I really do teach the 8 Limbs of Yoga
For many years I thought I was practicing yoga, when in reality I was practicing Asana, only the physical portion of yoga. I knew nothing about the eight limbs of yoga.
Considering there are 8 limbs of yoga, Asana is only 15% of yoga! I have to admit that even after completing my teaching certification and teaching for a while I thought that I was still basically just practicing and teaching Asana, maybe with a little Pranayama thrown in.
It wasn't until several years into teaching that I went a little deeper and started a journey of exploration into the 8 limbs of yoga. These eight limbs serve as a guidance system on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life; and give us an outline for moral and ethical conduct, self discipline, and health, as well as helping us connect to, and, acknowledge our spirituality.
Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga as described in the Yoga Sutras are:
1. The Yamas Universal Morality. Do onto other as you would have other do onto you. This encompasses your ethical standards and sense of integrity.
a) Ahimsa — nonviolence, to do no harm, to practice loving kindness and compassion.
b) Satya — being truthful (expressing our uniqueness and authenticity.)
c) Asteya — non-stealing
d) Brahmacharya — living a life of moderation. Abstaining from over indulgence.
e) Aparigraha — non possessiveness, non covetousness, non attachment.
2. The Niyamas Our personal Observances
a) Saucha — cleanliness. Defined by some as purification, including your thoughts, actions, relationships, and even your breath.
b) Santosha — contentment and gratitude in the things you have, shifting away your focus on what you don’t have. I call this appreciation for life.
c) Tapas — Disciplined use of our energy (building strength and character.) Zeal for life.
d) Swadhyaya — Self study or learning from our own lives, the continual pursuit of knowledge including yogic philosophy. Also non judgment and acceptance.
e) Ishvara Pranidhana — Celebration of Spiritual, believing, asking for guidance, relaxing into your life, and surrendering (maybe to a higher power whatever you believe that to be.)
3. Asanas Our yogic postures what we in the west envision when we think of yoga. Asanas make us feel strong, healthy, balanced, and flexible.
Asana actually means comfortable seat and some belief that the ancient yogis developed the postures so they would be flexible enough and their bodies strong enough to sit in meditation for long periods of time.
4. Pranayama —Breath Control. The yoga breathing exercises that help control our mind and our prana (energy). Establishing a connection between the breath, the mind, the body, and emotions.
5. Pratyahara — Control of the senses including detachment from senses and directing our attention inward.
6. Dharana — Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness. Concentration precedes meditation by helping us still the mind and focus on one thing (such as a mantra or intention.)
7. Dhyana — Devotion and meditation.
8. Samadhi — Traditionally described as transcendence or union with the divine, ecstasy or ultimate bliss and joy. Although our spirituality is a big part of this I believe joy is a key word here, yes it can come from our spiritual believes and our connection to the divine, but in a more secular sense our joy can also come from inner peace, freedom, and fulfillment, whatever it's source.
When I teach I usually start by asking students to center inward (Pratyahara), to concentrate on their breath (Pranayama) and I suggest an intention or theme for the class (Dharana.) Some times we just sit or lie quietly just centering inward and focusing on our breath (perhaps the beginning of meditation for some.) We usually practice Pranayama in one form or another (such as Udiyana Bandha) and we use Ujayi breath. While practicing Asana, I ask students to honor their bodies and their own limitations (“your body your practice”) so Ahimsa, Satya , Aparigraha, Swadhyaya and perhaps some other Yamas and Niyamas thrown in based on the theme/intention for the day. We end in Savasana (Pratyahara, Dharana if it includes a guided meditation or systematic relaxation, Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender) and hopefully a bit of Samadhi (bliss.)
The more I researched, contemplated, learned, and studied, the more I realized that I really was instinctively incorporating the 8 limbs of yoga into my classes and gently guiding my students through all 8 limbs. I hope to continue to share this beautiful guidance system as I progress and deepen my own understanding and practice of yoga.
In Gratitude for all my teachers, my students and the practice of yoga, I wish you peace, love, and joy.
Namaste
Michele
Sunday, September 11, 2016
I really do teach the 8 Limbs of Yoga
For many years I thought I was practicing yoga, when in reality I was practicing Asana, only the physical portion of yoga. I knew nothing about the eight limbs of yoga.
Considering there are 8 limbs of yoga, Asana is only 15% of yoga! I have to admit that even after completing my teaching certification and teaching for a while I thought that I was still basically just practicing and teaching Asana, maybe with a little Pranayama thrown in.
It wasn't until several years into teaching that I went a little deeper and started a journey of exploration into the 8 limbs of yoga. These eight limbs serve as a guidance system on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life; and give us an outline for moral and ethical conduct, self discipline, and health, as well as helping us connect to, and, acknowledge our spirituality.
Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga as described in the Yoga Sutras are:
1. The Yamas Universal Morality. Do onto other as you would have other do onto you. This encompasses your ethical standards and sense of integrity.
a) Ahimsa — nonviolence, to do no harm, to practice loving kindness and compassion.
b) Satya — being truthful (expressing our uniqueness and authenticity.)
c) Asteya — non-stealing
d) Brahmacharya — living a life of moderation. Abstaining from over indulgence.
e) Aparigraha — non possessiveness, non covetousness, non attachment.
2. The Niyamas Our personal Observances
a) Saucha — cleanliness. Defined by some as purification, including your thoughts, actions, relationships, and even your breath.
b) Santosha — contentment and gratitude in the things you have, shifting away your focus on what you don’t have. I call this appreciation for life.
c) Tapas — Disciplined use of our energy (building strength and character.) Zeal for life.
d) Swadhyaya — Self study or learning from our own lives, the continual pursuit of knowledge including yogic philosophy. Also non judgment and acceptance.
e) Ishvara Pranidhana — Celebration of Spiritual, believing, asking for guidance, relaxing into your life, and surrendering (maybe to a higher power whatever you believe that to be.)
3. Asanas Our yogic postures what we in the west envision when we think of yoga. Asanas make us feel strong, healthy, balanced, and flexible.
Asana actually means comfortable seat and some belief that the ancient yogis developed the postures so they would be flexible enough and their bodies strong enough to sit in meditation for long periods of time.
4. Pranayama —Breath Control. The yoga breathing exercises that help control our mind and our prana (energy). Establishing a connection between the breath, the mind, the body, and emotions.
5. Pratyahara — Control of the senses including detachment from senses and directing our attention inward.
6. Dharana — Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness. Concentration precedes meditation by helping us still the mind and focus on one thing (such as a mantra or intention.)
7. Dhyana — Devotion and meditation.
8. Samadhi — Traditionally described as transcendence or union with the divine, ecstasy or ultimate bliss and joy. Although our spirituality is a big part of this I believe joy is a key word here, yes it can come from our spiritual believes and our connection to the divine, but in a more secular sense our joy can also come from inner peace, freedom, and fulfillment, whatever it's source.
When I teach I usually start by asking students to center inward (Pratyahara), to concentrate on their breath (Pranayama) and I suggest an intention or theme for the class (Dharana.) Some times we just sit or lie quietly just centering inward and focusing on our breath (perhaps the beginning of meditation for some.) We usually practice Pranayama in one form or another (such as Udiyana Bandha) and we use Ujayi breath. While practicing Asana, I ask students to honor their bodies and their own limitations (“your body your practice”) so Ahimsa, Satya , Aparigraha, Swadhyaya and perhaps some other Yamas and Niyamas thrown in based on the theme/intention for the day. We end in Savasana (Pratyahara, Dharana if it includes a guided meditation or systematic relaxation, Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender) and hopefully a bit of Samadhi (bliss.)
The more I researched, contemplated, learned, and studied, the more I realized that I really was instinctively incorporating the 8 limbs of yoga into my classes and gently guiding my students through all 8 limbs. I hope to continue to share this beautiful guidance system as I progress and deepen my own understanding and practice of yoga.
In Gratitude for all my teachers, my students and the practice of yoga, I wish you peace, love, and joy.
Namaste
Michele
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