“Yoga is a practical method for making one’s life purposeful, useful and noble.” — Patanjali
The word “yoga” means unity and originates from a Sanskrit phrase, “to yoke”. Yoga unites our consciousness with universal consciousness. On a more practical level, yoga is a way of balancing the body, emotions and mind through the practice of asana (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), mudra (gestures), bandha (locks), shatkarma (purification practices) and dhyana (meditation). The practice of yoga is capable of transforming a lazy body into a vibrant body and a dull mind into an active, observant and aware one.
Yoga existed in India and other parts of the world including Pakistan more than 10,000 years ago. It has been developed over the years by sages all over the world so that people may have a way to realise their divine nature. Unlike today, where yoga has become easily accessible to the masses through classes and literature, in the early days when yoga first arose, it was kept secret and was only passed on through word of mouth from guru (teacher) to student. There were no written accounts of yoga as there are today. In fact, yoga only took a more definite shape in The Upanishads (circa 900 BC), the ancient scriptures written by rishis (sages) whilst deep in meditation.
The Yoga Sutras, the first comprehensive written account of yoga, was composed by a sage called Patanjali who is thought to have lived in India some time between 500 BC and 200 BC. It is believed that Patanjali reincarnated in human form purely to help humanity. Patanjali wrote 196 sutras, or aphorisms, covering all aspects of life, including a code of conduct by which a noble and honourable life could be lived. Each sutra contains a wealth of wisdom intended to guide the sadhaka (aspirant or student) towards knowledge of their true self. Although the sutras were written centuries ago, the illuminative wisdom in Patanjali’s words is applicable to modern-day life. Patanjali is not only renowned for The Yoga Sutras but also for writing extensively on the topic of ayurveda (the science of life and health) and on the cultivation of correct language.
The eight limbs
For most of us today, yoga is a form of exercise, a way of releasing the tension the body accumulates from, for example, long hours of sitting in chairs, hunched over desks. While there is nothing wrong with using yoga to release physical tension, yoga can and was intended to be so much more. Yoga is not just a form of exercise for the body; it is a way of life, a way of connecting with your true self and bringing the mind to a space of stillness and joy. Yoga, if studied and practised regularly with love and dedication, becomes a journey of self-discovery, a way of acquiring harmony and peace in your life.
When you think of yoga you may, like many people, think of it as the physical positions, or asanas, you practise when attending a yoga class. If you have delved a bit deeper into the nature of yoga, you might recognise that it is also about breathing and meditation. While this is true, it is only a very small part of the whole. Yoga, as devised by Patanjali, comprises eight limbs:
1. Universal principles (yamas)
2. Observances (niyamas)
3. Postures (asanas)
4. Breath awareness (pranayama)
5. Sense withdrawal (pratyahara)
6. Concentration (dharana)
7. Meditation (dhyana)
8. Bliss (samadhi)
Each limb is connected with the whole in the same way the limbs of your body are all connected. If someone pulls you by the leg, the rest of your body will automatically follow. In the same way, when you pull one of the eight limbs of yoga, the others will naturally come. They are not stages to be achieved in succession.
1. Universal principles (yamas)
The first of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga is universal principles, or yamas. The principles are as follows:
1. Non-violence (ahimsa)
2. Truth (satya)
3. Non-stealing (asteya)
4. Celibacy (brahmacarya)
5. Non-accumulation (aparigraha)
Non-violence (ahimsa)
If we take a close look at nature we can see that animals are not violent. Animals living in the wild in their natural habitat do not kill each other for the sake of killing. They kill when they are hungry for food. Humans, however, have been known to kill each other in the name of God, country, race or religion.
Ahimsa involves consciously and unconsciously avoiding violence. Ahimsa is a state of consciousness where you decide, consciously, not to kill any animal or any form of life on the planet. Already we have killed hundreds of thousands of ants and insects without being consciously aware of it and without intention. Violence is not only acts committed by us directly but also includes encouraging or approving of the violence of another person. Such acts come from a lack of wisdom as well as a lack of understanding about the sorrow they bring to those who commit them.
Truth (satya)
Truth is not just about being blunt and speaking truthful words. It is about total commitment to truth, and truth is a quality of consciousness. Being established in truth does not mean you won’t encounter failure, however your actions become fruitful in whatever you do. Notice that everything around you is constantly changing: people are changing; their bodies are changing; their cells are changing; attitudes and emotions are constantly changing. The whole world is in a state of flux. However, there is something within you that is not changing. Enquiring into and observing this “something” brings one closer to the truth of existence, the truth of what we are. This is satya.
Non-stealing (asteya)
Stealing not only means stealing a physical object but can also mean “mental” stealing. For example, if you are very envious or jealous of someone’s voice and you express that in words (“Oh, if only I had a voice like them!”), you have stolen. Stealing in this way is connected with jealously, whereas non-stealing eliminates jealousy. Having even the smallest intention to steal can keep you poor. Being sneaky or trying to grab as much as you can, whatever that may be, can keep you poor. Non-stealing allows wealth to come to you in its many shapes and forms. Most of the time poverty is self-made and the intention to steal sends a person’s luck down the drain.
Celibacy (brahmacarya)
Brahmacarya does not refer only to physical celibacy, although this kind of celibacy does bring enormous strength. The meaning of brahmacarya is deeper than that. Brahmacarya is knowing your vast nature, knowing that your sensory organs cannot bring you joy and appreciating that you are more than just your body. Notice that when you are feeling joyful, your body feels so light you hardly notice it. Conversely, if your mind is full of lust and obsession, you are so much more aware of the body and your state of consciousness is so much heavier. Those whose minds are filled mostly with thoughts of sex and who are always looking for someone with whom they can have sex are usually of a dull and thick vibration. Such a limited mind is the perfect pot in which to brew negative emotions such as jealousy, greed and hatred. Great strength comes when you see yourself as more than just your body, as consciousness or Brahma.
Non-accumulation (aparigraha)
Practising non-accumulation, or aparigraha, makes it easy to receive the kind of knowledge that cannot be acquired through books. Knowledge of the self and of one’s greater potential comes easily. Accumulation, stinginess and selfishness allow no space in the consciousness for expansion and the mind becomes obsessed with fear and with accumulating. From that which you scatter you will receive more, but that which you hold onto will be taken away. Have you noticed how something inside you expands when you give with a generous and loving spirit? Giving in this way removes past impressions and karmas of the mind and the mind becomes freer. Conversely, holding onto things and being selfish brings with it a very constricted and contracting consciousness that prevents you from being happy.
2. Observances (niyamas)
As with the yamas, there are five niyamas, or observances:
1. Cleanliness (saucha)
2. Contentment (samtosha)
3. Forbearance of opposites / perseverance (tapas)
4. Self study (svadhyaya)
5. Devotion to the Divine (ishvara-pranidhana)
Cleanliness (saucha)
One aspect of cleanliness refers to physical cleanliness both within and without. Water is the greatest purifier. Drinking water removes toxins from within the body while external cleansing cleans the energy field around the body (aura) and settles the life force (prana) throughout the body. Other aspects of cleanliness include cleanliness in your environment or surroundings, both inside and outside your home and work environments, and in your physical appearance, such as your clothes. Internal cleanliness also includes that of the mind, which can be achieved through the practice of meditation. While we wash ourselves externally to remain clean, we wash the mind internally through meditation. Through saucha the intellect is purified and the mind becomes harmonious.
Contentment (samtosha)
Contentment is a state of mind. Often, we are not only unhappy with what we have, we are also unhappy about what we don’t have. Not being content with whatever you have is a very miserable state of mind and people in that state will find a reason to complain, even in the best of situations. For example, Jim is not content with the fact that he doesn’t have a car. When Jim finally gets a car he is still not content and complains about the cost of registration, petrol and servicing that comes with having a car. He is neither content with nor without.
Samtosha involves being content with what you are getting in life, irrespective of whether you judge it to be good or bad, and realising that it is for your benefit and growth even if it appears otherwise at the time.
Forbearance of opposites/perseverance (tapas)
Many of us feel we cannot bear the cold, for example, and so we complain and do all we can to keep the body warm. This complaining is not observing tapas in life. Through complaining we not only reduce our joy but we also lose the benefit that comes with not complaining. By not complaining you become strong. When your body and senses become strong you can withstand cold and heat and your immune system becomes very strong. In being able to tolerate opposites, you not only become very strong in body but also in mind.
Self study (svadhyaya)
Self study, or svadhyaya, involves looking within yourself rather than externalising or placing responsibility on external factors. If you become angry, for example, you can do one of two things: you can either blame something or someone outside of you, or you can take the more challenging and often confronting approach and look within yourself to see what it is inside you that has caused you to become angry.
Often, anger comes when the mind is filled with likes and dislikes. Perhaps you and your partner are trying to decide where to go for dinner. You would prefer Thai whereas your partner would prefer Indian. You become angry. You then blame your partner for not being more flexible and for making you angry. Alternatively, you may realise that it is your like of Thai food that is making you angry and decide to be flexible with your preferences. There is nothing wrong with having preferences but we should see that our likes and dislikes do not rule our state of being.
Devotion to the Divine (ishvara-pranidhana)
“Pra” means fullness, “ni” means under and “dhana” means placement. Pranidhana, then, is surrendering oneself to God and being devoted to the Divine. According to Patanjali, the eighth limb of yoga, which is known as bliss, or samadhi, comes to those who take refuge in God. Through surrendering to God we are released from the bonds of earthly desire and are able to move beyond the senses to a more expanded state of consciousness.
3. Postures (asanas)
Asanas, that aspect of yoga with which most of us are familiar, are the physical positions (postures) and third limb of yoga. Asanas should be carried out with three qualities: steadiness, comfort and a spirit of joy. Through the practice of asanas one naturally comes to experience and be in harmony with infinity. The more effortlessly asanas are practised, the more easily this harmony can be experienced. Asanas, when practised with full awareness, purify the body and mind and leave you with a feeling of expansion and lightness. Each asana works to open channels of energy in the body and, in doing so, releases blockages and tension held in the physical, mental and emotional realms.
There were originally more than eight-million asanas, most of which are named after animals. Observing how animals live in harmony with their environment and with their bodies, rishis (sages) started to imitate them so that humankind could acquire this knowledge and also learn to live in harmony with themselves and the environment. The rishis came to understand how different physical positions have different effects on the body and mind and how certain asanas stimulate the release of hormones, contribute to the strength and flexibility of the body and induce a peaceful state of mind.
There are two types of asanas: static and dynamic. Static asanas are held for a period of time with no movement; the body remains as still as possible. These asanas have a powerful effect on the life force (prana) and mental state, gently massaging the internal organs, glands and muscles and relaxing the nerves to bring tranquility to the mind. Dynamic asanas, which are more energetic, speed up circulation and loosen the muscles and joints, releasing energy blocks and removing stagnant blood from different parts of the body. They tone the skin and muscles, strengthen the lungs and encourage movement in the digestive system. Surya namaskara (salute to the sun) is an example of dynamic asanas.
4. Breath awareness (pranayama)
“Prana”, a word often used in yoga, is the vital life force. When the prana in the body is low, one tends to be more lethargic, dull and less enthusiastic. On a physical level it is believed that stiffness occurs in the body in the places where prana is blocked. Toxins accumulate in those areas and pain, stiffness or disease set in. Through the practice of yoga, prana begins to flow, allowing toxins to be released and removed.
The body and mind are not separate entities. Every mental knot has a corresponding physical knot in the body and vice versa. The aim of yogic practices is to release these knots and to connect us with the joy, love and creativity that we are, integrating and harmonising the body and mind.
Patanjali devoted five sutras to breathing alone. This in itself shows what a valuable and important tool the breath is in yoga. In any asana, breaking the movement of the breath and using the breath to redirect prana in the body while counting is pranayama. By consciously taking long, deep breaths and simultaneously placing your attention on different parts of the body, impurities are removed from the mind.
As the practice of pranayama is very powerful, it is important that it is learned with proper guidance. A natural result of going deep into pranayama is clarity, steadiness and one-pointedness of the mind. Those with poor concentration skills or the inability to focus can especially benefit from this practice.
5. Sense withdrawal (pratyahara)
Bringing the mind and the senses under control is known as pratyahara. By quieting the senses and taking the mind inwards, one can unite with the self. Various practices help coax the mind to move inwards. Examples of such practices include meditation, remaining in silence and singing devotional songs. When these practices are performed, the mind becomes thoughtless and all the senses come together, leaving you with a feeling of total completeness.
6. Concentration (dharana)
Dharana is described by Patanjali as being “concentration on a single point, or attention on what one is doing”. There are no techniques for dharana. It is a state of mind that arises spontaneously. Through dharana the mind becomes still. Although there is no single recipe for achieving dharana, it could be experienced when seeing something very beautiful in nature and, remaining silent, experiencing that Beauty at a deeper level. When we see something beautiful we usually resort to words to express that beauty (“Wow, what a beautiful rose!”) By seeing that beauty and not expressing it in words, dharana could be experienced. When you can just be with beauty without resorting to words, the experience of the beauty is deeper and can be felt within you.
7. Meditation (dhyana)
Dhyana, or meditation, is all about just being. Meditation takes us back to that space of being where deep rest can be experienced and enormous energy and vitality gained. While effort is required to build the body (for example, by working out at the gym or doing various exercises and sports), it is quite the opposite with the mind. The mind requires effortlessness in order to meditate. The less effort that is applied in meditation, the deeper the meditation will be. To truly understand meditation it has to be experienced personally. Like anything, the benefits can only be experienced through dedicated practice and self-discipline.
8. Bliss (samadhi)
According to Patanjali, “losing consciousness of the body, breath, mind, intelligence and ego” and residing in a state of peace and bliss in which wisdom, humility and simplicity shine through is being in a state of samadhi. Enlightened beings, who are permanently in a state of samadhi, have the ability to illuminate all those who come to them in their search for truth.
Meggan Brummer works as a volunteer for the Art of Living Foundation and is an internationally published health writer. She’s recently become a mum, which you can read more about on her blog, https://megganmamma.wordpress.com. Email her at meggan.brummer@gmail.com.
