What is Ashtanga Yoga?

In essence, all types of yoga can be designated by the general term – Hatha Yoga, a set of physical exercises. Individual types/schools of yoga differ in that attention is paid to separate accents during practice and the authorship of the methodology. Ashtanga Yoga is one of the most famous yoga systems, which was first described by the sage Patanjali in the “Yoga Sutras” and became part of traditional Indian philosophy.

Ashtanga Yoga: Eight Limbs

1. Yama

Yama – the basic regulatory principles of the life of every person. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, 5 main principles of Yama are distinguished:

1. Non-violence (ahimsa) – in relation to oneself and other people, as well as the surrounding living world. This implies not only physical non-violence, but also mental (mental and verbal). This principle is often perceived radically (complete rejection of animal food, refusal to perform duties associated with harming living things, and so on). But everything should be in moderation – if, due to health reasons, you really need animal products, then you need to listen to your body. Initially, it may not be possible to observe complete ahimsa. Nevertheless, you just need to constantly keep in mind the definition of ahimsa and try to follow it.
2. Truthfulness (satya) – in relation not only to other people, but also to oneself. It is also about the correct and unambiguous expression of one’s own thoughts (avoid ambiguity).
3. Honesty (asteya) – prohibition of theft or the desire to appropriate someone else’s. By practicing this principle, a person will achieve peace of mind when he knows that he owns only what is due to him.
4. Chastity (brahmacharya) – control of lust, preservation of chastity before marriage and chastity in marital relations. The principle implies the absence of even mental lust in relation to persons of the opposite sex, except for one’s spouse (husband, wife). A person must control desires, not be in their power. As soon as desires begin to rule the mind, a person loses freedom.
5. Non-possessiveness (aparigraha) – non-attachment to material goods, non-accumulation (storage of things that we do not need). This principle also applies to food: we must eat to satisfy hunger and live a full life. But even when hunger is satisfied, sometimes we tend to eat more, just because we like the taste. When we consume excess food, it harms the body. Food is not digested well, which leads to the occurrence of diseases. In other sources, in particular, in Hatha Yoga Pradipika (a text on Hatha Yoga, the approximate date is the 15th century AD), additional, but no less important principles are added:

• forgiveness, mercy (kshama);
• steadfastness, courage (dhriti);
• compassion (daya) – this is not a reaction to a situation, but an action: physical help or verbal comfort;
• humility (aryav) – working with one’s own ego;
• moderate appetite (mtahara) – limiting food and observing the diet necessary for the body at the appropriate time.

2. Niyama

Niyama – the prescribed duties of a person, the rules of life of an individual. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, 5 rules are distinguished:

1. Purity (shaucha) – like ahimsa, this purity is also physical, verbal, and mental. Physical purity involves internal cleansing procedures (shuddhi-kriya, will be discussed in a separate article), as well as external purity – neatness of the appearance of the body and clothing. Verbal purity implies limiting talkativeness, speaking when it is really necessary. Mental purity is achieved by getting rid of unnecessary thoughts and wanderings of the mind.
2. Contentment with the present (santosha). This is a state of mind, not a reaction to any external event, incident. Therefore, the state of satisfaction can be controlled by the mind and it is independent of external circumstances. In fact, the source of happiness lies in this state of mind. And the main cause of suffering is in Trishna (thirst). He who constantly learns to be content with the present is freed from thirst and finds happiness.
3. Endurance, self-discipline (tapas). To overcome difficulties with dignity – this is tapas. Studying yoga or practicing it, you may encounter physical difficulties in asanas or pranayama or difficulties in following the principles. Such difficulties and complexities (from the words “difficult” and “lie”, pay attention) must be calmly or joyfully accepted and continued to study. This is tapas.
4. Self-education (svadhyaya), the study of spiritual and secular literature. It also includes japa (repetition of the holy names of the Lord).
5. Acceptance of God and faith in the divine power, which is beyond our imagination (ishvara-pranidhana). In other sources, the following rules are added:

• strong faith (astikya);
• charity (dana). Donation should come from the heart, independently, with love and respect.
• constant study of sacred texts (siddhanta-shravana);
• development of spiritual “intelligence” (mati);
• control of shame (lajja). To be able to distinguish and be ashamed of bad things and not be ashamed of normal things.
  Almost everyone who begins to practice Ashtanga yoga exercises without a deep understanding of the goal asks the question, is it necessary to observe Yama and Niyama? Isn’t it possible to practice only asanas and/or pranayama? The answer is simple – if you do not practice Yama and Niyama, then you will not achieve the same results that you can achieve by practicing all 4 limbs together.

In addition, the indicated principles are actually not restrictions, but freedom from restrictions. Yoga begins with freedom from restrictions. Yama directly speaks about how a person should behave in society, and Niyama gives guidance in relation to the individual. In the Yama-principles steps, they come first, this indicates that yoga first considers society, and then the person. In the original sources, the descriptions of Yama and Niyama are made very carefully in order to lead the traveler to Samadhi. However, for us, ordinary people, the purpose of yoga classes is not Samadhi, but to live happily and contentedly. And, if we try to follow, for example, the principle of ahimsa, as it is understood in the texts, then this may turn out to be impossible for us in the modern world. Therefore, we must try to follow the described principles and rules, flexibly adapting them to ourselves, the main thing is to follow this path, to have the intention. Experience shows that as yoga studies continue, the tendency to follow Yama and Niyama increases. In any journey, it is necessary to know about the destination and follow in this direction. The time spent on the way can be different for everyone, but, as you know, the way will be overcome by the one who walks.

3. Asana

Asana – is a yoga posture, implying a certain position of the body.

1. level. Asana assumes a stable position, the body holds a certain pose for a long time, while ensuring the stability of all muscles, stretched or relaxed. At this stage, you need to make an effort to stabilize the body in the practiced pose.
2. level. As soon as the stability of the asana is achieved for a certain period of time, at the next level, comfort will be felt in the occupied position. You need to be able to maintain the asana and feel light.
3. level. Now you need to try to gradually relax the muscles in the occupied pose, with the practice of relaxation, you can achieve greater stability and comfort in the position. When the body is relaxed, the mind also becomes calm and relaxed, and you can focus, and not be distracted by physical sensations.
4. level. The mind can easily focus on the subject of meditation, this indicates a higher level of experience in practicing asana. Ideally, it is believed that if you can hold an asana for three hours without discomfort, then this indicates mastery at the physical level. If you can concentrate your mind on one object during the specified duration of practice, then you also possess the mental (or mental) level. The natural state of the body and mind is a relaxed state. Through regular practice of asanas, such a relaxed state is achieved effortlessly. You will be able to see the effect of such asana practice in everyday life: the body and mind will become more efficient, hardy, immunity will increase, you will be able to easily and consciously control emotions. Types and a complete step-by-step guide to the practice of Ashtanga yoga asanas are described in detail in the relevant section of our website ( yoga poses ).

4. Pranayama

Pranayama – is a controlled breathing exercise. By practicing pranayama regularly, you can learn to control the rhythms of pranic energy and achieve a healthy body and mind. Patanjali in the “Yoga Sutras” mentions pranayama as achieving higher states of consciousness, and clarifies that breathing is an important practice for achieving Samadhi.

5. Pratyahara

Pratyahara – is the conscious distraction of the senses from the object of thought. The goal of this stage is to increase the strength of the mind through mental preparation. A practical example of pratyahara can conditionally be called the state required for the successful practice of Shavasana (corpse pose). The first stage of Shavasana involves physical relaxation. At this stage, the body first takes a comfortable position, the muscles gradually relax, breathing slows down, and finally, the body completely softens. In the second stage of Shavasana, you “leave” the outside world, without losing complete contact with it. This is the experience of Pratyahara. Most of us may be familiar with this state: when you are in it, you may feel that you are at the bottom of a well. You are aware of the sounds around you, but they do not interfere with the body and mind. This is a state of non-reaction.

6. Dharana

Dharana – concentration of the mind within certain limits. It implies the fixation of the mind on the essence of a certain object or thought. It is interesting to note that the highest stage of mental concentration, recorded and described by modern psychologists, is more or less similar to the description of Dharana, that is, the primary stage of concentration, according to Patanjali’s description. Regular practice of dharana enhances yoga practice, improving the practitioner’s ability to stay focused and remain calm. Progressive practice of dharana leads to dhyana.

7. Dhyana

Dhyana – is a state of complete, deep concentration, or meditation . This is the achievement of complete control over the mind. Meditation perceives consciousness outside of conscious, subconscious and unconscious states and leads to superconsciousness. Dhyana relies on the practice of asana, pranayama, pratyahara and dharana. And all these stages together lead to a complete alienation of the mind from worldly attachments and a deeper understanding of the subject of meditation. At the final stage, the yogi no longer considers this as a meditation practice, since he is so immersed in the meditative act that he can no longer separate himself from it.

8. Samadhi

Samadhi – the ultimate goal of yoga practice and the final state of being of the mind, it is enlightenment and the preliminary state of nirvana. Moreover, this result can be represented rather as a series of stages that unfold in progression. Samadhi can be experienced not only by yogi-hermits living in the caves of India. Most meditators who practice regularly for an hour or two every day can reach the first stage of samadhi (in-depth practice of dhyana) within a few years, if they are given proper training. Thus, dharana (concentration of the mind on the object of meditation during meditative practice) eventually turns into dhyana (a relatively easy flow of consciousness from the mind to the object), and dhyana develops into samadhi. Samadhi begins when the relationship between the mind and the object deepens to such an extent that consciousness concentrates, and awareness of the object dominates the mind.