The 8 limbs of yoga are a map, a guide through life to free yourself from suffering. They were created by multiple men referred to as Patanjali who created the Yoga Sutras, Ayurveda, and the Mahabhasya. He classified the best, raja, or royal yoga sutras even though yoga is much older than Patanjali. He said that yoga is the cessation of thought fluctuations and his focus was the mind, which he developed Ashtanga. Ashtanga is sanskrit word for 8 limbs, that was later picked up by Patthabi Jois when he began the Ashtanga Institute in Mysore, India, which I hope to attend in the new year.
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Shaucha | शौच | purity & cleanliness
Shaucha is the 1st Niyama of Yoga; or the restraints of behavior. This concept that is central to the Indian …
Santosha | संतोष | Contentment | Satisfaction
Santosha, the second Niyama of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is sometimes spelled Santosa, is a portmanteau in Sanskrit, derived from Saṃ-prefix …
Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya means to follow Brahman. To seek supreme reality, self, and god. In this aspect, Brahmacharya is inherently Hindu. It …
Mahavira
The Founder of Jainism Mahavira or Varhamana was the 24th and last Tirthankara (person who has conquered Samsara) of Jainism, …
Hinduism vs. Buddhism
Comparing two religions in their similarities, differences, and the in-between “Can you do a simple comparison of Hindu versus Buddhism …
Aparigraha – the 5th Yama and 1st Limb of Yoga
Aparigraha | non-desire Aparigraha is the concept of non-greed, or non-possessiveness from Jainism and the Raja/Ashtanga yoga traditions. This means …
Asteya | Non-stealing | अस्तेय
Asteya is a Sanskrit word; it means non-stealing, non-coveting, and not entering into debt. Asteya is a yama, meaning it is …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga (Part 8: Samādhi | समाधि)
Samadhi is the 8th and final limb of yoga. Samadhi is a state of concentrated meditation that transcends the intellect, …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga (part 6: Dharana)
Dharana is a single pointed concentration of the mind, focus on a single thing supported by the retention of the …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga (Part 1: Yamas)
Ashtanga yoga is more than exercise or meditation. It is a lifestyle, a way to live that allows for the …