The Eight Limbs
November 6, 2006 on 9:17 pm | In Uncategorized |Who am I?
What do I want?
How can I serve?
These questions direct choices in life…the expansion of self awareness in our God Self is the essence of YOGA.
“In the attitude of silence the sould finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness.”    - Mahatma Gandhi
The eight branches of Yoga are; the yamas, the niyamas, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dyhana and samadhi.
These are not sequential stages, rather different entry points to an expanded self.
Yama:Â social behavior
         ahimsa (non-violence)
         satya  (speak truth)
         brahmacharya (sexual control)
         asteya (honesty)
         aparigrana (being generous)
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Truthfulness; integrity of thought, word, action
Honesty; relinquish the idea that things outside yourself will provide you security and happiness.
Generosity; internal reference from ego-based to spirit-based
Niyama:Â personal behavior
            soucha (purity)
            santosha (contentment)
            tapas  (discipline)
            svadhyaya (self-study)
            Ishwara-Pranidhana (surrender to the Divine)
Purity; Choose nourishment over toxicity.
Contentment; Fragrance of the present moment, peace is independent of situation around you.
Tapas; fire, discipline, austerity; burn the fire brightly and radiate peace and balance to the world.
Self study; difference between knowledge and self-study.
Surrender; let there be faith in the wisdom of uncertainty.
Asana: “seat” or “position”
Moving deeper into a pose, or asana, means to be in full expression of mind-body intergration; in which you are aware of the flow of life energy in your body.
If you combine flexibility (mind-body) and strength (mind-body), balance, and inner peace, then you can surmount any obstacle.
Pranayama:Â mastering the life force of breathÂ
There is an intimate relationship between your breath and your mind. When your mind is centered and quiet, so is your breath. When your mind is turbulent, your breathing becomes destorted and disordered.
Pranayama is a powerful technology to enhance neurorespiratory intergration.
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Pratyahara:Â withdrawl of the senses from the outer world to our inner world
Ultimately all experience is conciousness.
Reduce situations and people that deplete you of your vitality and enthusiasm for life.
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Dharana: mastery of attention and intention.
Once you activate your attention, your intentions have a powerful influence on what things manifest in your life.
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Dhyana:Â development of witnessing awareness.
Knowing you are in this world, but not of this world.
The cultivation of your awareness so that in the midst of perpeptual change you do not lose yourself in the object of your experience.
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 Samadhi: state of being settled in pure, unbounded awareness.
Going beyond time and space, beyond past and future, beyond individuality, Samadhi is tasting the realm of divinity and invinity.
You play your role, but do not lose yourself in the character.
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Goal of Yoga: To know yourself as a spiritual being disguised as a human being; to be established in union and perform action in the harmony of life.
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Copyright 2006 Sarah Davidian, All Rights Reserved