Samadhi - Everything is Here In This Moment

This is the last in a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the eighth limb, Samadhi, where we achieve perfection in concentration and meditation. 

To help build an understanding of this concept, I give some perspectives from 3 of the great teachers of yoga and meditation.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

Dhyana - Meditation

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the seventh limb, Dhyana, where we start to enter the continuous stream of meditation. 

I give 3 ways to find out if you may have entered the state of dhyana.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

Dharana - One Focus

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the sixth limb, Dharana, where we encounter the mind directly. Dharaṇa is about focus and concentration, a step on the road to meditation.

I give 5 techniques for how you can start to bring this into your practice.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

Pratyahara - The Isolation Station

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the fifth limb, Pratyahara, where we to find a way to pay less attention to the sights, sounds, smells, feelings and thoughts which feed our ‘monkey mind’. 

I explain the science behind it, and some ways to start practicing pratyahara.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

Pranayama - The Silken Thread

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the fourth limb, Pranayama, often described as breath control. This is not quite the full story though. There is far more to learn about pranayama, and about the benefits to be gained.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

Asana - A Steady and Comfortable Seat

This is part of a series of articles I'm writing for Zen Monkey on The Eight Limbs of Yoga.

This one is about the third limb, Asana, the physical postures we see in a yoga practice.

Asana is only 'the tip of the iceberg', as I explain in this article.

Read the article on the Zen Monkey site here. 

The Paths of Yoga

In a previous post I described asana, the physical practice of postures, one of the eight limbs of yoga. In this post, I explain some of the paths of yoga, with some emphasis on Hatha Yoga, the yoga of effort.

The word yoga comes from a Sanskrit term, which means to 'yoke'. In other words, it refers to union, integration or wholeness. So while we usually think in terms of doing yoga, you can also say that you can achieve yoga, a state when the mind, body and spirit work together.

Traditionally, the paths are identified as:

1. Raja Yoga - yoga of the mind, as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
2. Jnana Yoga - yoga of knowledge or knowing
3. Bhakti Yoga - yoga of devotion
4. Karma Yoga - yoga of action

Then depending on which texts you read, you might find the following:

5. Hatha Yoga - yoga of forceful action / physical practice / effort

6. Mantra Yoga - yoga of sound 

7. Tantra Yoga - yoga of technology or technique

So when we're thinking about the paths of yoga, it's important to remember that they all lead to this sense of unity or wholeness.

The paths overlap and cross-over, so they should not be seen to exist in isolation. In addition, different scholars or commentators use different definitions so its possible to find contradictions. The point is, the paths developed to suit different temperaments or strengths, for example Jnana Yoga is best suited to someone with an intellectual temperament, and Karma Yoga may be best for someone who more action-oriented.

Hatha Yoga refers to the physical postures (asanas) which are designed to align the body and mind. This word is often used to describe yoga classes, and it usually refers to a static or relaxing style of yoga. Technically speaking though, all physical yoga can be categorised as Hatha. In some explanations Hatha may also include Kundalini yoga.

Hatha can be translated as ha meaning 'sun' and tha meaning 'moon'. This refers to the balance of masculine qualities (eg. active, hot, projective) and feminine qualities (eg. receptive, cool, receptive) which exist in all of us. Hatha yoga is a path toward creating balance and uniting opposites, creating a balance between strength and flexibility, between effort and surrender, thereby helping us to be more present in every moment.

Yama and Niyama

The yamas (ethical disciplines) and niyamas (self observations) are the first two of the eight limbs of yoga as described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, one of the main texts of yoga. 

There are 5 yamas and 5 niyamas, which can trick new students into thinking of them as a sort-of 'Yoga Ten Commandments'. However they are not to be viewed in this way. The real practice of yoga works toward the understanding and complete mastery of the mind, and the yamas and niyamas are qualities which the practitioner should try to nurture over time, which would form the foundation of, and contribute to, this stillness and peace of mind.

Yama - ethical disciplines

1. Non-violence - Ahimsa
2. Truthfulness - Satya
3. Non-stealing - Asteya
4. Moderation - Brachmacharya
5. Non-possessiveness - Aparigraha

Niyama - self observations

1. Cleanliness - Saucha
2. Contentment - Santosa
3. Cleansing - Tapas
4. Self study - Svadhyaya
5. Devotion (to something greater than yourself) - Isvara Pranidhana

These qualities seem simple at first glance, but they are multi-layered. For example, non-violence (ahimsa) seems like a pretty obvious concept. However it can be extended to aspects such as violent or angry words you may speak or write, or violent thoughts. Or violence to yourself - how many of us push ourselves too hard, or (figuratively) beat ourselves up on a regular basis? Consider some of the punishing diets, workouts or work schedules we might put ourselves through. These are certainly not habits which contribute to a still and peaceful mind.

Drawing out some of the other less obvious qualities, let's consider non-possessiveness (aparigraha). Another way of describing this quality could be non-hoarding, or non-grasping. How many of us know that feeling when you want something so badly, you can't think of anything else? It can also be extended to our fixations on shopping, and needing to acquire more and more, when our cupboards and wardrobes are already bursting at the seams. One of the worst ones could be jealousy, or possessiveness of another person. It's not difficult to see how disturbing this is.

The yamas and niyamas operate together - for example - you could say that if you aim to practice non-possessiveness, you can encourage this by practicing contentment (santosa). Or you could say that you are practicing self-study (svadhyaya) by observing what you may be clinging to.

The niyama of tapas (cleansing) also requires a little further explanation. Tapas (not the small plates of food!) is a discipline you can impose on yourself in order to rid yourself of unwanted habits, and to build your willpower. You could decide that you will do something or that you won't do something, for a period of time. It's kind-of like Lent. A typical example would be giving up alcohol in January, or setting new year's resolutions. Yoga practitioners may set themselves a tapas of practicing yoga every day, or of working on particular challenging postures for a period of time. This type of cleansing helps break bad habits, and set new ones which will contribute to the understanding and mastery of the mind.

I will touch on more of these in future blog posts.

What to expect in a typical yoga class

There are a number of elements which are touched on in most yoga classes. In some styles there may be more of one or the other, but generally the following aspects will be present, whether the teacher refers to them by name or not.

Asana - Postures

These are the physical postures. Asana is one of the eight limbs of yoga. The physical aspect is also sometimes referred to as Hatha Yoga (the yoga of force). Postures may very from being pretty easy and unchallenging, to extremely challenging, depending on what your level of practice is. It also depends on the focus and effort you put in yourself.

Bandha - Energy locks

Basically, bandhas refer to three 'energetic locks' which are applied to the body in most styles of yoga. This may not be strongly emphasised in beginners' or open classes, but it is a key element of a strong yoga practice. The bandhas are muladhara bandha (lifting or contracting the pelvic floor muscles), uddhiyana bandha (lifting and tightening the abdominal muscles) and jalandhara bandha (tipping the chin down to slightly constrict the throat). Apply all three bandhas to create mahabandha.

Drishti - Gaze

This refers to the focus or gaze. The teacher will ask you to direct the gaze in a particular direction for every posture. You may be asked to look upwards, towards the knees, feet or hands, for example. The purpose may be to get the full stretch in the posture, to maintain mental focus, to help with balance, or sometimes make the balance more challenging.

Pranayama - Breath

Breath work is an intrinsic part of every yoga class, and is also one of the eight limbs of yoga. This is one of the elements which makes it so different from other forms of exercise, as you are asked to remain aware of the breath, and to work with the breath. Pranayama exercises may be included in the class on their own, and Ujjayi breath (breathing through the nose, through slightly narrowed throat passage) will be incorporated as part of the practice of asana.

Savasana - Relaxation / Corpse Pose

Translated from Sanskrit, this means 'corpse pose' (corpse = sava; pose = asana). Many teachers will tell you that this is the most difficult posture in the whole class, as you are asked to lie completely still, flat on your back for a period of time. Depending on what type of class you are doing, it could be for anything from 2 to 20 minutes. Most one-hour classes will have 5-10 minutes of savasana at the end of the class, which may be accompanied by a guided meditation from the teacher, music, or silence.

Vinyasa - the flowing element

Translated from Sanskrit, vinyasa means 'to place in a special way'. Each movement is a progression from one to the next. The movement is aligned with the breath so that you move with each inhale and exhale. It can be said that each action encourages the next. Vinyasa-style yoga classes are ones where there is a flow from posture to posture. These classes are also often referred to as Flow Yoga or Power Yoga and are derived from Ashtanga yoga. 

These are very simple descriptions of the elements you can expect to see in a yoga class. Experience these elements directly by joining one of my classes!

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

When people think of yoga, they most likely think of the physical exercise, or a set of contortions performed by only the most flexible of people. It is also difficult not to associate yoga with a huge marketing machine, churning out images of picture-perfect people wearing very cool and expensive yoga clothes, and going to the trendiest yoga studios.

It can be difficult to associate those glossy images with yoga as an ancient science, which comprises eight aspects, commonly known as the eight limbs of yoga. The physical aspect of yoga - known as asana - is only one of the eight.

These eight limbs were explained in the classic Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as far back as 100 AD, and really it was all about the understanding and complete mastery of the mind. The idea is that all eight aspects are practiced, to achieve "the cessation of the modifications of the mind".

Here's a short summary of the eight limbs of yoga:

1. Yama - Ethical disciplines
2. Niyama - Self observations
3. Asana - Physical poses
4. Pranayama - Breath control
5. Pratyahara - Sense withdrawal
6. Dharana - Concentration
7. Dhyana - Meditation
8. Samadhi - A state of freedom, joy and peace

The first two limbs, yama and niyama, serve as the foundation of practice. Within each of these limbs, there are five qualities, which I will cover in a future post. An example would be non-violence as one of the yamas and self-study as one of the niyamas. It is very important to note that yoga doesn't say you must follow these rules, like a sort of Ten Commandments, but it is suggesting that following these are helpful if you wish to steady the mind.

Limbs three to five, asana, pranayama and pratyahara, are what people may be most familiar with, as these are commonly encountered in yoga classes. These aspects prepare the practitioner for the deeper practices where some steadiness of the mind is required.

The last three limbs are a little more difficult to explain, but simply put, it can be said that a practice of concentration (dharana) will lead the way to meditation (dhyana) and eventually to states of joy and peace (samadhi).

In order to get the most benefit from a physical yoga practice, it is useful to understand the context in which it was created, and the system of which it is a part. Often these more subtle aspects are not covered in classes, and much of this rich knowledge is not shared, so this is my attempt to ensure that students have an overview of the system.

I'll write another post soon explaining the yamas and niyamas in more detail, the styles and paths of yoga, as well as give some suggestions for how you might take your yoga study further.

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Struggling with the monkey mind? Find out about how the Eight Limbs can help in this article I wrote for Zen Monkey.