Eight Limbs Of Raja Yoga
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
Let’s take a closer look at Raja Yoga, which is a series of principles that are meant to purify the body, the emotions, the mind, and lead one to enlightenment. The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali Maharishi explain the Eight Limbs.
Yamas: Yamas are all about standards, integrity, honesty and ethics. Literally, yama has the meanings of “rein, curb or bridle oneself, restraint.” These are rules for proper conduct in society and in life. This yoga deals with the personality and the lower nature. This is a set of “don’ts” and “no no’s.” The famous quote, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is at the core of the purpose of yamas. The five ideals are:
- Ahimsa: (non-violence, compassion, non-harmfulness) This is more than just non-violence. This is actual compassion for all living things. This is literally an inability to do harm in to any creature, not even an ant. When a person saves spiders and flies from the house, this is ahimsa. It also includes non-violence to the self, like refraining from self-abusive or self-depreciating dialogue. It is not passive, however, and one practices the attitude of being willing to help when help is needed by others, and not passing them by.
- Satya: (truthfulness, integrity, honest communication) Satya means “to speak the truth.”Speaking the truth sometimes can cause harm, so whenever this is the case, since it would violate ahimsa, it is better to say nothing at all. Satya is a commitment to truthfulness, no deception, no exaggerations and no gossip. We must think before we speak.
- Asteya: (non-stealing, not taking advantage of others, consideration) Steya means “to steal.” Asteya means “non-stealing.” We must not take advantage of other people, even if they are naïve, and refrain from taking anything that does not belong to us if it is not freely given by its owner. This also has to do with being considerate to others and not being an “energy vampire” on their time and resources. It includes not stealing the ideas of others as well.
- Brahmacharya: (continence, moderation, control of the senses) For many, the obstacle on the path to enlightenment has been the senses. The senses tempt and invite distraction. Addiction to the pleasure of the senses blocks awakening. This yama most often is known to mean abstinence from sexual activity, refraining from gluttony, lust, and staying focused on the goal of spiritual awakening. Living in excess is a violation of this yama.
- Aparigraha: (non-covetousness, non-materialism, non-greed, non-possessiveness) This means to live simply and take only what you need. It is important not to take advantage of the situation or be greedy. Be fair, and refrain from exploiting for the purpose of material gain. Hoarding material things means that one does not have faith in the source to provide for the future. The yogi embraces change and impermanence, and does not fear for survival by thwarting and coveting material wealth and belongings.
Niyamas: These are the "dos" in the Eight Limbed Path Of Yoga. These are personal observances, rules or laws that the self should be governed by. Literally, niyama means in Sanskrit “rules or laws.” These are also divided into five categories. These are:
- Sauca/Saucha: (purity, inner and outer cleanliness) Outer cleanliness has to do with personal hygiene and general good grooming. It also means to have a clean environment and orderly surroundings. Inner cleanliness has to do with the right diet, right exercise, and toxin removal, all of which in turn create a healthy mind.
- Santosa/Santosha: (contentment, acceptance of what is, humility) We must be at peace with what we have and refrain from being depressed about what we don’t have. To find contentment even if life is not perfect, this is santosa. We are where we are for a reason and there is a purpose to life’s challenges. It may even be karma. We must be willing to accept what happens and be grateful for what we already have, for there is always someone who has it worse.
- Tapas: (austerity, self discipline, pay attention) Literally, it means to heat the body and cleanse it. It also means to burn up our desires that stand in the way of the ultimate goal of becoming one with the Source of Self. We must also pay attention to all our habits, what we eat, how we breathe, in general—mindfulness. It is about self-discipline and staying in shape in body, mind and emotions.
- Svadhyaya/Swadhyaya: (study of the sacred texts and self study) Sva means “self” and adhyaya means “inquiry” or “examination,” thus self-inquiry by self-examination. Part of examining the self includes learning about scriptures and sacred writings, and excepting the teachings of spiritual teachers. Anything that cultivates self inquiry and self-awareness is svadhyaya in action. Going to satsang, reading spiritual books, journaling, and other inwardly focused activities to enhance spiritual understanding of the self are in this category. I always say, “If you want to know who God is, study yourself.”
- Ishwara Pranidhana: (constant awareness of the divine Presence, surrender to God's Will) This literally means “lay all your actions at the feet of God.” This is awareness of the Oneself in everything and our awareness of our self as part of God. Here, we let go of the illusion that we are in control and surrender our will to a higher (deeper) force. Meditation every day on recognizing ourselves as part of a larger force is imperative for vigilance and discipline in this niyama.
Asanas:
Asanas are the body postures that everyone thinks of when they think of yoga. This is the physical part of yoga discipline. Asana means “staying” or “abiding” in Sanskrit. Therefore, asanas are physical postures that one must hold for a while, building strength and stamina. One stays between the states of activity and non-activity, a balance between movement and non-movement. Poses challenge not only the physical body but also the mind and the emotions. Different poses challenge the mind to either surrender or strengthen its will. Control of the self in all aspects can be developed through the physical poses. It causes us to override the physical body. The mind naturally quiets, the emotions eventually accept, and the body is shaped and given steadfastness. The challenge of asanas causes one to become quite grounded. When asanas are mastered, we have mastered the opposites within ourselves. This is fertile ground, according to Patanjali, for evolution and the blossoming of awareness. We will cover asanas in more detail shortly.Pranayama:
Pranayama has to do with breathing and control of prana through breathing exercises. It is practiced together with asanas, and is intended to bring one to the point of being able to control the life force of the physical body. In turn, theses exercises of inhalation, retention and exhalation of the breath cleanses the body and increases vitality. It also alters the consciousness and prepares it for meditation. These breathing exercises are covered in detail in the UMS course Pranayama.Pratyahara:
Ahara means “nourishment” and pratyahara means “to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses.” This means withdrawing from the world regularly for retreats from the daily stresses of life and contemplating the bigger picture. That means withdrawing from sensory gratification, seeking pleasures, and stopping all external stimulation. Fasting is an example of pratyahara. In life, the senses are often our “master,” directing us to seek that which gratifies us. However, when the senses are turned inward, or deprived from seeking outward manifestations, they become very sharp and hypersensitive. People who have experienced a floatation tank in the pitch dark have reported how the senses became very acute after they adjusted to not being outwardly directed. This can be accomplished in meditation and retreat from the world as well. They are very useful when they are turned inward to seek for Self. The discipline of pratyahara assists us in developing the ability to have inner peace and tranquility no matter what is going on around us. Each of us gets a little taste of this state right before we fall asleep, as the senses begin to withdraw from the world, and upon awakening before the senses have fully returned to human affairs. To “be in the world but not of it” is an example of developed pratyahara, being aware of the world while the senses are still directed inward, detecting inner currents rather than outer currents.The next three steps are the portion of Raja Yoga which pertains to the internal practices of the Eight Limbed Path.
- Dharana: This literally means “immovable concentration of the mind.” Dhar means “to hold.” This means to be one-pointed in consciousness by holding the consciousness in a focused manner, remaining unwavered by other distractions. This can be achieved while we go about our daily tasks, staying focused on whatever is in front of us, and is an exercise in being in the now, present always in the moment while realizing the self as eternal consciousness rather than the human identity we thought we were. This is an exercise in harnessing the mind’s attention. All other distractions fall away when one pointed focus is the state of the mind. Now that the mind has been harnessed, focused and restrained, being in the present moment is a natural result.
- Dhyana: Devotion, worship and meditation on the Divine is dhyana. The idea is that since the mind is transformed into the shape of the object of concentration, focus on the divine leads us to reflect it. We become aware of the world as the illusion that it is, the great dance, or Maha Leela. Maya (the veil that covers what is real) is lifted and one becomes aware of one’s true self, one’s true identity. All fear, even the fear of harm or death, disappears, and freedom is achieved (Moksha).
- Samadhi: This is the state of union with the divine, the goal of the Eight Limbs Of Yoga. This is the state of consciousness in which non-duality is experienced and oneness with all is the Self’s identity. This is the highest possible state for human beings. Some call it ecstasy. A true sense of completion and wholeness is realized. It is a state of non-separation from all things, and there is no more “I” in the human sense of the word. There is only experience of self as eternal awareness, awake and lucid in the dream of the One Self. Samadhi is a rare experience, but we have all had at least one glimpse of what it is or we would not be on the spiritual path. The ability to concentrate and stay in a one-pointed focus, dharana, is a pre-requisite to Samadhi, so the first task is toget the mind to stop chattering, a big task for most people! After dharana, however, dhyana and samadhi naturally follow.