A Practical Approach to the Eight Limbs of Yoga

Review Article

Ann Yoga Phys Ther. 2023; 6(1): 1052.

A Practical Approach to the Eight Limbs of Yoga

Divya Sharma¹*; BR Sharma²

Research Scholar (Yogic Science), Department of Health & Wellness, Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha, India

*Corresponding author: Divya Sharma Research Scholar (Yogic Science), Department of Health & Wellness, Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha, India Email: mdivyarkl@gmail.com

Received: August 07, 2023 Accepted: September 04 , 2023 Published: September 11, 2023

Abstract

An overview of yogic philosophy can be found in the Yoga Sutras. Patanjali penned them in the middle Ages, 500 BC. These sutras outline the eight limbs of yoga, or the many ways to practise yoga on a mental, physical, and spiritual level. Ashtanga refers to the eight limbs of the yoga practise described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra. Following these eight rules will help you live a life that matters. They teach us about right and wrong conduct and the value of self-control, which can help us, avoid harm and preserve our health.

Introduction

There is more to yoga than merely wearing yoga pants and stretching. Yoga presents us with an opportunity to radically alter our way of living. Yoga, which originates from the Sanskrit language, can be translated in numerous ways, but at its core it means "to join," "to unify," or "to yoke." The Sanskrit word for "liberation" or "freedom," moksha, refers to the state attained when one realises their True Selves.

The essence of yoga is captured in the central paragraph of the Yoga Sutras, the canonical text of yoga. It is read as: yogash chitta-vritti-nirodhah in Sanskrit. Traditional yoga practitioners point to the English translation, which reads, "Yoga is the total cessation of activity of the intellect," as the best explanation of the practise. Though in the West the yoga practices is typically regarded of as stretching, twisting, and modifying to attain health and physical well-being, this is changing. Asana, the yoga postures we do in class, is one of yoga's 8 limbs. They're just a branch on yoga's wonderful tree.

The eight limbs of yoga are outlined in Patanjali's seminal work, "The Yoga Sutras" [1]. The manuscripts attributed to Patanjali are considered authoritative, but their authorship has been questioned by historians. They believe it is significantly more likely that the texts represent the accumulation of work done by several of Patanjali's students throughout time. The Yoga sutras emphasize the importance of cultivating human consciousness rather than perfect logic, and the Eightfold Path offers advice on how to live a meaningful life.

Patanjali presents the eight limbs of yoga practise, or "appendages," in the Yoga Sutras. Rather than being distinct "stages," as is commonly believed, these appendages flow smoothly into one another. They are not mutually exclusive practises; rather, they can complement one another as they advance the adept along the path to enlightenment.

There are four distinct sections to the Yoga Sutras. In the opening lines of the first chapter, the sage Patanjali describes samadhi, or a heightened state of consciousness. In the chapters that follow, Patanjali lays out the many routes to samadhi and describes the obstacles that can be met along the journey. We have inherited these procedures as the "Ashtanga Yoga" or "eight Limbs of Yoga" system.

The importance and relevance of Yoga's Eight Limbs continue to grow, and these limbs serve to:

• Purifying the physical and energetic bodies;

• Mastering the senses;

• Transcending material confines

The yoga sutras describe the Eight Limbs of Yoga, the ultimate goal of which is enlightenment [2,3].

Citation:Sharma D. A Practical Approach to the Eight Limbs of Yoga. Ann Yoga Phys Ther. 2023; 6(1): 1052.