The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali

The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali 

There are 196 Indian sūtras (aphorisms) that constitute the foundational text of Yoga. Patañjali (C2nd BC) was not the first to write about Yoga - other authors had written before him, and he collected their writings to create his text, which became the authority on the subject. 

The 8 Limbs provide an eight-step blueprint for understanding what yoga is really about.

1. Yama. The first limb, yama, deals with one's ethical standards and sense of integrity, focusing on our behaviour. They relate best to what we know as the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

The five yamas are:

Ahimsa: nonviolence 

Satya: truthfulness
Asteya: non-stealing
Brahmacharya: using sexual energy wisely
Aparigraha: sharing

2. Niyama. Niyama, the second limb, is about self-discipline and spiritual observances.

The five niyamas are:

Saucha: keeping different energies distinct, purity, good intention

Svadhyaya: study of spirituality and of one's self, awareness

Samtosa: contentment, enjoying the moment
Tapas: commitment to spiritual growth and self acceptance
Isvara pranidhana: open heart, surrender, see the divine in all

3. Asanas, the postures practiced in yoga, comprise the third limb. In the yogic view, the body is a temple of spirit, the care of which is an important stage of our spiritual growth. Through the practice of asanas, we develop the habit of discipline and the ability to concentrate, both of which are necessary for meditation.

4. Pranayama. Prāṇāyām (Sanskrit: प्राणायाम prāṇāyām) is a Sanskrit word meaning "extension of the prāṇ or breath" or, "extension of the life force". The word is composed of two Sanskrit words, Prana, life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, and "ayām", to extend or draw out. (Not 'restrain, or control' as is often translated from 'yam' instead of 'ayāma'). 

Pranayama is the fourth 'limb' of the eight limbs of Yoga mentioned in verse 2.29 in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Breathing is the nearest thing to us, closer and longer lasting than any friend, relationship, family member. The nearer a thing is, the more difficult it is to perceive.

These first four stages of Patanjali's 8 Limbs of Yoga concentrate on refining our personality, gaining mastery over the body, and developing an energetic awareness of ourselves, all of which prepares us for the second half of this journey, which deals with the senses, the mind, and attaining a higher state of consciousness.

5. Pratyahara. The fifth limb is to make the conscious effort to draw our awareness away from the external world and outside stimuli. This withdrawal allows us to objectively observe our cravings: habits that are perhaps detrimental to our health and which likely interfere with our inner growth.

6. Dharana. As each stage prepares us for the next, the practice of pratyahara creates the setting for developing concentration. We, of course, have already begun to develop our powers of concentration in the previous three stages of posture, breath control, and withdrawal of the senses. In asana and pranayama, although we pay attention to our actions, our attention travels. Our focus constantly shifts as we fine-tune the many nuances of any particular posture or breathing technique. In pratyahara we become self-observant; now, in dharana, we focus our attention on a single point. Extended periods of concentration naturally lead to meditation.

7. Dhyana. Meditation or contemplation, the seventh limb, is the uninterrupted flow of concentration. Although concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana) may appear to be one and the same, a fine line of distinction exists between these two stages. At this stage, the mind has been quieted, and in the stillness it produces few or no thoughts at all.

8. Samadhi. Patanjali describes this eighth and final stage of yoga, as a state of ecstasy. At this stage, the meditator merges with his or her point of focus and transcends the Self altogether. The meditator comes to realize a profound connection to the Divine, an interconnectedness with all living things.

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