The eight limbs of yoga, with Sanskrit names

by | What is Yoga

The eight limbs of yoga, also known as “Ashtanga Yoga,” are a set of principles and practices that are designed to help practitioners achieve a state of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. The eight limbs are:

  1. Yama ( ethical codes) – These are the five ethical codes that guide how we interact with others. They include non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), sexual restraint (brahmacharya), and non-possessiveness (aparigraha).
  2. Niyama ( personal practices) – These are the five personal practices that help to cultivate self-discipline and inner transformation. They include cleanliness (saucha), contentment (santosha), self-discipline (tapas), self-study (svadhyaya), and surrender to a higher power (Ishvara pranidhana).
  3. Asana (postures) – These are the physical postures that help to develop strength, flexibility, and balance in the body. They are typically practiced to improve physical health and prepare the body for meditation.
  4. Pranayama ( breath control) – This is the practice of controlling the breath in order to improve one’s overall health, and to help still the mind.
  5. Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) – This is the practice of withdrawing the senses from external stimuli in order to cultivate inner awareness.
  6. Dharana (concentration) – This is the practice of focusing the mind on a single object or point of concentration.
  7. Dhyana (meditation) – This is the practice of sustained concentration, in which the mind becomes absorbed in the object of focus.
  8. Samadhi ( enlightenment) – This is the ultimate goal of yoga, which is the state of enlightenment or union with the ultimate reality. It is a state of pure consciousness, in which the individual ego has dissolved, and the person experiences a sense of oneness with the universe.

Overall, these 8 limbs are the traditional concept for spiritual development and not only a physical practice. These elements are designed to help one reach deeper levels of consciousness and spiritual awareness, as well as to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being.