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The Eight Limbs of Yoga - A Journey into Space
Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga: A Path to Becoming Your Own King
In the Yoga Sutras, the sage Patanjali introduces the eight limbs of yoga, a roadmap toward self-realization. But this isn’t the kind of map you follow step by step, like a trail guide leading to a treasure chest. No, Patanjali’s map is more like a story—a tale where the protagonist, oblivious to his own royalty, spends his life as a beggar, only to awaken one day to the realization that he has always been an emperor.
Through the darkness of emptiness, Patanjali tells us, we can experience the light of truth. It’s as if he’s whispering: “Sit in the void. Feel the lack. Only then will you understand that you are already whole.”
What Patanjali Does—and Doesn’t—Do
Patanjali doesn’t give orders. He doesn’t hand out commandments or tell us how to live our lives. Instead, he offers a framework—a way of understanding the journey to self-realization. The Yoga Sutras aren’t a prescription but a compilation of principles that might guide us toward the proverbial promised land.
Here’s the thing, though: it’s not your map. It’s not my map. It’s Patanjali’s distillation of what he understood yoga to be—a structure that invites you to reflect, experiment, and ultimately forge your own path.
It’s like reading the story of Muhammad Ali, tracing his transformation from Cassius Clay to the greatest boxer of all time. For a young fighter to think he can follow Ali’s exact footsteps would be foolish. Sure, Ali’s journey can inspire, but no two fighters walk the same path. To become great, the young boxer must channel Ali’s spirit of fearlessness and carve his own way.
The same goes for yoga. Patanjali’s words are a beacon, not a rulebook. Yoga is, at its essence, the process of self-discovery—of stepping beyond what you think you know about life and the vastness of existence. Swami Vivekananda, another giant of spiritual wisdom, repeatedly emphasized the importance of courage: Be brave. Walk your own path.
And yet, in the modern world, many practitioners cling to the Yoga Sutras like a safety net, mistaking the framework for the truth itself. They get so caught up in the philosophy that they lose sight of themselves. The irony, of course, is glaring. Patanjali explicitly warns that attachment—even to spiritual ideas—leads to suffering.
My Interpretation of the Eight Limbs of Yoga: A Journey Through Inner Space
Imagine holding a lantern in a dark room, desperately searching for the light switch, only to realize the lantern itself is the light. The glow we seek has always been within — it simply takes turning inward to see it. The path of yoga isn’t a journey to a distant star but a peeling away of layers, like a snake shedding its skin. Beneath the muddy surface of habit and ignorance lies the diamond of our true self, waiting patiently to shine.
The treasure is already within. No map is needed, only the key. If we ever misplace our keys and frantically turned our home upside down, we will understand: it’s not about creating the treasure but finding it. The key might be hidden under layers of clutter—our doubts, fears, and distractions—but it’s there. The search outside only delays the inevitable realization that what we are seeking has always been nestled within.
It’s like the seeker wandering to holy sites, convinced that divinity lies elsewhere, when all along, the king of kings sits quietly at home, waiting. Stop the chase. We must close our eyes. Be still. And there, in the silence, we shall find it: the sought is the seeker, the journey is the destination.
The Eight Limbs: A Map to the Treasure
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras illuminate a practical framework for this inward journey—the Eight Limbs of Yoga.
Think of them as both steps on a ladder and branches of a single tree. They are sequential but interconnected, each nourishing the whole. Like building a fire, we start with kindling, add logs, and eventually watch the flames illuminate the darkness.
1. Yama: Self-Restraint
Picture a river flowing freely. Without banks to guide it, it becomes a flood, destructive and aimless. Yama provides those guiding banks, helping channel life’s energy purposefully. But self-restraint isn’t repression—it’s redirection. It’s choosing where your energy flows, like focusing sunlight through a magnifying glass to ignite a flame. Without direction, energy scatters; with it, even limited reserves become boundless.
2. Niyama: Discipline
If yama is the riverbank, niyama is the daily act of tending it—removing debris, building bridges, and keeping the water clear. Discipline creates rhythm in your life, turning chaos into harmony. It’s not about rigid schedules but a purposeful regularity, like the steady beat of a drum guiding a dance. Without discipline, freedom is an illusion, a puppet controlled by whims. With it, you gain mastery over your own life.
3. Asana: Posture (not the modern day yoga posture - this pre-dates physical yoga)
Patanjali says sit. No, really—just sit. Feel the rebellion of the body: the itch that wasn’t there a moment ago, the restless legs, the aches. Asana teaches us to make peace with the body, to sit still and feel at home within it. Like taming a wild horse, it’s about gentle persistence, not force. Once the body settles, it becomes a silent ally, allowing us to move inward without distraction.
4. Pranayama: Breath Regulation
The breath is the bridge between the body and mind, the silent rhythm that plays in the background of our life. Pranayama is learning to conduct this orchestra. Imagine blowing on a flickering candle—the way our breath shapes the flame is how it shapes our mind. Calm the breath, and the mind follows suit. Control it, and we hold the reins to our inner world.
5. Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the Senses
Ever notice how, when engrossed in a book, the world around us fades? That’s pratyahara—the art of turning the senses inward. It’s like drawing the shutters to block a noisy street, creating a quiet space for introspection. Once we have mastered our breath, we can gently redirect our senses, not as an act of denial, but as a way of retreating to the sanctuary of the self.
6. Dharana: Concentration
With the senses withdrawn, the mind finds its focus. Dharana is like shining a spotlight on one object in a dark room. Whether it’s a mantra, a flame, or our breath, this concentrated awareness steadies the mind, anchoring it in the present. Think of it as planting a seed—focused attention prepares the ground for deeper meditation to bloom.
7. Dhyana: Meditation
Dhyana is the river flowing into the ocean, no longer confined by the banks of concentration. Here, the subject and object dissolve, leaving pure awareness. It’s not thinking about something but simply being, like the sky observing clouds without attachment. Yet, even here, a subtle sense of self remains, like a ripple on the surface of still water.
8. Samadhi: Liberation
And then, the ripple disappears. Samadhi is the ultimate union, where the drop merges with the ocean and all boundaries vanish. It’s the culmination of the journey, where nothing more is sought because everything has been found. In samadhi, we are home.
The Bridges Between
These limbs aren’t isolated practices but interconnected bridges. Yama connects us to society; niyama and asana anchor us in the body. Pranayama bridges the body and mind, while pratyahara and dharana prepare the mind for meditation. Dhyana leads to samadhi, the final leap beyond. It’s a seamless dance, each step flowing naturally into the next.
Like building a temple, the foundation must be strong, each layer supporting the one above. And when the temple is complete, we don’t worship the stones but the space within. So, too, with yoga: the limbs are the scaffolding, but the treasure lies in the inner sanctum of our being.
The Path Home
Yoga isn’t about bending into pretzel shapes or chasing enlightenment as though it’s an item on a to-do list. It’s about peeling away the unnecessary, like polishing a mirror until it reflects our true self. The Eight Limbs offer a compass, but the path is ours to walk.
In the end, the search isn’t about finding something new but recognizing what’s been there all along: the light within, waiting patiently for us to look inward and see.
ADDITIONAL & RELATED BLOGS -
What is 'non-attachment' in Yoga? - https://www.akramyoga.co.uk/single-post/what-is-non-attachment-in-yoga
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras - A Long Read - https://www.akramyoga.co.uk/single-post/2019/05/01/patanjalis-sutras
Zahir Akram - Eternal Seeker
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