The eight limbs of yoga, explained simply

In the second chapter of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali gives a practical path to the still mind he defined at the start. It has eight parts, which is why it’s called aṣṭāṅga, “eight-limbed”.

The order matters. It moves from how you treat the world, to your own habits, to the body, to the breath, and then inward, into the mind. The first five are sometimes called the outer limbs; the last three, the inner.

1. Yama: how you treat others

The five yamas are restraints, things you hold back from:

• Ahiṃsā: non-harm, in action, word and thought
• Satya: truthfulness
• Asteya: not stealing, including time, credit and attention
• Brahmacarya: moderation, traditionally celibacy, more widely the wise use of energy
• Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, not grasping

Patanjali calls these the “great vow” when practised everywhere, at all times. They come first because a mind full of conflict, lies and craving can’t become still, however good your posture.

2. Niyama: how you treat yourself

The five niyamas are disciplines you take up:

• Śauca: cleanliness, of body and mind
• Santoṣa: contentment
• Tapas: discipline, the willingness to do what is hard
• Svādhyāya: self-study, including study of the texts
• Īśvara-praṇidhāna: surrender to the divine, or to something larger than yourself

3. Āsana: a steady, comfortable seat

Here is the limb most people know, and Patanjali’s whole teaching on it fits in three sutras. Posture should be sthira and sukha, steady and easy. Its purpose is to let you sit, without strain, long enough for the inner work. There are no named poses in the Yoga Sutras at all. More in what the Yoga Sutras actually say about asana.

4. Prāṇāyāma: regulating the breath

Once the seat is steady, you work with the breath: lengthening, pausing and refining it. Breath and mind move together; settle one and the other follows. Traditional teachers treat pranayama with care and teach it gradually.

5. Pratyāhāra: drawing the senses in

The senses usually run outward, after every sound, sight and notification. Pratyāhāra is turning attention inward, the way a tortoise draws in its limbs. It’s the bridge between the outer and inner limbs.

6. Dhāraṇā: concentration

Holding attention on one point: the breath, a mantra, an image, a sensation. The mind wanders; you bring it back. That bringing back is the practice.

7. Dhyāna: meditation

When concentration flows without interruption, it becomes dhyāna, meditation. You’re no longer bringing the mind back; it stays.

8. Samādhi: absorption

Finally, the sense of a separate “me” doing the meditating falls away, and only the object of attention remains. Patanjali describes several stages of samādhi; they’re the heart of the first chapter of the Sutras.

What this means for your practice

If you go to a yoga class, you’re already practising part of limb three, and probably some of four in the breathing. The rest of the path is still there, waiting: a little honesty and kindness off the mat, a few minutes of breath practice, ten minutes of sitting still. That’s how the tradition always intended the poses to be used.

Where to go next

• What is yoga, really?
• Is yoga just exercise?