Get to Know the 8 Limbs of Yoga

Patanjali's eight-fold path offers guidelines for a meaningful and purposeful life. Learn this prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline.


In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the eightfold path is called ashtanga, which means “eight limbs” (ashta=eight, anga=limb). These eight steps, commonly known as the eight limbs of yoga, act as guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life. They serve as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline; they direct attention toward one’s health and help us acknowledge the spiritual aspects of our nature.


What are the eight limbs of yoga?


1. Yama
The first of the 8 limbs of yoga, Yama, deals with one’s ethical standards and sense of integrity, focusing on behavior and how we conduct ourselves in life. Yamas are universal practices that best relate 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: nonstealing
Brahmacharya: continence
Aparigraha: non-covetousness


2. Niyama
Niyama, the second limb, concerns self-discipline and spiritual observances. Regularly attending temple or church services, saying grace before meals, developing one's own meditation practices, or making a habit of taking contemplative walks alone are all examples of niyama in practice.

The five Niyamas are:
Saucha: cleanliness
Samtosa: contentment
Tapas: heat; spiritual austerities
Svadhyaya: study of the sacred scriptures and of one’s self. Svara pranidhana: surrender to God

3. Asana
Asanas, the postures practiced in yoga, comprise the third of the eight limbs of yoga. In the yogic view, the body is a temple of spirit, the care of which is an essential 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
Generally translated as “breath control,” this fourth stage consists of techniques designed to gain mastery over the respiratory process while recognizing the connection between the breath, the mind, and the emotions. As implied by the literal translation of pranayama, “life force extension,” yogis believe that it rejuvenates the body and actually extends life itself. You can practice pranayama as an isolated technique (i.e., simply sitting and performing several breathing exercises) or integrate it into your daily hatha yoga routine.


These first four stages of Patanjali’s ashtanga yoga concentrate on refining our personalities, gaining mastery over the body, and developing an energetic awareness of ourselves. This preparation 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
Pratyahara, the fifth of the eight limbs of yoga, means withdrawal or sensory transcendence. We consciously try to draw our awareness away from the external world and outside stimuli during this stage. Keenly aware of, yet cultivating a detachment from, our senses, we direct our attention internally. The practice of pratyahara provides us with an opportunity to step back and take a look at ourselves. This withdrawal lets us objectively observe our cravings, habits that are detrimental to our health and likely interfere with our inner growth.

6. Dharana
As each stage prepares us for the following, pratyahara practices create the setting for Dharana or concentration. Having relieved ourselves of outside distractions, we can now deal with the distractions of the mind itself. No easy task! In the practice of concentration, which precedes meditation, we learn how to slow down the thinking process by concentrating on a single mental object: a specific energetic center in the body, an image of a deity, or the silent repetition of a sound. 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.


Although we pay attention to our actions, our attention travels in asana and pranayama. 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, we focus on a single point in Dharana. Extended periods of concentration naturally lead to meditation.

7. Dhyana
Meditation or contemplation, the seventh stage of Ashtanga, is the uninterrupted flow of concentration. Although concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana) are one and the same, a fine line of distinction exists between these two stages. Where dharana practices one-pointed attention, dhyana is ultimately a state of being keenly aware without focus. At this stage, the mind has been quieted, producing few or no thoughts in the stillness. The strength and stamina it takes to reach this stillness is impressive. But don’t give up. At the same time, this may seem like a difficult, if not impossible, task; remember that yoga is a process. Even though we may not attain the “picture perfect” pose or the ideal state of consciousness, we benefit at every stage of our progress.

8. Samadhi
Patanjali describes this eighth and final stage of ashtanga, samadhi, as a state of ecstasy. At this stage, the meditator merges with their point of focus and transcends the Self altogether. The meditator realizes a profound connection to the Divine, an interconnectedness with all living things. With this realization comes the “peace that passeth all understanding”; the experience of bliss and being at one with the Universe. On the surface, this may seem to be a rather lofty, “holier than thou” kind of goal.


However, if we pause to examine what we want to get out of life, would not joy, fulfillment, and freedom somehow find their way onto our list of hopes, wishes, and desires? What Patanjali has described as the completion of the yogic path is what, deep down, all human beings aspire to peace. We also might think that this ultimate stage of yoga—enlightenment—can neither be bought nor possessed. It can only be experienced, the price of which is the continual devotion of the aspirant.


Reference: https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/philosophy/8-limbs-of-yoga/eight-limbs-of-yoga/