Chapter 4: The Eight-limbed Path

To practice pratyahara is to practice withdrawing your senses, and there are many ways to do this, including:

(1) Coming to a seated position and closing your eyes. (2) Placing a candle in front of you, and focusing on the flame (3) Scanning your body, and shifting your awareness from one point to another (4) Counting each inhale and exhale

Prana, also known as breath of life or essential energy, can be divided into the following five vayus, or functions of prana:

(1) Prana-vayu (2) Apana-vayu (3) Samana-vayu (4) Udana-vayu (5) Vyana-vayu

Every breathing cycle has four parts:

(1) Rechaka — exhalation (2) Puraka — inhalation (3) Bahya kumbhaka — suspension of breath after the exhalation (4) Antara kumbhaka — retention of breath after the inhalation

Teaching satya goes beyond teaching students to simply tell the truth.

To teach truthfulness, we must teach students to be truthful even to themselves. When students learn to be honest with themselves and direct their behavior to align with their intentions and values, they become more focused and alert.

Apana-vayu

a descending and outward-moving energy located beneath the navel.

While keeping the physical body clean and pure with detoxification practices...

a healthy diet, and proper hygiene is an important aspect of saucha, this practice is ultimately about mindfulness — particularly the act of observing mental fluctuations without judgment so that you can reach and maintain mental clarity.

Asana

a physical practice of yoga meant to cleanse the body.

Contentment comes from...

a realization of wholeness.

when it comes to dhyana, meditation is...

a state of being where thoughts come and gowithout being held or followed.

When you're in a state of dharana, or concentration, you must bring yourself back to the object of focus again and again. However, dhyana is...

a state that goes beyond concentration, where you can effortlessly meditate on the object of focus without ever being led away by thoughts that arise.

Meditation is often described as a practice, and it's sometimes considered...

a type of concentration.

Pranayama without mantra is known as...

a- mantraka, or mantra without seed.

When you complete a pranayama practice...

allow students to observe their bodies and the energy they've created in silent meditation.

Udana-vayu

an ascending energy located at the throat, upper chest, and head.

Samana-vayu

an equalizing energy that moves toward the center and is located at the navel.

Prana-vayu

an inward-moving energy located at the heart, chest, and lung areas.

Vyana-vayu

an outward-moving and diffusive energy located at the peripheral nervous system. This vayu permeates the entire body.

The practice of santosha, or contentment...

arises from the state of purity.

by practicing pratyahara, we begin to...

ascend to higher states of being where individual consciousness becomes more attuned to divine consciousness. Then we realize that universal consciousness is truth, a truth based on vibration. And as we begin to rise into the states of meditation and samadhi, our vibrations change. Distractions that used to keep our energy level heightened begin to fall away. This has a lot to do with how practice and the higher states of being affect the peripheral nervous system

pranayama practice is intended to...

balance the mind and body to help the aspirant prepare for meditation.

It's important to note that asana is meant to...

be practiced before pranayama. This allows us to practice refining the gross, physical energy before moving into the more subtle energy practice of pranayama. These two practices are designed to prepare us for higher states of being.

According to the pranayama technique you've chosen..

begin by cueing students to inhale and exhale slowly, or rapidly, through the nose or the mouth.

Pranayama has a lotto do with..

both physical breath and the mechanics of the breath, but it's actually much more than that. Pranayama practice involves all systems of the body, including cardiovascular, circulatory ,pulmonary, endocrine, digestive, and lymphatic systems. A strong pranayama practice will yield a healthy immune system and create more resistance to disease.

ahimsa can be applied...

both to ourselves and to others. Another way to understand non-violence is that it's a practice of compassion that helps us to go beyond conceptualization.

Passive observation is not pranayama, but it is still a beneficial practice. In passive observation, you...

bring your awareness to the breath without making any active changes. Instead, you simply watch your inhales and exhales, observing the quality and depth of every breath and how they feel in your body.

Since the purpose of the eight-limbed path is to develop a relationship with Self, it follows that the purpose of tapas practice is to...

bring yourself back to Self when you become distracted so that you can continue to engage in coming to know the Self.

Vyana-vayu's functions

circulation and movement.

In addition to the physical practices associated with Hatha yoga, the practice of asana also includes...

cleansing practices, known as "kriyas." All of the physical practices of yoga, including kriyas, are part of the asana limb of yoga that's meant to purify and cleanse the body.

Blockages in udana-vayu can present as...

cognition and communication issues.

By concentrating on the breath, on our practice, on a sense of gratitude, or on some other object, we begin to...

cultivate states ofdharana that eventually lead to the seventh limb of yoga.

Out of the practice of pratyahara comes the three states of being on the eight-limbed path

dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (union with spirit).

The 7th limb of yoga

dhyana, or meditation

Samana-vayu's functions

digestion, metabolism, and homeostasis

Blockages in Samana-vayu can present as...

digestive problems.

Apana-vayu's functions include:

elimination, reproduction, and immune-system support

When teaching pranayama...

guiding students into a comfortable seated position is a good place to start. As students progress through the practice, it may be desirable to bring them into more erect, supported seats that allow for uninterrupted energy flow.

Blockages in prana-vayu can present as..

heart and lung conditions, and lethargy.

The first two limbs, the yamas and niyamas...

help us to stay focused on the oneness that is divinity. As we practice our yamas and niyamas, we begin to align energies within our physical bodies, making them conduits for divine energy.

Ultimately, the practice of yoga is designed to...

help you recharge and reboot, and this allows the SNS and PNS to engage in a delicate dance where both systems support and complement one another.

Chanting a mantra has many benefits, including...

improving concentration, but working silently with the breath also has its meditative advantages.

Savasana is a time to...

integrate everything we've learned during practice and then let it go. It's an opportunity to reset the SNS, release anything we're holding in the physical body, and let the body learn how it feels to relax in a safe place.

Practicing passive observation over time leads to...

involuntarily changes in your breathing patterns, and you may become calmer and more focused.

Svadhyaya, or self-study...

is a more holistic practice that integrates purity of being, contentment, and austerity for a deeper, inquiry-based investigation of yourself in relation to the higher Self.

The practice of Tapas, or austerity...

is the drive to come back to the practice day after day — not just the physical asana practice, but all eight limbs of yoga, including the mental and spiritual aspects.

Pratyahara, or sense withdrawal...

is the fifth limb of the eight-limbed path, and it is a bridge between the external limbs and the internal experiences of yoga.

Isvara Pranidhana

is the practice of devotion to Isvara, or Pure Awareness. Isvara can also be thought of as God, the Supreme Cosmic Soul, or simply as a higher power; devotion to higher power, surrender to God.

Active regulation

is the practice of pranayama, and it can produce specific effects in the kosha bodies.

The purpose of pranayama, the fourth limb of yoga

is to remove the mental disruptions and create a calm mind.

Aparigraha is a form of non-stealing. However...

it goes a bit further, noting that even gifts freely given to the aspirant create bonds of attachment by creating feelings of obligation.

Although Patanjali defines yama as abstinence...

it's helpful to think of this limb as a representation of our moral obligations. The yamas help us to live in society by understanding and committing to the social agreements that make society work.

The SNS is designed to..

keep you alive. It's your fight-flight-freeze mechanism, and it's always at the ready, waiting to be activated when needed. We would never want our SNS to be in control; otherwise, we would be in a state of hyperarousal.

According to Patanjali, devoting one's life, or surrendering to, this higher power in all aspects of being leads to...

liberation and unending bliss.

To practice satya is to practice...

living authentically, or to act from true nature

Blockages in apana-vayu can present as...

menstrual problems, sexual dysfunction, and constipation.

In pranayama practice, we're mainly concerned with...

mental focus, duration of each breathing cycle, and the number of breathing cycles in a set.

As you work with saucha by practicing...

mindful awareness of the nature of Self, by applying compassionate self-forgiveness of any judgments that arise, you are also practicing santosha.

As the third limb of yoga, asana is, in essence...

moving meditation.

In this way, meditation is a state of...

non-doing that negates the act of practice. In other words, dhyana cannot be practiced, it simply is.

Aparigraha also means...

non-hoarding. Sharing, selfless giving, and collaboration are important aspects of non-hoarding.

to practice asteya means to...

not take anything that's not freely given.

I've discovered that the yamas directly relate to...

our societal dharma, or how we behave in society.

The practice pf pranayama, or active regulation is meant to...

pacify the cerebellum with methodical manipulation and, in turn, yield a calm, clear thought field.

There are two types of interactions with the breath:

passive observation and active regulation.

Blockages in vyana-vayu can present as...

poor peripheral circulation and numbness.

The intent of asana is to...

provide a safe physical space for students to explore their physical containers.

Prana-vayu's functions include:

respiration and sensory perception.

The PNS is responsible for..

rest and digestion.

Ultimately, aparigraha teaches us...

that every individual experience is a valid path to personal awakening. It teaches us gratitude.

Samadhi

the eighth and final limb of yoga, is the next state of being, and it results from meditation.

Adding a mantra to a pranayama is known as...

the practice of sa-mantraka, or mantra with seed.

When a yogi practices pratyahara...

the senses don't actually reach the receptors, and the yogi attains the level of focus necessary for samyama — the last three limbs of the eight-limbed path which combine the practice of dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.

Dharana

the sixth limb of yoga, can be translated as concentration

In Samadhi

there is a conscious, unconscious awareness of connection and union with the Source. Samadhi brings a sense of connection of being and a divine unity within and without.

Intrue asana practice...

there is no destination, no pose to achieve, and qualities of being transcend the asana practice itself.

Udana-vayu's functions

thought, speech, exhalation, growth, and consciousness.

PNS main function

to help you heal, refresh, and restart.

Using these tools of yoga, specifically asana and pranayama, allows you to...

tone your SNS so that you can increase and heighten attention, become more present, and respond rather than react to stimuli.

To help students use asana as a cleansing practice...

we must sequence and teach in a way that's anatomically safe for each individual's unique body type. Otherwise, energetic blockages can occur that defeat the purpose of asana practice.

When we exist within pure being...

we no longer have desires for anything external, and this allows us to completely appreciate what we have in the present moment.

any time we practice one yama in public but don't apply this practice to how we treat ourselves...

we perpetuate guna imbalance and cause dis-ease. (Note that the hyphen in dis-ease is meant to expand the word "disease" to include discomforts and imbalances in the body that are not necessarily defined as medical maladies.)

In pranayama...

we seek to clear the mental landscapeof distractions. To get this result, it's important to focus your attention on the breathing cycles and maintain a good posture.

By teaching your students to be truly grateful when receiving gifts...

you can help them to clear attachments caused by these feelings of obligation

In the practice of saucha...

you cultivate a connection to Isvara, or Pure Awareness, where it's possible to transcend the ceaseless turning of the gunas. In this state of being, you find turiya, the fourth state of consciousness, where Pure Awareness resides.

By practicing saucha...

you embody purity of being

When you practice pranayama, or active regulation...

you physically control the breath, using it as a guide to help you mentally focus on an object of meditation. Breath itself is often recommended as the object of focus.

Helpful tips for creating a more holistic asana practice:

(1) Try to practice in the same place every day. (2) Arrive to your mat clean and mentally ready to practice. (3) Try to practice in the early morning to set a positive tone for the day. (4) Practice on an empty stomach. (5) Take a restroom break before practice. (6) Have plenty of water available during your practice. (7) If you notice any energetic blockages when you come to the mat, focus on removing them before practice. (Note that energetic blockages come from limiting beliefs that move from the mind to the body. To help remove energetic blockages, try noticing limiting beliefs as they arise without judgment, and then let them go. You might even try replacing a limiting belief with a more positive belief that helps to support your asana practice.) (8) Breathe in and out through your nose rather than your mouth. (9) Maintain deep rhythmic breathing, matching the length of your inhales with your exhales. (10) Close your eyes and practice pratyahara, withdrawal of the senses. (11) Internally cue your muscles to engage during practice, and cue your muscles to release during Yin yoga variations. (12) Tell your nervous system that you're okay and supported. (13) Align your movements with your breaths. (14) Try to maintain complete immobility during Savasana. This helps to relax the body and mind, and it allows for divine communication.

The peripheral nervous system is a part of the nervous system that exists outside the brain and spinal cord.

(1) the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) (2) the sympathetic nervous system (SNS)

There are a total of five yamas:

(1.) Ahimsa (non-violence) (2.) Satya (truthfulness) (3.) Asteya (non-stealing) (4.) Brahmacharya (moderation) (5.) Aparigraha (non-hoarding)

Three important aspects of non-stealing (asteya):

(1.) Being respectful of other people's time (2.) giving credit (3.) honoring other people's energies

Two important approaches to teaching asteya:

(1.) Have students check in to ensure that they're meeting their needs within each energetic body. (2.) Have students tune into their peers and teachers so that they're aware of boundaries and needs in the present environment.

The second limb, niyama, consists of five observances that we, as yogis, should aspire to cultivate in our lives to help develop positive relationships with ourselves:

(1.) Saucha (purity of being) (2.) Santosha (contentment) (3.) Tapas (austerity) (4.) Svadhyaya (self-study) (5.) Isvara Pranidhana (devotion to a higher power)

the eight limbs of yoga are:

(1.) Yama (abstinence) (2.) Niyama (observance) (3.) Asana (posture practice) (4.) Pranayama (breath control) (5.) Pratyahara (sense withdrawal) (6.) Dharana (concentration) (7.) Dhyana (meditation) (8.) Samadhi (contemplation, absorption, superconscious state)

Brahmacharya helps yogis break the bonds of attachment to excess and external desires.

It is, essentially, a practice of self-restraint that helps to preserve energy by directing the mind away from chasing desires and toward taking right action. In Western society, focusing on moderation as opposed to abstinence will be more helpful when trying to engage students in this practice.

many authorities put special emphasis on the exhalation

Patanjali notes that releasing the breath with long, smooth, and subtle exhales is a very effective way to soothe the mind. A.G. Mohan notes that inhalations should be limited to only as much as necessary, whereas exhalations should be lengthened and of high quality.

In the yoga sutras...

Patanjali notes that yoga is a practice of surrendering to a higher power ,recognizing that this higher power is within, and realizing that there's no separation between ego and Self.