Introduction to Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga system

Welcome to my new blog! 

Here, I am going to share my experiences and insights using Maharishi Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga. 

First of all, I want to give a general introduction to the eight limbs of yoga. Read this first, and then read my other post for a more detailed explanation to clear up some misconceptions that people have about the eight limbs of yoga. 

Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga are different limbs or aspects of yoga practice that compliment each other, They comprise of all the methods used to cultivate awareness. They are not steps but rather limbs. 

Yoga is ingrained in the nervous system of man and actually all the practices of yoga are totally natural and based on natural phenomena that occurs as a natural result of the unfoldment of our evolution of consciousness. The techniques of yoga act simply as tools or levers to facilitate this natural unfoldment. 

All the limbs of work in a connected fashion as they are connected in the nervous system, . Yoga is a product of the nervous system, not the other way around. 

The limbs act as doors to coax the nervous system to open to the natural experience of yoga nd to purify the nervous system. 

You can start with any of the limbs and reach the state of yoga, that is the beauty of patanjali's system. his limbs do not describe actual practices but rather cover all the types of practice there are to advance in yoga. 

Here is list of the eight limbs of yoga and I will also be doing posts on each of them individually:

1. Yama - restraint
 includes ahimsa (non violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non stealing), brahmacharya (preservation and cultivation fo sexual energy), aparigraha (non covetousness)

2. Niyama- observance
Saucha (purity, cleanliness), samtosa (contentment, tapas (austerity, focus), svadhyaya (study of scriptures), iswara pranidhana (surrender to the divine)

3.  Asana- posture

4. Pranayama- breathing techniques
Pranayama cultivates the 'soil' of the nervous system, preparing it for deep meditation. 

5. Pratyahara- introversion of the senses

6. Dharana- focus of attention

7. Dhyana- meditation, transcending

8. Samadhi- absorption, Pure awareness, transcendental consciousness.