Patanjali's yoga sutras

यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि

Yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayo’ṣṭāvaṅgāni

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Yama, abstensions; niyamā, observances; asana, posture; prāṇāyāma, breath control; pratyāhāra, withdrawal of the senses; dhāraṇā, concentration; dhyāna, meditation; samādhaya, absorption; astau, eight; angani, limbs

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The eight limbs of yoga are: abstensions, observances, posture, breath control, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation and meditative absorption.

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Here Patanjali gives the content of the Ashtanga yoga system. It is step by step -process which leads first to stilling of the mind and at the end, to self-realization. Ashtanga is science in itself. It progresses from gross (ethics, moral, physical, psychological) to the subtle (samyama: concentration, meditation, absorption). Ashtanga works best if followed (sequentially) as Patanjali has explained it. Starting with ethical and moral instructions. Also Bhagavad Gita shares this same conclusion by instructing how meditation is impossible if mind is not pure, and mind is not pure if action is not pure. Action is purified by controller no the senses and mind. Shree Radhe-Shyam!

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Yoga is divided into eight limbs: Yama: The Great Vows Niyama: The Principles Asana: The Postures Pranayama: The Breathing Practice Pratyahara: Turning Within Dharana: Concentration Dhyana: Meditation Samadhi: Infinity

-Alberto Villoldo