How we can integrate the 8 Limbs of Yoga in every day life
When we think of yoga, we may think of bodies being put in pretzel positions or someone sitting in silence without any outside disturbances, right? However, there is so much more to the practice. When we do actual movements and postures in yoga, that is called Asana, just one Limb that connects to the overall yogic practice. Western culture has put many of the other practices of yoga on the back burner, highlighting the physical portion of this ancient practice to the masses. There are 7 more Limbs of Yoga ; Yama, Niyama, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. These 7 Limbs translate into ethical living, self discipline, breath work, withdrawal of senses, concentration, meditation, and freedom from illusion/bliss. These are all part of the yogic practice that are meant to expand our bliss and take us into enlightenment. Now that we know the Limbs, how can we dive deeper into the practice and take what we learn on the mat, into the world?
Yama refers to ethical and moral living. When we are on the mat, especially in a studio where we welcome others to practice with us, we must eradicate judgement. Judgement of what our practice should look like and what other individuals practice should look like. The mat should be a safe space for everyone, open and encouraging equality for each human, that includes ourselves. As we practice on our mat, we should take note of what thoughts arise. Are they loving, supporting, forgiving, encouraging, accepting, or are they the opposite? To practice Yama off of the mat, we must ask ourselves these same questions throughout our daily life and day to day tasks. Maybe we ask when we are at the grocery store or in traffic, any moment will suffice. As we become kinder to ourselves and others, we contribute to a more loving community.
Niyama refers to self discipline. Self discipline on our mat is a form of self love. It's what gets us to our mat to continue practicing. Self discipline gives us the strength to take us through our physical Asana practice, even when it feels challenging. This will benefit us in the long run to keep our bodies open and strong. Self discipline can sometimes be seen as rigid, but it's actually a quality that allows us more freedom. It means we are disciplined by the Self instead of being controlled by outside sources. As we take Niyama off the mat, we continue to be disciplined in our day to day, giving us the freedom to control more of our experiences, allowing them to be how we want them to be for ourselves.
Ahimsa is the physical movement of yoga. This is where our body learns to be mobile, flexible, balanced, and strong. As we move through the postures, this allows stagnant and stored up energy to move through and out of the body. We may be able to release certain emotions as this energy moves. We are also able to build flexibility, releasing any tension throughout out body. The movement also builds balance and strength that benefit how our body preforms on a daily basis. Off the mat, when our bodies feel good, we have the opportunity to take part in more life opportunities. We are able to experience life at a grander scale when our bodies feel good, as opposed to not being able to take in the full experience because we feel unwell.
Pranayama refers to breath work and breathing techniques. Our breath is what takes us through the asanas. Breathe in, breathe out. We can use it to create energy in the body or bring us to a more rested state. It opens the chest and enhances flexibility in our muscles. It helps us release tension, improve posture, and understand how our body is feeling through the movements as we feel the pace. Our breath contains so much magic and has so much to offer us. Sometimes we look over this powerful part of being human because it's something that happens so naturally, but when we gain awareness of it, it can be so beneficial. Throughout day to day activies, we can sense how our body is feeling when we take a conscious breathe. We may ask ourselves, how much air did my body allow in, do my lungs feel like they are open and expanded, did my shoulders drop more, did my teeth finally separate? These are all cues of whether or not we feel stress in the body and may need to slow down a bit. The breath is one of the most powerful tools we carry because it is always with us.
Pratyahara is withdrawl of the senses. When we come to the breath, we concentrate on that one element. Slowly, the other senses seem to be in the distance and this is where we can be fully immersed within the body that we feel an "out of body" experience. As the senses withdraw, this brings us into a state of focus and flow, which has many benefits to the body. When our energy is split doing many different tasks, it tires the body and mind. Withdrawing the senses can restore energy that is needed and help our mind feel clarity, taking away any "brain fog" feelings that sometimes arise with depleted energy levels. This practice can be done at any time throughout the day when we feel depleted or over stimulated. It can also increase productivity and positive feelings/emotions.
Dharana refers to concentration. Much like Pratyahara, this brings the energy of focus into our practice. When we bring Dharana onto the mat, we concentrate on our own practice and being. This has the ability to bring us into a meditative state. Dharana can also be used on the mat during balancing poses, where we focus on one point, or drishti, to keep steadiness in the posture. Bringing this practice off of the mat helps us concentrate on tasks and finding that one point focus where our energy isn't split, therefore avoiding overusing our energy by doing multiple different tasks at once.
Dhyana is the practice of meditation, where thoughts drift, flow takes place and the breath becomes and steady flow. Meditation during our practice allows us to take part fully in the present, knowing the past and future do not exist. This is where we bask in the experience of the moment. Sometimes we meditate in order to accomplish something, but the true gift of meditation is to just be in the moment, without any rules or guidelines. As we take this practice off the mat, we bring that energy of presence into each moment of our life, where we aren't concerned with the events of the past or future, immersing ourselves in the moment and able to access more joy,
Samadhi, the last of the 8 Limbs, refers to bliss and enlightenment. This is where our inner world starts to feel joy and ecstasy, we have fully released judgement of our practice and the judgement of others, our breath flows smoothly throughout the body, the past nor future does not exist and we experience flow in the present moment. This is where our practice of yoga takes us as we go through the journey on our mats. As we leave our mats, we continue to practice the previous 7 Limbs to experience the 8th, and continue to contribute this to society, spreading bliss out into the world.
