What is Yoga?

Forget everything you think you know about yoga. Despite popular belief, achieving a yoga pose, also known asana, is not the purpose of yoga. Rather, the poses are a tool to dive deeper into the yoga practice. A long time ago someone named Patanjali transcribed something called the sutras. The yoga sutras are basically like the guidelines to practicing yoga. The sutras barely even mention the postures/poses most of us in the west are familiar with. The asana/postures are considered one of the eight limbs of yoga. The eight limbs of yoga in order are the yamas, niyamas, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. If your interested in learning more about the true nature of yoga I will go a little deeper about each one below.

1. Yamas: The basic principles on how we treat others and interact with the world around us. These include non-harming (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), abstinence (brahmacharya), non-greed (aparigraha). Non-harming is where the vegans come in. But you don’t have to be a vegan to practice yoga, just try not to cause harm to others whether that is with your words or physically. Truthfulness can be tricky but in general if you try to stay honest and keep ahimsa (nonharming in mind) you should be ok. Non-stealing is really about respecting other people’s property and even their time. Abstinence can refer to celibacy but it can also be interpreted as moderation in all things such as sex, food, and other vices. Non-greed can be tough, however if we remember to value the important things in like our health and family it makes it a little bit easier. Another valuable lesson here is in being able to let go, this can be something material, relationships, or negative thoughts.

2. Niyamas: This is more about how we relate to ourselves. These include cleanliness (saucha), contentment (santosha), heat (tapas), self-knowledge (svadyaya), and surrender (ishvarapranidhana). Cleanliness is self-explanatory however other than hygiene it can also refer to having a positive mindset. Contentment is about being happy with what we have. Tapas us about effort and putting in work to learn and be better. Self-knowledge is really about self discovery and focusing on learning more about ourselves rather than others which we tend to do by comparing where we are in life to those around us. And finally surrendering to trying to have control over what happens and trust the process.

3. Asana: One of the most well known niyamas, the poses. Here we use the body as a tool to self discovery. It is important to modify the postures we practice to find physical comfort in them. While some types of yoga such as Ashtanga or Iyengar have very specific practices, as I physical therapist I find it safer and more effective to adapt the pose to the person rather than force an unprepared body into a pose. One of the yoga sutras is “sthira sukkah asanam” which means steadiness and ease. It is important to find stability and strength in each posture while remaining relaxed. Learning how to do this during the asana practice teaches us how to do so off the mat in our daily lives.

4. Pranayama: This is control of our vital energy through the breath. Practicing different breath techniques can achieve different effects such as energizing or calming. These techniques can also add another layer to your asana practice to help improve mindfulness.

5. Prayahara: Withdrawl of the senses. This is where we begin to being our attention inward rather than focusing on what is going on around us. We may begin our practice by paying attention to the sounds in the room we are we practicing but then we will start to focus on the sensation of the body and then our thoughts. This process helps prepare us for the next three limbs of yoga.

6. Dharana: Concentration. Focusing on a thought or a feeling. This allows us to enter a meditative state.

7. Dhyana: Meditation. Being present in the moment. This does not only happen when you’re sitting trying to meditate but any time you’re fully immersed in an activity you love.

8. Samadhi: Enlightenment. The “goal” of yoga. I think of this as a change of mindset. When you realize that meditation is really just a way of thinking and being. Living in the present moment no matter what you are doing. The yoga practice helps us achieve this off of our mat.

   Once you realize how beneficial this practice is to your own life, it is hard to not want to share it with others. Together we will practice using asana, in addition to other tools, to deepen our yoga practice and improve the quality of your life and the lives of the people around you.