The Yoga Sutra is a fundamental guide for living with a cultivated body, mind, and spiritual awareness, written in India between 200 B.C and 200 A.D. by physician, Pantajali. This ancient text outlines the eightfold path, called ashtanga, which literally means “eight limbs” (ashta=eight, anga=limb)
These eight steps act as guidelines toward living a meaningful and purposeful life. They serve as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline; they direct attention toward one’s health; and they help us to acknowledge the spiritual aspects of our nature.
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Source: Ayuh Yoga |
Eventually, I will go into more detail about what each of these limbs means. In the meantime here is the lowdown on the 8 limbs at their most basic analysis.
1. Yama – Self-restraints (how we morally interact with each other)
- Ahimsa: Nonviolence
- Satya: Truthfulness
- Asteya: Nontheft
- Brahmacharya: Nonlust
- Aparigraha: No greed
- Saucha: Cleanliness
- Santosa: Contentment
- Tapas: Sustained practice
- Svadhyaya: Self study
- Isvara pranidhana: Dedication