The eternal quest of man is to know who he is, where he has come from, what are the goals of his life and where he does go back to. The Seers and Gurus tell us that man is a spark of God and returns back to Him. We are here to experience life and fulfill our desires and experience bhakti and worship God. The systematic practices by which we yoke our souls to God and follow our route back to Godhead is Yoga. Yoga includes all our efforts and endeavors in our self transformation from man to God.
We are full of wants, desires, urges and vices. We also have many good qualities in us. We are a mixture of all the three gunas – tamas, rajas and satwa. The negative layers within us cover the light of the soul within us and the Divine Light within us is cloaked and is not visible internally or externally. We have to make a conscious and systematic attempt in cleansing and overcoming the desires, urges and vices which create a concrete barrier between us and the Divinity within us. Yoga teaches us how to systematically undertake and complete this mammoth task successfully.
Yoga is as ancient as creation. From the time, the soul separated from God and donned a new body, it has been trying to get back home. The Rishis of India charted out the various forms of yoga in a systematic manner. Sage Patanjali codified the eight limbs of yoga and named it Ashtanga Yoga. Ashtanga means Eight Limbs. The eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga flow logically into the next one bringing about a systematic and harmonious development of body and mind which leads to merger of self with God.
Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga are :
1. Yam - These are principles or moral code which shape our character. Sage Patanjali mentions these in his writings: Ahimsa - The principle of non-violence ,Satya - The principle of Truthfulness, Asteya - The principle of non stealing, Brahmacharya - Continence / Celibacy, Kshama or patience
Other important Yams are Dhriti or steadfastness, Daya or compassion, Arjava or honesty, Mithahara or moderate eating and Aparigraha or absence of greed.
2. Niyama - These are personal disciplines which shape our character. Sage Patanjali gives these five in his Astanga Yoga sutras: Shaucha or purity of body, mind and speech, Santosha or contentment, Tapas or austerity, Svadhyaya or self study or self effort which leads to knowledge about God, Ishvarpranidhana or surrender to God.
The other niyams are Hri or being modest and showing shame for misdeeds, Dana or giving without seeking reward, Astikya or faith in Guru and God, Mati or cognition/developing a spiritual will and intellect under the guidance of Guru and Vrata or fulfilment of scared vows, japa or daily chanting of mantras.
3. Asana - These deal with Hatha Yoga Postures which heal and strengthen our body. A strong healthy body keeps our mind stable. A stable and comfortable posture helps us to attain mental equilibrium while doing japa or meditation.
4. Pranayama - This is the science of yogic breathing. It has to do with extension and control of breath.
5. Pratyahara - It means the withdrawal of senses. We prepare ourselves mentally to go within ourselves. Pratyahara increases the power of mind.
6. Dharana – Is concentration on object. We focus the mind on one object and its field.
7. Dhyan – Is meditation. It is watching the mind in a detached manner.
8. Samadhi – is a state of super bliss and joy. It is the merger of the individual self into the Universal Self. Realizing that we are One with God and the Universe is the ultimate achievement of human birth.
The steps of Ashtanga Yoga become a part of our lives and development at various stages during our journey to God. The practices of SitaRam mantra, meditation and following the teachings of the Guru are a flow of Ashtanga Yoga.
