Philosophy Break: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra

In contemporary yoga philosophy, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are a foundational text of classical yoga that is usually studied in 200-hour teacher trainings (indeed, it will be discussed out our teacher training that starts in September). It is a collection of sutras (threads, aphorisms, observations) that lay out the theory and practice of yoga as seen through a dualist lens. Famously, the Yoga Sutras outline the eight limbs of yoga; eight elements of the spiritual practice of yoga that culminates in samadhi, or enlightenment.

Patanjali's Eight Limbed Path of Yoga:

Yama - restraints, moral disciplines, how you interact with others and the world around you

Niyama - duties or observances, normally directed towards yourself

Asana - postures, the physical aspect of yoga

Pranayama - breathing techniques

Pratyahara - sense withdrawal, i.e. breath focus to draw the senses away from distraction

Dharana - focused concentration, holding/maintaining focused concentration in meditation

Dhyana - meditative absorption

Samadhi - bliss/enlightenment

Some teachers interpret the eight limbs as a circle or cyclical, rather than a ladder or otherwise linear path. You can choose to follow the path from bottom to top, or you can settle in on area or another for a while, taking a more circuitous route. Either way, you'll end up at samadhi.