Ashtanga Yoga: The Eight Limbs of Yoga

Transcript

ashta means number eight anga means lymph in the practice of ashtanga vinyasa yoga that is known as traditional dynamic vinyasa sequence we are not only just practicing asana but we are also practicing the entire eight limbs of yoga ashtanga yoga that is the teachings from the patanjali's around 2000 years ago so i'd like to take a look at what are these eight limbs of yoga what are the different aspects of yoga that we are meant to practice simultaneously as when we are in the yoga mat practicing asana the first lymph is known as yama yama there are five yamas these are like five recommendations for our inner attitude and the outer attitude first yama is ahimsa non-violence second yama is satya the truthfulness third one astaya non-stealing so through these three yamas we are deeply listening what is truthful what is actually happening in my body in my energies in my mind and with a kindness and with not forcing with not pulling in with the graceful effortless flow we cultivate our practice and this is our only practice we are not trying to do somebody else's practice but we are doing our practice fourth yama is known as brahmacharya this is the point of connecting to the brahma connecting to the source energy that is our practice itself the last yama is known as apari graha long attachment that we are not really attached to the outcome itself every moment of our practice is bringing our bringing us a new insight second lymph is called niyama there are five niyamas as well they are known as saucha purity santosha contentment so the saucer the purity our practice is already purifying the different levels of our existence including physical body chronic body mental body intuitive body the higher mind and our soul the bliss body contentment is a really important key to cultivate that whatever happens at any stage of our practice we are content with what is happening right now sapasia austerity that we are our own guide we are the guides to ourself that we cultivate and continue to hold the self-discipline towards ourselves to grow and develop our practice continually swadhyaya self-study the practice leads us to understand ourselves even more ishwara puranidada this is the really beautiful and important recommendation that we offer everything up for the higher intelligence for the divine all the outcomes of our effort actions outcomes fruits benefits they're all offered up for the one universal person ishwara third lymph is asana that is obvious that we practice asana and then this lymph of asana is deeply connected with the next limb called pranayama in the ashtanga vinyasa practice we hold the ujjayi pranayama as a simultaneous practice to asana so so we are doing the pranayama and asana at the same time from the very beginning until we finally sit in meditation and the entire practice is ground to cultivate pratyahara internalization instead of hearing outside seeing outside tasting outside we are hearing inside we are tasting inside we are feeding inside so we are directing our awareness inwardly that is pratyahara this leads to concentration dharana when then the concentration is crystal clear what appears is diana meditation the flow of consciousness when the vinyasa practice is carried with sincere grace and concentration our practice is transformed into a moving meditation that is vinyasa and then that leads to samadhi self-realization understanding of who i am on the yoga mat so ideally in our practice we are not only practicing asana but we are cultivating the different aspects of the yogic practice so let's take that in our heart 99 practice one percent theory i see you on the yoga mat you