The eight- limbed yoga of ‘Maharshi Pathanjala’ and 'Self-Realization'- ‘YAMA’, ‘NIYAMA’, ‘AASANA’, ‘PRAANAAYAAMA’, ‘PRATHYAAHAARA’, ‘DHAARANA’ ‘DHYAANA’ and ‘SAMAADHI’ are the eight limbs of ‘PATHANJALA YOGA’.

*Glimpses of self-realization*

The eight- limbed yoga of ‘Maharshi Pathanjala’ and Self-Realization

‘YAMA’, ‘NIYAMA’, ‘AASANA’, ‘PRAANAAYAAMA’, ‘PRATHYAAHAARA’, ‘DHAARANA’ ‘DHYAANA’ and ‘SAMAADHI’ are the eight limbs of ‘PATHANJALA YOGA’.

These eight limbs are the preliminaries for an aspirant of ‘Brahma vidya’ and sahaja Samadhi.

I. ‘YAMA’: This involves certain guiding principles for an aspirant of ‘self-realization’.

They are 1. ‘SATHYAM’: Establishing alignment in thought, word and deed.

2. ‘AHIMSA’: Practising non violence in thought, word and deed.

3. ‘BRAHMA CHARYA’: Practising pure awareness.

4. ‘ASTHEYAM’: Casting away the habit of, theft, lying, and deceitfulness.

5. ‘APARIGRAHAM’: Non-covetousness.

II. ‘NIYAMA’: is the spiritual code of conduct.

1. ‘SOUCHAM’: is cleanliness of the, physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual.

2. ‘SANTHOSHAM’: Contentment

3. ‘TAPAS’: Performing ‘Pancha MahaYagnas’ ( Brahma yagnam, Deva yagnam, Pithru yagnam, Nru yagnam and Bhootha yagnam) as one`s own ‘Swadharma’ ( duty ) without ever taking care of the results .

4. ‘SWADHYAYAM: Involves the spiritual learning and assimilation of the scriptural wisdom.

5. EASWARA PRANIDHANAM: Absolute self- surrender to one`s own self (Truth-consciousness and bliss-GOD) or ‘athma nivedana ‘, which attracts divine grace.

III. ‘ASANA’: Any suitable posture fit for prolonged meditation on one`s own ‘self’.

IV. ‘PRANAYAMA’: Various methods of breath control, for stabilising the mind.

V. ‘PRATHYAHARA’: Withdrawal of senses from their objects.

VI. ‘DHARANA’: Focussed attention on one`s own ‘self ‘(I-AM-ness).

VII. ‘DHYANA’: Continued absorption in one`s own self.

VIII. ‘SAMADHI’: Abidance in one`s own true nature – truth- consciousness and bliss, resulting in self-realization and sahaja Samadhi.

FRIENDS!

Let this eight limbed yoga of ‘Pathanjala’ leads us towards ‘Self- Realization’ and ‘Sahaja Samadhi’

~swaathmaaraaman