Living the Yoga Lifestyle: Exploring the Eight Limbs

Deepen Your Yoga Practice

Summary

In this episode, Lauren provides an overview of the eight limbs of yoga, which is a path to mental, spiritual, and emotional liberation. She briefly explains each limb and how they can be applied in both everyday life and on the yoga mat. The eight limbs are: yama (ethical disciplines), niyama (personal observances), asana (physical postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (sense withdrawal), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (absorption). Lauren emphasizes that while reaching samadhi, the ultimate goal of yoga, may be challenging, the journey itself is valuable and can bring more union and alignment to our lives.

Takeaways

• The eight limbs of yoga are a path to mental, spiritual, and emotional liberation.
• Yama and niyama are ethical disciplines and personal observances that guide how we live our lives.
• Asana refers to physical postures and prepares the body for meditation.
• Pranayama is breath control and helps create different energies within the body.
• Pratyahara is sense withdrawal and techniques to let go of external distractions.
• Dharana is concentration, which creates mental clarity and is important for meditation.
• Dhyana is meditation, a state of oneness with the object of focus.
• Samadhi is absorption and liberation, the ultimate goal of yoga.
• The journey of practicing the eight limbs is valuable and can bring more union and alignment to our lives.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:30 Limb 1: Yama

04:00 Limb 2: Niyama

05:53 Limb 3: Asana

07:08 Limb 4: Pranayama

08:10 Limb 5: Pratyahara

09:45 Limb 6: Dharana

11:11 Limb 7: Dhyana

13:07 Limb 8: Samadhi

Further Learning

Listen to Episode 1: What is Yoga REALLY?

Living The Sutras

The Yamas and Niyamas

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