Yoga is an old discipline from India. It is both spiritual and physical. Yoga uses breathing techniques, exercise and meditation. It helps to improve health and happiness. He defined yoga as "the cessation of the modification of the mind".
The origins of yoga have been speculated to date back to pre-Vedic Indian traditions; possibly in the Indus valley civilization around 3000 BCE. Yoga is mentioned in the Rig-Veda, also referenced in the Upanishads but yoga most likely developed as a systematic study around the 5th and 6th centuries BCE, in ancient India's ascetic and śramaṇa movements. The chronology of earliest texts describing yoga-practices is unclear, varyingly credited to Upanishads.
What is the purpose of yoga?
Yoga is an ancient system of physical and mental practices that originated during the Indus Valley civilization in South Asia. The fundamental purpose of yoga is to foster harmony in the body, mind, and environment. Yoga professes a complete system of physical, mental, social, and spiritual development.
What are the 8 stages/ Limbs of yoga?
Probably, you are already practicing yoga, and you are enjoying its benefits to your health. Because of this, you might decide to extend its effect on your entire life through sutras of Patanjali, the eight limbs of yoga. Patanjali introduced the eight limbs of yoga, to assist us to enhance the purpose and meaning of life.
Patanjali's yoga sutras act as the guidelines that guide you to have a “meaningful and purposeful life.” They are the prescription of both ethical and moral conduct, as well as self-discipline. The yoga sutras direct your attention towards your health and well-being. Additionally, they assist you to recognize the spiritual facets of your nature. This article will highlight all the limbs of yoga and its meaning.
Yama - Abstinences
Niyama - Observances
Asana - Yoga postures
Pranayama - Breath control
Pratyahara - Withdrawal of the senses
Dharana - Concentration
Dhyana - Meditation
Samadhi - Absorption
Yama
The first limb of yoga, which deals with a person’s sense of integrity as well as their ethical standards. Yama focuses on a person’s behavior and how one conducts him or herself in life. The Yamas are widespread practices among the eight limbs of yoga. They relate best to the famous golden rule—“do to others what you want them to do to you.”
The following are five yamas:
Ahimsa (nonviolence)
Asteya (non-stealing)
Satya (truthfulness)
Aparigraha (lack of greed, non-possessiveness)
Brahmacharya (living in a state of higher awareness)
Niyama
Niyama is the second limb of yoga. It emphasizes spiritual observances and self-discipline. Typical examples of niyama include:
Going church or temple services regularly
Developing individual meditation practices
Sharing the grace before meals
Practicing Niyama helps us to have the self-discipline we need. Also, it reminds us of the benefits of our actions and inactions.
Niyamas include:
Santosha (contentment)
Saucha (cleanliness)
Tapas (austerity)
Isvarapranidhana (submitting to your spiritual foundation)
Svadhyaya (self-study)
Asana
Asana is a posture or movements that are practiced in yoga, and they encompass the third limb of yoga. It was originated to help yogis to get in physical shape in preparation for meditation, to be able to sit for a more extended period of time in meditation. The practice of asanas helps us develop discipline, and improve our concentration skills. These are very important for meditation.
Asana and pranayama are widely practiced in the west these days and Asana is the third limb of the eight limbs. Asana with Pranayama breathing exercises is the physical movement of hatha yoga. Asana translates to "seat" It is said originally the only posture in yoga was a comfortable seat taken for a long period of Dhyana (meditation).
Pranayama
Prana "life force" is the fourth limb of yoga, which has a general translation of breath control. Pranayama techniques assist us to gain control over the breathing process while recognizing the relationship between your mind, breath, and emotions.
This fourth limb of yoga has a literal translation—“life extension”. Therefore, yogis believe that pranayama helps in rejuvenating our bodies and “extending our life.” Yogis can practice pranayama as an individual technique. Also, it is possible to integrate pranayama into your regular asana practice routine.
"You don't live by years, you live by the breath of life. As many breaths you are granted, when they finish you go." -Yogi Bhajan
Prana is the external manifestation of the Breath. By regulating the breathing, we can gain mastery over the prana within and without. When we achieve mastery over the prana, we have mastery over the inner nature, too, because it is the prana that creates all the movements in an individual—physical and mental.
Pratyahara
Pratyahara is the fifth limb of yoga. It means gaining control over external powers, or withdrawal of sensory perfection. This is the limb where you make a deliberate effort to withdraw your consciousness from the external world. Pratyahara assists you to direct all your attention internally while remaining clearly aware of your senses but cultivating a detachment from these senses.
"The inspiration you seek is already within you. Be silent and listen" - Rumi
The practice of pratyahara gives you the opportunity to withdraw and have a look at yourself. The withdrawal assists you to monitor your cravings. That is the habits that might be harmful to your health, and the patterns that might interfere with your inner growth.
Dharana
Each limb of yoga prepares you for the next limb. Practicing pratyahara creates a “perfect environment” for Dharana, which is the sixth limb of yoga helps in promoting concentration. Since pratyahara assists you to relieve yourself from the external distractions, you are now able to deal with all the distractions in your mind.
This is not an easy task. Practicing concentration helps you to learn how to control your thinking process. You can slow it down by focusing on one mental object. This can be a silent recurrence of a particular sound, image of a holy being, or a specific energetic focus in your body. The previous limbs of yoga assist you in developing concentration powers.
Your focus now begins to shift as you perfect the different degrees of a specific breathing technique or physical posture. Pratyahara helps you to become self-observant. But in Dharana, you get to focus all your attention on one point. Dharana causes extended concentration periods, which lead to meditation naturally.
Dhyana
This is the seventh limb of yoga, and it means contemplation or practice of meditation. It assists you to have uninterrupted concentration moments. While Dharana and dhyana might appear to be the same, there is a thin line between their meaning. While practicing Dharana, you focus all your attention on one point. But in Dhyana, you are in a condition where you are aware, but not focusing on anything.
During this stage, your mind is quieted, and in those moments of quietness, the mind can produce a few thoughts. Interestingly, the mind can fail to produce any thought in Dhyana. You require a very significant amount of stamina to achieve such a state of tranquility. However, you shouldn’t give up if you fail to achieve the stillness you desired.
Even though it might appear to be an impossible or difficult task, always remember that yoga is not a onetime thing, but a process. While you might not achieve the ideal consciousness of dhyana, you always benefit whenever you take your time to practice this limb.
Samadhi
Samadhi - Union with the divine is the eighth and final limb of yoga, and many people consider it a state of happiness or ecstasy. Samadhi allows you to merge with your point of concentration and surpass your self-altogether.
Here, you can realize a deep link to the Divine—which connects you to all living things. This realization gives you peace that exceeds all understanding—the ecstasy experience, and being connected to the universe.
It might not be easy to achieve this goal. But if you examine what you want to get out of life, then freedom, joy, and fulfillment will be on your list of wishes, desires, and hopes. Samadhi makes you realize what it means to be a person without differences, and how you can enjoy the pure awareness of your identity.
Achieving Samadhi might be a challenging task. Therefore, Yogateket suggests that you master the practice of yoga asanas and pranayama first, as you prepare for dharana. Both asanas and pranayama affect your mental activities, thus creating space in your full mind. However, if you can achieve Dharana, then Dhyana and Samadhi will not be a challenge for you.
How does yoga change your body shape?
"Yoga has the potential to increase fat loss, develop muscle tone, and build flexibility, leading to a more lean-looking physique," he says. If flexibility and balance are what you're after, even the gentlest forms of yoga will do the trick. Many types also help you build muscle strength and endurance
Is yoga good for depression?
Yoga is a physical exercise that involves different body poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. The therapy may help with depression and your symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating or loss of energy. Many people use yoga therapy to manage: mental and emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression.
How many calories does yoga burn?
A yoga session can burn between 180 to 460 calories depending on several factors, including: the type of yoga you're practices.
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