Other Limbs

[Guest guest]

This question has probably been answered in the

vaults of this group but i'll ask it again anyway in the

hope that it has been forgotten.<br><br>Ashtanga has

eight-limbs. Only one of which is explicitly practised in

Ashtanga classes. What about the others. Do they come

along by themselves as a result of the practice (ie. is

"All is coming" to be taken completely literally and

is 'all' really 'all')or do they need to be

cultivated separately.<br><br>Will a daily asana practice

lead me to truth telling, non-violence, etc etc

etc.<br><br>MrM

[Guest guest]

Well, people suggested various answers to your

question. Some, including many ashtanga traditionalists,

said that asana is the foundation of all other limbs:

asana gives you the strength of body, and ultimately

the steadiness of mind, to practice deeply the yamas

and niyamas. Also pranayama as a separate practice

was supposed to be delayed until several series have

been mastered, after which control of breath would be

possible.<br><br>Others, chiefly Godfrey Devereux (of the book Dynamic

Yoga), say that yama/niyama is the true foundation. The

proper attitude of nonviolence, combined with a sense of

nonattachment and contentment, plus just the voluntary

contractions that constitute the bandhas -- these elements

sort of slide into asana, which sorta quiety slides

into pranayama, with each limb sliding into the next

on till samadhi. Then, if one continues in samadhi,

liberation finally occurs. By "sliding" I mean: it happens

of its own accord, and not by ones consciously

willing it to happen. Devereux put it much more

poetically.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the responses.<br><br>The

understanding I'm getting here is that the asana practice is

not a separate limb dangling on its own but is

integrated with the others but is not constitutive of them.

I've noticed that through the practice I have changed

and am able to be more forgiving and can be humble

enough to make apologies etc instead of sticking to my

guns.<br><br>Perhaps this is just a by-product of being a stronger and

more centred person and could have been achieved by

working out at the gym. That would make the asana

practice just another exercise with little more to

recommend it. But I do feel that it is different and my

changed psychology is something to do with progressing in

the practice.<br><br>The question is how far you can

you take the 'all is coming' mantram. Will the

practice itself remove the ego and its character traits

allowing us to swim in samadhi's bliss or does the

practice simply reinforce the ego's conceit that it is

following a 'spiritual path' as Krishnamurti suggests?

[Guest guest]

I believe in Krishnamurti