We’ve made it to the 8th stage of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga! If you haven’t followed along with the previous 7 articles, you can find them under the ‘Learn’ category on my website. The final limb of Yoga is Samadhi. You’ll notice that as we move through the stages of Yoga, each one becomes less physicalContinue reading “Samadhi ~ Ashtanga Yoga”
Tag Archives: philosophy
Dharana ~ Ashtanga Yoga
Dharana is the act of training the mind to focus on one specific object. Simple in theory, yet difficult to practice! Practicing Dharana, or concentration, gives us the opportunity to learn about the thoughts that tend to distract us and come to learn the patterns of the mind. With time and consistent practice, we strengthenContinue reading “Dharana ~ Ashtanga Yoga”
Pratyahara ~ Ashtanga Yoga
“Just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs, so when a man withdraws his senses from the sense objects, his wisdom becomes steady.” -Bhagavad Gita So far we have covered the external aspects of Yoga: Yamas, Niyamas, Asana and Pranayama. This means that we have reached the stage in Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga where we transition fromContinue reading “Pratyahara ~ Ashtanga Yoga”
Asana ~ Ashtanga Yoga
Asana is the most well-known and practiced limb of Patanjali’s 8 Limbs of Yoga, usually described as the “physical practice”. In the Yoga Sutras, the Sanskrit word Asana is defined as “a position that is steady and comfortable” and the practice of Asana involves the ability to sit for long periods of time in one posture.
The Niyamas ~ Ashtanga Yoga
In my last post I spoke about the Yamas, the 5 moral guidelines for behaving towards the outside world. The Niyamas are the second limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga and provide us with guidelines on how to behave towards ourselves. Following the Niyamas cultivates self-discipline, inner happiness, integrity and confidence yet humility. 1. Saucha, Self-PurificationContinue reading “The Niyamas ~ Ashtanga Yoga”
Introduction to the 8 Limbs of Yoga
‘Yoga is the cessation of the thoughts in the mind’. This is the essence of what Yoga can help us to achieve – freedom from the desires that draw us away from our natural state of peace.
Types of Meditation
Meditation does not have to mean clearing your mind of all thoughts. There are many other techniques, often involving an object of focus to which you bring all of your attention. The object of focus tends to fall under one of the following categories. BreathObserving your natural pattern of breathing. SensoryExamples include candle gazing (trāṭaka),Continue reading “Types of Meditation”
Chakras
‘Prana’ is the energy that flows throughout the body and allows it to carry out bodily functions that are vital for life. We can think of prana as flowing along nadis (meaning ‘rivers’ in Sanskrit). Chakras (meaning ‘wheels’) represent the points at which nadis cross over. We hold 7 of these meeting points as theContinue reading “Chakras”
Introduction to the Pancha Kosha
In Sanskrit, the Pancha Kosha means “five layers”.
It is a way for us to comprehend our existence that encompasses our physical, mental and spiritual components.
