Ashtanga Yoga

ASHTANGA YOGA

 

Ashtanga Yoga literally means "eight-limbed yoga" as outlined by the sage Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. According to Patanjali, the path of internal purification for revealing the Universal Self consists of the following eight spiritual practices:

* Yama [moral codes]
* Niyama [self-purification and study]
* Asana [posture]
* Pranayama [breath control]
* Pratyahara [sense control]
* Dharana [concentration]
* Dhyana [meditation]
* Samadhi [absorption into the Universal]

YAMA

 
Yama is the first and foremost component of Ashtanga yoga that forms the basic foundation for others. They are the set guidelines for us to follow as to become more socially disciplined in terms of our relations with our outer environment.

Different Indian Scholars of Yoga have propounded a different set of yama with varying numbers. This number of yama is based on their own philosophies and their experiments with human life. But the most accepted and reputed scholar of all, Patanjali has described only five yama in his very famous text Yoga Sutra. They are:

1. Ahimsa [non-violence] - It's about our non-violent attitude in thought, speech and action. It promotes compassion, love, understanding, patience and worthiness among humans and nature.

2. Satya [truthfulness] - It focuses on human behavior where one act exactly the way he thinks in his mind, say the same in his speech and replicate it exact in his action. It's, actually, about being true to our own self in every sense of understanding.

3. Astelya [non-stealing] - It upholds the development of a sense of self-sufficiency and to fight covetousness and greed.

4. Brahamcharya [celibacy] - It corresponds to the behavior that brings men nearer to divine whereby they avoid all the mental or physical or meta-physical sensual pleasure.

5. Aprigraha [non-covetousness] - It's about detachment from all our covetousness and abstaining from committing violence of any sort.

NIYAMA

 
Next step to the Ashtanga Yoga are niyama. It deals with our inner world and, like yama, their numbers have been varying in different schools of thoughts but Patanjali gave the well-known and established set of five guidelines, which encourages us to lead our lives with the most positive attitude and be in peace with our soul. The five niyama are:

1. Saucha [purity] - The practice, which helps us to purify ourselves internally as well as externally. It makes our mind pure in thoughts and action.
 

2. Santosh [contentment] - It is described as the ability to satisfy our needs in the minimum and not desire for more than what we deserve. Maintaining peace and gratitude in mind in all the situations is the essence of this niyama.
 

3. Tapa [austerity] -  The ability to stand against all the harsh realities of life and come out stronger every time we face challenges.
 

4. Swadhyaya [self-education] - To study our ancient texts such as Vedas and Upanishad scripts and reciting all the mantras inscribed in them.
 

5. Ishwar-Pranidhan [divine meditation] - It's the description of our efforts to get closer to the divine through our actions and by dedicated concentration of mind we can achieve that.

ASANA
 

Yoga Asanas or postures are body positions, which help us in balancing, and corresponding to the nature of human body and this ultimately helps to improve its flexibility and strength. With regular practice, under the supervision of a trained expert, we not only improve upon our physical health but our mind also works fresh and enhances our creative strength.

Problems like heavy weight, high cholesterol level, high blood pressure etc are controlled by regular performances. It not only maintains physical but also the mental equilibrium and thus makes our mind stronger enough to do away with normal and daily life stresses.

There are various broad categories of Asana which in them contains a lot numbers of exercises and it's not possible for us to perform all of them at one time and also it's not necessary for one to perform them all, but one can choose or be told by experts to perform those Asana which would help reduce their specific problems and improve their body vitality.

The major categories of Yoga Asanas are:

 
* Standing Asanas

* Forward Bending Asanas
* Supine Asanas
* Inverted Asanas
* Abdominal and Lumbar Asanas
* Twisting Asanas
* Back Bending Asanas
* Balancing Asanas
 

It's the sequenced format of Asanas with beginners' to start with simple and easy standing Asanas such as Tadasana, Ardha Chandrasana, and Trikonasana etc. And with time we can move forward with bending and twisting exercises such as Paschimotanasana, Padmasana, Vajrasana, Simhasana, Mukha Svanasa Marichyasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Ustrasana, Bhujangasana etc. It will gradually help build your body stronger and will increase mobility and alertness in the reflexes. All the joints will work smoothly and regular problems like cramps and strains in the muscles will also go away with time. Also, some very delicate and precisely done balancing Asanas such as Sirsasanas, Sarvangasana etc will strengthen your delicate limb joints such as wrists and also the abdominal organs improves with them.

PRANAYAMA

Pranayama is control of Breath. "Prana" is Breath or vital energy in the body. On subtle levels prana represents the pranic energy responsible for life or life force, and "ayama" means control. So Pranayama is "Control of Breath". One can control the rhythms of pranic energy with pranayama and achieve healthy body and mind.

PRATYAHARA
 

After the very important part of Yoga Asana and Pranayama, Pratyahara help manage your senses and practice meditation and go beyond the consciousness to the unconsciousness level from where the other components of Yoga play their part in the achieving the ultimate goal of these exercise.

DHARNA
 

The process of meditating and concentrating hard to achieve the level of directing our mind and thoughts begins with Dharna. Here we start concentrating hard on imaginative circles or chakras going away and coming out with eyes closed.

DHYANA
 

It's the state of meditation where you work hard to improve your concentration without getting distracted.

SAMADHI
 

The final step to achieve what is called the ultimate desire, Moksha, of all living beings is Samadhi. Here the ability of our mind helps us unite our true self with what is our object of perception. We reach the pinnacle of the complete Yoga process to achieve a state where our soul meets with the universal soul.