Yoga Meditation – 1

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

Yoga meditation has an ultimate goal to reach self–realization which in Sanskrit is called Samadhi. There are 8 disciplines that one should understand before able to reach it. What are they?

In the literature of yoga meditation, the most systematic and useful book that describes the raja yoga path is the yoga sutras, written by Patanjali between 200 and 300 BCE. The second section of this classic book (as commented upon by many modern books on yoga) describes the disciplines designed to lead one progressively to Samadhi. These disciplines are known as the eight limbs or angas of yoga. Their aim is to ‘purify’ the mind progressively so that the route to Samadhi is smooth. Patanjali did not originally conceive these eight limbs; that happened much earlier in antiquity, but he was the first and most important codifier. The eight limbs (ashtanga) of yoga are:

- Abstinences ( yamas )
- Observances ( niyamas )
- Postures ( asanas )
- Breath controls ( pranayana )
- Withdrawal of the senses (pratyahara )
- Concentration (dharana )
- Contemplation or meditation (dhyana)
- Absorption or self- realization ( Samadhi )
Now we will take a look each of those limbs of yoga meditation in deep. We begin with the first one yamas.

The five abstinences ( yamas )

These involve abstinence form killing and violence, false hood, theft, damaging sexual behaviour and greed.

1. Non-violence (ahimsa)

This means extending compassion to all sentient creatures.

2. Truth fullness (satya)

This means not only abstaining from telling lies, but being sincere in all dealings with others. In other words, avoiding deceit at any level.

3. Non-stealing (asteya)
This includes abstinence from theft on all levels. It demands mindfulness of all your daily activities, to ensure that nothing is acquired, either materially or non-materially, by means other than through the strict observance of fairness and honesty.

4. Chastity and continence (brahmacharya)
In narrow sense, this means abstinence from the sexual act, so that the powerful sexual energy can be transmuted into the impetus for ultimately gaining enlightenment. This level of abstinence only really applies within a monastic situation. In ordinary life, it should be interpreted as restraint from a wasteful overindulgence in sexual activity, rather than a general judgement about the morals of sex.

5. Non-possessiveness (aparigrapha)
This can be translated as ‘non-hoarding’, but does not imply one should have no possessions. It means that we should not be enslaver by our possessions, or that their presence or the desire for them should not dominate our mind.

Next: The Five Observances (niyamas) of Yoga Meditation.