Ashtanga yoga - Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama - Part 1
The eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga are as follows :
1. Yama (Social Discipline) : Yama means restraint or abstention. It contains five moral practices.
They are :
Non-violence (Ahimsa), Truthfulness (Satya), Nonstealing (Asteya), Celibacy (Brahmacharya) and Nonacquisitiveness (Aparigraha).
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Non-violence (Ahimsa) means not to hurt any creature mentally or physically through mind, speech or action.
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Truthfulness (Satya) is the presentation of a matter as perceived with the help of sense organs.
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Non-stealing (Asteya) means not to covet and acquire physically, mentally or by speech others’ possessions.
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Celibacy-Moderation in sex (Brahmacharya) : Brahmacharya does not mean lifelong celibacy, but moderation in sex between married couples.
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Non-acquisitiveness (Aparigraha) means abandoning wealth and means of sensual pleasures.
2. Niyama (Individual Discipline) : Rules of conduct towards oneself consist of certain disciplines which are both physical and mental.
These are five in number :
Cleanliness (Shaucha), Contentment (Santosha), Austerity (Tapas), Self-study (Svadhyaya) and Surrender to God (Ishvara Pranidhana).
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Cleanliness (Shaucha) means internal and external purification of the body and the mind.
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Contentment (Santosha) is a state of mind by which one lives happily and satisfied in congenial or uncongenial
atmosphere.
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Austerity or penance (Tapas) is the conquest of all desires or sensual pleasures by practising purity in thought, speech and action.
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Self-study (Svadhyaya) means exchange of thoughts in order to secure purity in thought and accomplish knowledge.
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Surrender to God (Ishvara Pranidhana) : It consists of pure devotion to God and surrender of all actions to Him.
3. Asana (Postures) : Asana means holding the body in a particular posture to bring stability to the body and poise to the mind. The practice of asana brings purity in tubular channels, firmness to the body and vitality to the body and the mind.
4. Pranayama (Breath Control) : The literal meaning of Pranayama is Breath Control. The aim of practising Pranayama is to stimulate, regulate and harmonize vital energy of the body. Just as a bath is required for purifying the body, so also Pranayama is required for purifying the mind.
5. Pratyahara (Discipline of the Senses) : The extroversion of the sense organs due to their hankering after worldly objects has to be restrained and directed inwards towards the source of all existence. This process of drawing the sense inwards is Pratyahara or putting the sense under restraint.
Continue for Asthanga Yoga - part 2
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