Eight Limbs Of Yoga

Posted by Feride on Wednesday, 24 September 2025

3 min read

Joining a yoga class is usually the beginning of our journey in yoga with a desire to relax as well as improve our physical and mental well-being. Asana practice (the physical postures in yoga) is mostly our first experience of yoga. Whilst most Western practices focus on the physical aspect of yoga - increasing strength and flexibility and balance as well as relaxation, after a time, we reach a point where we naturally wish to go further with our practice and develop a true mind-body-spirit connection, reflecting what ‘yoga’ (‘yuj’ in Sanskrit) really means - to ‘yoke’ or ‘unite’. Yoga cultivates an authentic development of the True Self and universal consciousness.

A more authentic approach is to include Patanjali’s ‘Eight Limbs of Yoga’ in our yoga journey, teaching us how to live in a spiritually aligned way. Originating in India, and practised for many thousands of years, yoga was first codified into the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali in around 400 C.E. And here is where we learn about the eight spiritual practices of yoga. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras set out these principals in an eight-limbed system.

The Eight Limbs are

Yamas
5 moral guidelines to live by
(Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha)

Niyamas
5 spiritual observances founded on self-discipline:
(Saucha, Santosha, Tapas, Svadhyaya, Ishvarapranidhana)

Asana
Physical postures.

Pranayama
Breathing exercises to control the flow of prana (vital life force energy and sometimes including bandhas).

Pratyahara
Withdrawal of senses, journeying towards the inner self.

Dharana
Single pointed concentration. Focus of the mind.

Dhyana
Meditation.

Samadhi
Enlightenment.

In my personal yoga (and healing) journey, I have learnt to encompass the eight limbs of yoga by focusing on wellness and happiness, understanding the beauty of thoughtful self-enquiry, self-reflection, being truthful to myself, seeing the clarity of my thoughts and thought processes, letting go of those that no longer serve me; tuning into the present moment, especially when life throws the worst curve balls, accepting gentle yoga as a way of letting go of ego and surrendering to my True Self.

If you have been to any of my yoga classes, you will know that I really enjoy sharing these authentic yoga principles in my yoga classes through my own knowledge and experience but also through a practical way in a yoga class, relevant for our daily life. I also hope that my Journal becomes a space where we can share a more profound knowledge for anyone that wishes to explore further. Keep an eye out for my next Journal where I take a deeper dive into the Eight Limbs of Yoga.

References:

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Translation by Sri Swami Satchidananda 2020