi Jois around 1948). The eight limbs can be used as a general guide for the practice of yoga. Following is a summary of the eight limbs.

Yamas ~ The yamas refer to an individual’s ethical standards and way of behaving. The yamas have five areas of focus:

Ahimsa: nonviolence against oneself or others, in actions or thoughts.

Aparigraha: noncovetousness, non-grasping, taking only what is necessary.

Asteya: nonstealing, thoughtful in what is yours, not taking advantage of one’s trust.

Brahmacharya: continence, abstinence, restraint, responsible behaviour.

Satya: truthfulness in all dealings with the self and others.

Niyamas ~ The niyamas refer to a more internal view of ourselves; to behaviors and observances. The niyamas have five areas of focus:

Isvara Pranidhana: surrender to God, realizing one is not in control of one’s existence.

Samtosa: contentment and modesty, accepting what happens.

Saucha: cleanliness, purity of the body and thoughts.

Svadhyaya: the study of sacred texts, to study oneself through reflection.

Tapas: heat; spiritual austerities, respect for your personal being, keeping the body fit.

Asana ~ The most common discipline taught in contemporary yoga classes are the postures and movement between postures. Practicing asana helps prepare us for deeper meditation. By maintaining a healthy and open physical body, we are able to come to deeper meditation, enabling us to experience samadhi. From a yoga perspective, this is the primary reason for practicing asana.

Pranayama ~ Prana translates as breath or life force. Yama translates as control. Thus pranayama means control of the breath. Through pranayama practice, we learn to control the body and mind by controlling the breath. We can strengthen the energy within as well as making the energy more peaceful. Pranayama increases our lung capacity, decreases stress, helps us focus, and brings a sense of balance of the inner self with the world around us. If practiced correctly, the body and mind become healthier.  Practicing the first four limbs of yoga, Yama, Niyama, Asana and Pranayama help us to more thoroughly experience the next four limbs, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi, which focus more on the spiritual self.

Pratyahara ~ Pratyahara means withdrawing from the senses. More accurately, it means to transcend the senses so they don’t influence us in a way that prevents us from reaching Samadhi, or enlightenment. By transcending the senses, we move our awareness away from the outer world and toward the inner self. Here, without outside influence, we are able to view our selves in a deeper, more intimate way, ultimately finding the true self.

Dharana ~ With the help of Pratyahara, Dharana enables us to concentrate more fully, bringing a richer awareness of the mind. This step is essential to meditation. Here, we use all the previously mentioned limbs to bring our selves to a place of such peacefulness and balance, every thought or influence is met with a totally open mind, body and spirit. There is no preconception, prejudgment, conditioning, fear, anxiety, joy or sorrow to influence our meeting with each event. We meet every moment with our true selves.

Dhyana ~ Dhyana is meditation. In Dhyana, or meditation, we move beyond Dharana (concentration) into a state of total awareness. We are able to concentrate on a focus point, while still being aware of everything else around and within us. This is a much more difficult task than might be thought. All the previously mentioned limbs are engaged when we come to this state. The mind and body must be totally quiet and open.

Samadhi ~ Samadhi is the state of transcendence of the self, a state of ecstasy. It is the joining or union (the meaning of yoga) with all living things, with the universe, with the Devine. Here, we are in a state of bliss, beyond the place of knowledge, beyond the place of worldly things, to a realization that everything is of the same substance and that all is connected – yoga!

eSSence yOga

eSSence yOga

eSSence yOga

eSSence yOga

eSSence yOga