1/31/2016 AshtangaYoga:overviewofashtangayogasteps

AshtangaYoga

YogaTeacherTrainingNM
200hrRYSTwo11DayModulesNov&AprVinyasaInquiryStrength

AshtangaYoga

AshtangaYogaistheeightfoldedpathofyoga.
It is a specific yoga tradition, but at the same
time Ashtanga Yoga can be seen as covering
allaspectsofyogawithinanyyogatradition.

Ashtanga Yoga is often called Patanjali Yoga,

referring to Maharishi Patanjali, the ancient
author of the famous Patanjali yoga sutras that
describe Ashtanga Yoga. Historians place the
writing of these scriptures at around 200 B.C.,
but the original is probably thousands of years
older. These teachings belong to an oral
tradition, passed on unchanged by
memorisation of the verses in which their
wisdom was captured. More recently (15th
century) the term Raja Yoga is also often used
instead of Ashtanga Yoga, meaning "royal
yoga".

Ashtanga Yoga can be regarded as a fourth

option next to the 3 typical paths of yoga,
namely bhakti, karma and jnana yoga. While
theseyogasratherdirectlyaimatdissolvingthe
ego, Ashtanga Yoga does the same job but
more indirectly through mind. The second sutra
ofPatanjalialreadymakesitclear:bystopping
the modifications of mind the objective of yoga
is reached. In other words, stop thinking long
enough and the ego will no longer be fed by
concepts. As the ego is nothing but a body of
concepts, it thus dissolves through a process
calledSamadhi(effortlessmeditation)andmergeswithcosmicconsciousness,whichistheunionthatisyoga.

As Ashtanga Yoga also includes many aspects of bhakti, jnana and karma yoga, it is an extremely powerful yogic
tradition. Stopping mind is not exactly easy, but the eight methodical steps of Ashtanga yoga make it possible for
anyonetoachievethatgoal.Stepbystep,koshabykosha,allobstaclestostopmindareremovedandtheattentionis
broughtinsideuntillthemeditationbecomeseffortlessandthedissolutionoftheegocanstart.

Followingisanoverviewofthe8limbsofAshtangayoga,describedaspractices:

Yama (control) : a series of don'ts in contact with the world outside, so that your relationships as well as your
energy remain harmonious, providing the peaceful background needed for deep meditation. The disciplines in
Yama typically include nonviolence, truth, honesty, sexual continence, forbearance, fortitude, kindness,
straightforwardness,moderationindiet&bodilypurity.SeeafullvideoclassonYamaandNiyama.

Niyama (rules of conduct) : a series of do's that helping in detaching from the world and the ego, so that it
becomes easier to let go of the doer in deep meditation. Activities in Niyama typically consist of austerity,
contentment, belief in God, charity, worship of God, study of teachings and scriptures, modesty, having a

http://www.sanatansociety.org/yoga_and_meditation/tantra_yoga_ashtanga_yoga.htm#.Vq6jbvkrLIV 1/4
1/31/2016 AshtangaYoga:overviewofashtangayogasteps

discerningmind,repetitionofprayers(japa),observanceofvowsandperformingsacrifices.Seeafullvideoclass
onYamaandNiyama.

Asana (posture) : as a motionless body makes the mind quiet, and as an unstable body cannot remain
motionlessindeepmeditation(whentheIamthebodyideaislost),manypostureshavebeendescribedof which
attheleastonesittingposturemustbemasteredinordertoreachadeepstateofmeditation.Seealsoasanas in
HathaYoga

Pranayama (control of breath) : control of breath brings mind under control, while the main aim is to store the
energythatwillbeneededwhenindeepmeditationbreathinghasstopped.

Pratyahara(withdrawalofsensoryperceptions):removingtheattentionfromsensoryinput,sothatitceasesto
disturb meditation. This may be preceded by some focus on purifying sensory input, such as in rituals, use of
meditativesounds,etc...Ultimatelypranaiswithdrawnfromthenadisthattransportsensoryinput.

Dharana(concentration):thefocusofmindonanysingleobject,forexampleamantra,ordeepconcentrationon
thesixsubtlecentersofthechakras,startingfromthefirstandgraduallyapproachingtheseventh,etc...

Dhyana (uninterrupted meditation) : in which the concentration is uninterrupted, without a single disturbing
thought,thoughthisconcentrationstillrequiressomeeffort.

Samadhi (effortless meditation, absorption, equilibrium)

FreevideoonSamadhi
: concentration is maintained, but it requires no effort.
The doer has disappeared from consciousness. This
stage allows for a rather long purification process
Samadhi - Part 1/3
through which the individual consciousness is finally
dissolved in pure cosmic consciousness. After a
prolonged practice of samadhi there is no need to
practice any longer, because the conscious connection
to the divine is everlasting, which is called natural
samadhi(sahaj).Ultimatelyitleadstoenlightenment.

For better understanding of this process, you can also read

SeethefullfreeSamadhiclassonline
HowtoMeditate?.

ThedefinitionofeachstepinAshtangaYogacanvarydependingonwhetheritsultimateobjectiveisdescribed,orrather
theprocesstoreachit.Forexample,theobjectiveofDharanaisuninterruptedmeditation,whilethephaseofpracticing
Dharanaincludesmomentswherethefocusontheobjectofthemeditationisdisturbedbyotherthoughts.Likewise,the
objectiveofDhyanaiseffortlessmeditation,whilethepracticeofDhyanastillrequiresefforteventhoughthemeditation
isalreadyuninterrupted.Hencetheabovedescriptionwhichseemsthemostcomprehensible.

But truly, to say that one has mastered any of these steps
supposesthatitsobjectivehasbeenreached,sointhatcasethe
objectivedefinestheconceptandoftenonefindstheeightlimbs
ofAshtangaYogadefinedinthismanner.Apersonthatreaches
theobjectivesofAshtangaYogamightthusbedescribedas
follows:

Yama(control):beingnonviolent,truthful,honest,celibate,forbearing,steadfast,kind,straightforward,moderate
indiet&pureinbody.

Niyama(conduct):modestly,faithfully,contentedlyandsmartlylivingalifeofselflessservice,worshipofGod,
studyofteachingsandscriptures,repetitionofprayers(japa),observanceofvowsandperformingsacrifices.

Asana(posture):beingabletositmotionlessforalongtime(mostscripturessaythat3to6hoursisrequired).

http://www.sanatansociety.org/yoga_and_meditation/tantra_yoga_ashtanga_yoga.htm#.Vq6jbvkrLIV 2/4
1/31/2016 AshtangaYoga:overviewofashtangayogasteps

Pranayama (control of breath) : being able to stop

breathing for a long time (minutes, if not much longer,
dependingonthesource).

Pratyahara(withdrawal):beingabletoentirelyshutdown
sensoryinput.

Dharana(concentration):beingentirelyonepointed.

Dhyana (meditation) : remaining entirely onepointed

withouteffort.

Samadhi (absorption, equilibrium) : being entirely

absorbedincosmicconsciousness.

EachoftheeightstepsofAshtangaYogahastobemasteredto
a certain degree, before mastering the next step can be
successfully attempted. Some steps however can also be
skipped to some degree, for exemple by going straight to
Dharana without attention to Pratyahara, as withdrawal from the
outside world automatically happens when succesfully focusing
on an inside object. If Dharana is not strong enough however, it
must be preceded by Pratyahara. Thus the eight steps of
Ashtanga Yoga are also eight disciplines and eight phases of
growthinyogaandmeditation.Atthesametime,theeightsteps
can also been seen as the feet of a table with 8 feet : it is not
becauseastepismasteredthatitcanbeforgottenorneglected.Ashtangaliterallymeansashtangaoreightlimbs.

Inaway,whenmovingthroughsteps1to8andthenagaincomingoutofmeditation,step1and2startagain.Whatever
is learned in meditation may then be helpful to get better results with Yama and Niyama. Thus the eight steps also
represent a continous circular movement or rather an upward spiraling movement. When Yama and Niyama become
naturalandeffortless,itisthebestsignoftrueprogressonthepathofAshtangaYoga.

TheoriginalAshtangaYogaisquitedifferentfromtheAshtangaVinyasaYogaastaughtbythefamousK.PattabhiJois.
VinyasaYogaismorefocusedonAsanaandPranayama,likeinHathaYoga.

FreevideoclipbyPeterMarchandthatgivesanintroductiontoAshtangaYoga:

ClickhereformorevideoteachingsbyPeterMarchand

Youcanalsoread:Howtomeditate?Whatisthebestyoga?

AdChoices AshtangaYogaA TantraYoga YogaVideo FreeMeditation

http://www.sanatansociety.org/yoga_and_meditation/tantra_yoga_ashtanga_yoga.htm#.Vq6jbvkrLIV 3/4
1/31/2016 AshtangaYoga:overviewofashtangayogasteps

ThisintroductionwaswrittenbyPeterMarchand,basedonvariousbooksbyHarishJohari:the"Chakras"book,

"ToolsforTantra"and"Breath,MindandConsciousness".

http://www.sanatansociety.org/yoga_and_meditation/tantra_yoga_ashtanga_yoga.htm#.Vq6jbvkrLIV 4/4