contact wendy b.

  Joy of Yoga
  wendyb@joyofyoga.nu
  949.302.4926
  san juan capistrano
  california

Atman is defined as one’s true self beyond the realm of a worldly existence. Yoga helps to connect us with our divine or true self and helps us identify and realize our dharma (righteous duty or virtuous path).

The physical asanas of yoga that most people in North America practice is just one of the eight limbs of yoga as defined by Maharishi Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, and just one of the four types of yoga (raja or royal yoga).

Yoga is over 5000 years old, and it is not a religion (but is associated most closely with Hinduism). Yoga is much more than stretches and the physical rewards of a yoga practice. As you will see below, yoga is everything.

eight limbs of yoga

The eight limbs are not hierarchical. You don’t need to see them as rungs on a ladder upwards towards enlightenment. Rather, see them as limbs of a bigger entity, that all work together for the health of the organism as a whole. They are complementary to one another. They are both profoundly simple and commonsense, and also complicated and complex concepts. They are briefly discussed here.

1) Yama is the first limb, and yama’s are universal guidelines of social behavior for how yogi’s should engage with others, their relationship to others. There are five yama’s and they are as follows:

• Ahimsa means to practice nonviolence and compassion towards yourself and all living things.
• Satya means a commitment to the truth and a basic understanding that honest communication and action is essential for healthy relationships within ourselves and with others.
• Asteya means being honest, not stealing, and living a fully satisfied life of abundance knowing you have everything you need in this moment and the universe has your back.
• Brahmacharya means exercising appropriate sexual control and cherishing yourself by sharing and using this energy wisely and ensuring your sexual energy is used to bring you closer to Spirit and the Divine.
• Aparigraha means being free of attachment and expectation, not grasping at external things, and recognizing we have all we need right in this moment.

2) Niyama is the second limb, and niyama’s are codes for living soulfully, or rules of personal behavior, internal only to you and observable only by you. There are five niyama’s and they are as follows:

• Shaucha means purity. Everything you eat, breathe, touch, think is pure. This translates to cleanliness of body, mind, and environment. Ask yourself when you enter a yoga class – is my body clean? do I treat my mat respectfully? is it clean? do I treat the yoga studio with respect? Check in with yourself, how is your breath reflecting your thoughts?
• Santosha means contentment and gratitude. Santosha is about acceptance of the present and where you are in the moment and having hope about the future. Be clear about what you want and then let it go and trust the universe will provide you with what you need when you need it.
• Tapas means fiery discipline, and a life of burning enthusiasm, simplicity, intent, and focus.
• Svadhyaya means self-study, spiritual exploration of your inner workings and a commitment to study of intellectual concepts and texts in order to evolve as a person with a deep connection to Spirit or the Divine.
• Ishwara-Pranidhana means “faith” or “surrendering to God.” It is a union with the Divine and trust in universe.

3) Asana is the third limb and historically these are the physical poses or practice that readies our body to sit in meditation. Today, in North America, yoga practice focuses on asanas with very little conversation (if any) about the other limbs of yoga. Asanas improve our physical body by improving flexibility and stamina, and helps rid the body of toxins that inhibit the flow of energy or prana in our bodies.

4) Pranayama is the forth limb and refers to our life force, vital energy, or breath. A healthy body, mind, and spirit has flowing energy and no blockages. If prana is blocked or stagnant, fatigue, disease, or disconnect occurs. In our asanas, we engage with our breath and use it to guide our physical practice to take us deeper within our poses and to expand our awareness of ourselves and our connection to all other natural forms.

5) Pratyahara is the fifth limb and refers to a withdrawl of the five senses in meditation and throughout our daily life. If we take time to withdraw from the physical world, to detach, we can check in with our inner voice. You ditch the outer world by temporarily withdrawing your senses in order to check in with your inner world. We practice pratyahara in savasana (corpse pose) and throughout our day.

6) Dharana is the sixth limb and refers to single-pointed focus (i.e., with a mantra in meditation). We rid ourselves of distractions and selectively master attention and intention. Dharana aids to rid our mental sky of chatter (chitta) to focus on a deeper connection with the Divine.

7) Dhyana is the seventh limb and refers to the cultivation of awareness, and the state of meditation.

8) Samadhi is the eighth limb and refers to oneness with the universe, nirvana, super consciousness, unbounded awareness, and surrender of yourself to the perfect harmony of the universe. Samadhi is the ultimate goal of yoga. All is one and so it is.

Four Types of Yoga

The four types of yoga are Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Karma Yoga.

Raja (Royal) Yoga is the path of union through physical practices that integrate mind, body, and soul. Raja Yoga is considered to be the King of all Yoga’s and is based upon the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Raja Yoga encompasses the eight limbs of yoga listed above, with a focus on the asanas. The various popular styles of Raja Yoga practiced in the west include, but are not limited to: ashtanga, bikram, hatha, iyengar, jvamukti, kundalini, vinyasa, yin, etc.

Bhakti Yoga is the yoga of love, and devotion to the Divine, Spirit, or God/Goddess. Bhakti yoga is love of God but also love of yourself and others you have relationships with. It is a devotional yoga. It is adoration, celebrating hope, and relationship with hope.

Jnana Yoga is the yoga of understanding, knowledge, self-study (svadhyaya), wisdom, the yoga of science. Jnana Yoga examines what is true for you or not and then non-attachment to the answer. The focus is on the ability to discern what YOUR truth is.

Karma Yoga recognizes that all action belongs to the Supreme Being. It is a complete surrender, egolessness, and selfless service. It is the giving of yourself without expectation of reward, or attachment to outcomes.