Basics of Yoga of Patanjali

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Basics of Yoga of Patanjali

 

The eight limbs of Patanjali yoga are: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama,

pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi .

 

Abstaining from evil doing is yama .

 

Niyamas are purity, contentment, tapas, study and devotion to God.

 

Asana or right posture is importantso that the body does not become a stubling

block in the natural flow of life force during meditation.

 

Pranayama is controlling the prana or breath. The breath slows down and we

benefit physically by adding days and years to our lives (it is said our breaths

are counted and not years). Pranayama sends the vast mass of energy stored at

the base of the spinal cord upwards to thte crown of thehead.

 

Pratyahara is withdrawing attention from the objects of sense organs. Like the

lotus that remains sumbergd in the muddy waters but keeps its leaves and flowers

unstained by mud.

 

Dhyana is fixing the consciousness in the heart, which is on the right side of

the chest. Unbroken (like the flow of oil from one vessel to another) and

intense dhyana changes into dharana and the body consciousness evaporates. The

consciousness of self melts into the large consciousness and becomes one with

cosmos.

 

Finally, one attains samadhi , a state of absolute peace.

 

The Buddha calls it shunyata. We know it as ananda. It has also been called as

cool radiance of a million suns. After attaining samadhi the tiny drop (atman)

merges with the might ocean (Brahman)

 

Source: http://spirituality.indiatimes.com - Taken from the August issue of Sri

Ramana Jyothi.