The practice of Yoga extends beyond the mat

The eight limbs of yoga outline key principles to living an ethical and purposeful life

Patanjali’s writings serve as our foundational text. While it has been translated into many languages, many of the original Sanskrit terms are still used in the translations and mentioned in classes.

Most of us associate the word “Yoga” with bendy poses and deep meditation. While both are a part of yoga, there is so much more to this 5,000+ year old philosophy. The bendy poses (known as asana in Sanskrit) are just a tiny part of yoga and were practiced so that yogis could strengthen their bodies and spend more time sitting in meditation. When factoring all that yoga is really all about, it is safe to say that the true practice of yoga involves much more than what happens at on the mat Instead, it is more about taking what you experience on the mat and bringing into your daily life.

Yoga was traditionally taught one-on-one whereby the teacher passed on the teachings to their student It wasn’t until a scholar from India named Patanjali transcribed the teachings, into what is known as the Yoga Sutras, that written reference existed. To this day, deed), tell the truth (or opt for silence if your words may harm others), don’t steal (even in nonmaterial ways, such as withholding information or time), use your energy wisely (avoiding excess or overindulgence) and remind yourself that you are enough and have everything you need.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras outline the eight limbs of yoga which are often referred to as Ashtanga Yoga (ashta means eight and anga means limb) These eight limbs, or eightfold path, outline key principles to living an ethical and purposeful life and are outlined below.

2. Niyamas

The Yamas are the first limb in the eightfold path and they serve as ethical guides to help us interact with others They are more ‘external’ in nature When I think of the yamas, I can’t help but think of Robert Fulghum’s book, “All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” Fulghum outlines basic morals in an easy-to-understand way that doesn’t require knowledge of the Sanskrit language. The five yamas are: Ahimsa (Nonviolence), Satya (Truthfulness), Asteya (Nonstealing), Brahmacharya (Chastity and Fidelity) and Aparigraha (Noncoveting)

Simply put, these five yamas encourage you to practice nonviolence (in thought, word and

The second limb, Niyamas has to do with self-discipline and spiritual practices and take you further inward than the Yamas. As with the first limb, there are five Niyamas. They are: Saucha (Cleanliness), Santosha (Contentment), Tapas (Willpower and Self-discipline), Svadhyaya (Study of Self and Sacred Texts) and Ishvara Pranidhana (Finding Faith).

Simply put, these five practices encourage you to leave a place cleaner than you found it, be happy, practice self-discipline, learn from your mistakes and find a belief or faith that fits for you.

3.Asana

Asana refers to the bendy poses we do in yoga. This is the limb most commonly practiced in the Western world Practice of the poses helps to strengthen both your body and your mind.

Continued practice of the asanas also helps to develop the habit of discipline and improves your ability to concentrate - two key requirements for meditation.

4. Pranayama

In Sanskrit, prana refers to our vital life force The practice of pranayama goes beyond taking in oxygen and controlling the breath In this limb you begin to become aware that you are taking in lifegiving energy with each and every inhalation and returning life-giving energy with each and every outbreath. This experience helps give you the awareness of the powerful connection between the breath, your mind, your emotions and the energy around you. Pranayama builds on the third limb of asana and helps to further improve concentration and clarity as well as boost your overall physical and mental health.

This is the limb that helps you go further inward Given the overload of external stimuli that we have on a daily basis, this practice helps to remove distractions from outside sources and enables you to become more aware of what’s happening inside your body, mind and spirit.

6. Dharana

Dharana is the practice of intense concentration, usually focusing on one object, such as the flame of a candle or on one thought, such as a mantra. Continued practice trains your mind to focus on just one thing (versus the 101 things we have going on in our head at any given time!) and prepares you for deeper states of meditation Needless to say, Dharana, has a very calming effect on your body, mind and spirit

7. Dhyana

The seventh limb, Dhyana, is all about meditation and contemplation. It is the state of being keenly aware but without any focus. At this stage of practice, your mind becomes still and free of thoughts, judgments and attachments As a result, a stronger sense of internal peacefulness is experienced. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

8. Samadhi you react to what happens determines your level of bliss Your practice of all eight limbs of yoga will help to keep a good internal vibe regardless of what is going on in and around your life

Samadhi is really all about seeing life and reality for what it is, without letting your thoughts, emotions, likes and/or dislikes influencing it That’s not easy to do, even with a strong practice in place. Patanjali emphasized in his writings that unless one is completely ready to view life with a pure mind free from attachment, aversion, desires and habits they will not be able to maintain the state of Samadhi for long. More practice leads to more progress Over time, you will find that you can stay in those more enlightened and blissful places for longer periods of time.

The fifth limb, Pratyahara, is the practice of drawing your senses inward to promote internal awareness.

If you thought Dhyana sounded good, it gets even better with Samadhi. Patanjali described this eighth and final limb as a state of ecstasy. While it sounds a bit like a magic carpet ride, it doesn’t mean that you become permanently ‘blissed out.’ Life happens. How

Heidi Pfleger has been a Yoga Teacher and Wellness Coach for more than 30 years and a student of yoga since the age of five. Born and raised on a farm in the Paris area, Heidi ventured further afield to study Yoga around the world in her twenties and has since been sharing her experiences and continuing in her studies both on and off the mat. Heidi offers regular yoga classes and individual sessions as well as wellness coaching sessions and retreats throughout the year. For more information on her programs, contact Heidi at 519 755 1447 or visit her soon to be launched website yogabyheidi.ca.