In The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we learn about the eight limbs of yoga, the eight branches towards awakening and connecting with our true selves. As discussed in part one and two, the first two branches of the eight limbs of yoga are the yamas and the niyamas.

The remaining six limbs of yoga are as follows:

3. Asanas

Postures. This limb refers to the physical postures practiced in yoga. By practicing asanas with the breath, one moves towards body awareness. Focusing on your drishti, your point of gaze, is more than just a general direction of where we look. It is rather a dynamic and acute awareness of your inner workings. Drishti requires presence. Therefore, together with your asanas, breath and drishti you develop inner awareness and focus. Creating a profound practice of active meditation, being fully engaged in the present moment. This limb not only engages the physical body but also the mind in turning inwards.

4. Pranayama

The breath. Pranayama is about controlling the breath. Breathing techniques as one might call it. Prana, or breath, is life force. It is voluntary and involuntary. In other words, as natural as it is for one to breathe consistently, we also have the capability to control it. The importance of breath is crucial in yoga. As emotions can control our breath, for example anger, fear, stress can elevate our breath rate, calm, ease and a relaxed state can lower it. Breathing techniques are tools to help bring ourselves to the present moment. It helps us calm down and return to our true selves. Pranayama is creating space for prana, life force, to flow.

5. Pratyahara

Withdrawal of the senses. This limb translates into the withdrawal of anything that feeds the senses. When we withdraw from external stimulus, we turn inwards. When we stop distractions, we are forced to look inwards. This way we stop feeding into our egos and allowing the outside world to control us.

Pratyahara can be a difficult limb to practice, as many people need the senses to ground themselves. Withdrawing the senses means you are stripped from external stimuli, leaving you open and vulnerable. A scary place for some, but also a rewarding one as it turns you away from the outside world and its distractions and brings you closer to home.

6. Dharana

Concentration. This limb is where you are put to action. Focusing can be a tough for many, as our minds tend to jump from one thing to the next. But with practice, you become better. Focusing on a mantra, breath or body part will allow you to shut down your external world and your mind. But the difficulty arises when one realizes it doesn’t last for long before a thought pops up or a noise disturbs you. Meditation is the way to practice dharana. We focus on a single point of concentration and then begin to train our mind.

7. Dyhana

Meditation. The Yoga Sutras states “Dyhana is the continuous flow of cognition toward that object.” While dharana is concentration on an object, dyhana is the continued flow of concentration. Uninterrupted. Through meditation, we learn to slow down and stop identifying with the thoughts in our mind.

8. Samadhi

Spirituality/bliss. This limb explains the complete absorption of the mind, as though the mind takes complete form of the object. Meaning you become pure consciousness.

Dr. Joe Dispenza says
“This requires you to become no body, no one, no thing, no where, in no time. When we can achieve this, we become pure consciousness, and when we become pure consciousness, we’re no longer identifying with anything physical. We become more energy and less matter. This is the bridge that connects us to the quantum field—the consciousness of everybody, every one, every thing, every where, in every time.”

There you have it. The eight limbs of yoga. Have you begun your yoga practice? What has been your experience with the different branches?