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Invocation to Lord Patanjali

Yogena cittasya padena vacam
Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakaena
Yopa karot tam pravaram muninum
Patanjalim pranjalir anato smi
Abahu – purusakaram
Sankha – cakrasi – dharinam
Sahasra – sirasam svetam
Pranamami Patanjalim

To the noblest of sages, Patanjali
Who gave Yoga for serenity of mind,
Grammar for purity of speech,
And medicine for perfection of the body,
I bow before Patanjali,
Whose torso has a human form,
Whose arms hold a conch and disc,
Who is crowned by a cobra
O incarnation of Adisesa,
My Salutation to Thee.

Asta Yoga :: The Eight Limbs of Yoga

yama: universal ethical disciplines
niyama: individual disciplines
asana: practice of postures for physical discipline
pranayama: regulation of the breath for mental discipline
pratyahara: withdrawal/discipline of the senses
dharana: concentration
dhyana: meditation

Asta Anga = 8 Limbs of Yoga

• Yama: 1.Non-violence or compassion (Ahimsa). 2.Truth (Satya). 3.Non-stealing or grasping (Asteya). 4.Continence or study of sacred (Brahmacharya). 5.Non- hoarding (Aparigraha).
  
  
• Niyama: 1.Purification of body (Saucha). 2.Contentment (Santosa) 3.Austerity or effort to achieve a goal (Tapas). 4.Self study (Svadhyaya). 5.Surrender personal ego to higher self (Isvava Pranidhana).
  
  
• Asana: Postures corresponding to full potential of human being. Postures bring physical, mental and emotional steadiness, lightness and energy. Inner alignment = health and ease or free from disease. A soul without a healthy body is like a bird deprived of its power to fly.
  
  
• Pranayama: Prana = breath, life, vitality, energy, strength, soul. Ayama = to control, expand lengthen or stretch. As mental grasping diminishes the mind becomes a fit vehicle for concentration and meditation.
  
  
• Prathyahara: Through the practise of pranayama the yogi turns inwards and learns to control the senses. The mind is a by-product of posture and nutrition and is divided into: Sattvic – sweet and light Rajastic  - energetic and active  Tamasic –  heavy or grounded
  
  
• Dharana: Uninterrupted concentration with mind focused steadily.
  
  
• Dhyana: Meditation. Subject and object draw near each other.
  
  
• Samadhi: The culmination of consistent practise of yoga.  Becoming one with object of meditation. State of truth in alignment to the SOUL.