1. YAMA – Restraints or moral vows
This first limb, Yama, refers to vows or practices that are connected to our awareness with the outer world and our interaction with it.
There are five Yamas:
Ahimsa (non-violence)
Satya (truthfulness)
Asteya (non-stealing)
Brahmacharya (right use of energy)
Aparigraha (non-greed or non-hoarding)
2. NIYAMA – Positive duties or observances
The second limb, Niyama, usually refers to duties directed towards ourselves, but can also be considered with our actions towards the outside world. The Niyamas are traditionally practiced by those who wish to travel further along the Yogic path.
There are five Niyamas:
saucha (cleanliness)
santosha (contentment)
tapas (discipline around burning of desire)
svadhyaya (self-study )
isvarapranidaha (surrender to a higher power).
3. ASANA – Posture
The physical aspect of yoga is the third step on the path to liberation
4. PRANAYAMA – Breathing Control
Pranayama can be understood as either ‘prana-yama’ which would mean ‘breath – control’
5. PRATYAHARA – Sense withdrawal
Pratya means to ‘withdraw’, ‘draw in’ or ‘draw back’, and the second part ahara refers to anything we ‘take in’ by ourselves, such as the various sights, sounds and smells our senses take in continuously. When sitting for a formal meditation practice, this is likely to be the first thing we do when we think we’re meditating; we focus on ‘drawing in’.
6. DHARANA – Focused Concentration
Dharana means ‘focused concentration’. Dha means ‘holding or maintaining’, and Ana means ‘other’ or ‘something else’. Closely linked to the previous two limbs; dharana and pratyahara are essential parts of the same aspect. In order to focus on something, the senses must withdraw so that all attention is put on that point of concentration, and in order to draw our senses in, we must focus and concentrate intently.
7. DHYANA – Meditative Absorption
The seventh limb is ‘meditative absorption’ – when we become completely absorbed in the focus of our meditation.
8. SAMADHI – Bliss or Enlightenment
Many of us know the word samadhi as meaning ‘bliss’ or ‘enlightenment’, and this is the final step of the journey of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.