The 8 Limbs of Yoga

The 8 limbs of yoga are a map, a guide through life to create a life free from suffer. 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.

Brahmacharya

Brahmacharya

Brahmacharya means to follow Brahman. To seek supreme reality, self, and god. In this aspect, Brahmacharya is inherently Hindu. It ...
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Mahavira

The Founder of Jainism Mahavira or Varhamana was the 24th and last Tirthankara (person who has conquered Samsara) of Jainism, ...
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hindu_vs_buddhism

Hinduism vs. Buddhism

Comparing two religions in their similarities, differences, and the in-between "Can you do a simple comparison of Hindu versus Buddhism ...
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aparigraha

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 ...
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Asteya

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 ...
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Samadhi

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, ...
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dhyana meditation

The Eight Limbs of Yoga (part 7: Dhyana)

Dhyana is a type of meditation, like the other 2 last limbs of Patanjali's Ashtanga yoga Dharana and Samadhi. It ...
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lotus

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 ...
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shiva's meditation

The 8 Limbs of Yoga (Part 5: Pratyahara)

Pratyahara is withdrawal of the senses. The breath is an extremely useful tool for this and asana helps to get ...
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lungs

The 8 Limbs of Yoga (Part 4: Pranayama)

Pranayama: The Fourth Limb Pranayama is the fourth limb of yoga and means life-force control, but is better known as ...
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