Five thousand years ago, Yoga was born in India, and it has been a great gift to the world ever since. The word Yoga, having a Sanskrit root as "Yuj", meaning union, connotes a bonding of the individual soul with the Supreme Being or Supreme Soul, also called God by some.

It is not built upon the teachings of any religion in particular, but instead calls upon the Yogi to find her own (or his own) sense of being part of a greater Spiritual Body. The way that that is achieved is by applying the eight limbs of Yoga to the Yogi's practice, and using each of them to continually reach for a greater height of self-knowledge and inner peace.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, one of the ancient texts that forms the foundation for Yoga philosophy, defines eight "limbs" of this discipline. Each limb relates to an important aspect of living a healthy life and taking them in sequence, each builds upon the one before it. Contrary to what many outside the Yoga community believe, only one of the essential limbs of Yoga is actually about poses.

Asthanga (also correctly spelled Astanga) is a Sanskrit term meaning "eight limbs". The Asthanga method of asana practice was interpreted by Krishnamacharya and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois from an ancient text called the Yoga Korunta, which described a unique system of Hatha Yoga developed by Vamana Rishi.

About Yoga Master, Pattabhi Jois, "The Father of Yoga" :

Born in 1915, Pattabhi Jois studied with Krishnamacharaya in Mysore, India from the tender age of 12. He emerged as the leading teacher and practitioner of Asthanga Yoga, which is a series of poses done in a fluid style known as Vinyasa. The eight limbs of Yoga, as Master Jois elucidated in his Yoga Sutras, are vital to any Yoga student to learn.


Below is a description of each of Yoga's eight limbs:

1. Yama

Five ethical guidelines regarding moral (responsible) behaviour toward others:

Ahimsa: Nonviolence
Satya: Truthfulness
Asteya: Not stealing
Brahmacharya: Not lusting
Aparigraha: Not coveting

2. Niyama

Five ethical guidelines regarding moral (responsible) behaviours toward oneself:

Saucha: Cleanliness
Santosa: Contentment
Tapas: Sustained practice
Svadhyaya: Self study
Isvara pranidhana: Surrender to God, or the Supreme Spirit

3. Asana

Practice of achieving Yoga postures (poses)

4. Pranyama

Practice of proper breathing exercises

5. Pratyahara

Withdrawal from the sensual world - so that outside distractions do not interfere with mental peace

6. Dharana

Concentration - increasing the ability to maintain focus on a single act or function without wavering

7. Dhyana

Meditation - building on Dharana, this limb takes the concentration to a deeper level, until it becomes all encompassing.

8. Samadhi

Bliss. Bringing the self closer to total happiness and merging with The Universe. Also referred to as a state of "enlightment".

Noticeably, these limbs emphasize excellent behaviour and gaining a sense of serenity, along with greater self-control. The limbs are what make Yoga the unique, special modality it is, and give it much more benefit than does physical exertion alone. Yogis learn more about themselves and how to overcome personal challenges every day through their practice - always raising their skill level one limb upon the next.

Namaste!