Pranayama - the forth limb of yoga

Pranayama is the forth (out of eight) limb of yoga.

"Prana" means breath, life, vitality. "ayama" means stretch, extension, length.
Pranayama means the prolongation of breath and its restraint.

"When the breath is irregular the mind is wavers: When the breath is steady, so is the mind"
Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Did you know that the breath is your most intimate companion?

It has been following you since you were born, 10-20 times a minute non-stop! (In average a person breathe 15 breaths in 1 minuet)

And yet, most of us don't  know how to use it properly and are not aware of the benefits of the breathing techniques .

Here are some of them: relaxation, concentration, balancing the mind, firing the body/mind, cooling down  the body/mind....

The great thing about the breath-tool is that it's free, it is portable, easy to carry with you anywhere you go, you do not have to pack anything ...

Are your inhalation and exhalation even in length?
How many breaths do you breathe in a minute?

How can you slow your breath down?

Asana - the third limb of yoga

Asana is the third (out of eight) limb of yoga.
In the very old days Asana meant "to seat", probably  in meditation posture
With time it turned to mean a body posture, and then, the physical practice of yoga.

"Sthira sukham asanam" Poture should be steady and comfortable.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.46 Bryant's translation.

According the Scriptures Asana should be practiced because:
1.  It prepares the body to be able to stay in seating meditation posture for a long time.
2.  It creates "tapas", heat that purify body and mind.
3.  It loses all awareness of the sensation of the body. the mind can now be focused in meditation  without being distracted by the body.

What is your favourite Asana? What is your less favourite Asana? Why?

Niyama - the second limb of Yoga

Niyama is the second  (out of eight) limb of Yoga.
Practicing the Niyamas helps to channel the energies of  the sense of perception in the right direction.
It contains five personal practices:

1. Saucat - cleanliness, purity
Purity and cleanliness protect and purify the body and make it a fit home for the soul
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.40, Iyengar's translation.
2. Santosat - contentment 
From containment and benevolence of consciousness comes supreme happiness
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.42, Iyengar's translation
3. Tapas - self discipline
Self - discipline burns away impurities and kindles the sparks of divinity
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.43, Iyengar's translation
4. Svadyaya - self study or reading the scriptures 
Self study  has two paths: One is for communicating from skin towards the soul. The other from soul to God The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.44, Iyengar's translation
5. Isvara Pranidhanat -  surrender to the Divine.
Serender to God brings perfection in samadhi (the final stage of the practice) 
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.45, Iyengar's translation

Which Niyama is the most challenging for you?

Yama - the first limb of Yoga

The Yama is the first (out of eight)  limb of yoga.
Practicing the Yamas helps to channel the energies of the organs of action  in the right direction.
It contains five moral and ethical commandments:

1.  Ahimsa - nonviolence. 
When non violence in speech, thought  or action is established, one's aggressive nature is relinquished and others abandon hostility in one's presence. 
 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.35, Iyengar's translation. 
2.  Satya - truthfulness
When the sadhaka is firmly established in the practice of truth, his words become so potent that whatever he says come to realization.
 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.36, Iyengar's translation. 
3.  Asteya - non stealing
When abstention from stealing is firmly established, precious jewels come. 
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.37, Iyengar's translation.
4.  Brahmacarya - Chastity, continence
When one is firmly established in continence, knowledge, vigour, valour and energy flow to him.  
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.38, Iyengar's translation.
5.  Aparigraha - non grasping 
Knowledge of past and future lives unfolds when one is free from greed for possession.  
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2.39, Iyengar's translation.

What are your ethical codes?
Is there any contradiction between them?

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

The classical practice of yoga based on  Patanjali's  yoga sutras.
In this old scripture the most recommended way to practice Yoga contains 8 stages that follow each other in a particular order, it's called:

The Eight Limbs Of Yoga

• Yama:            Five Moral commandments, ethical codes  
• Niyama:        Five Personal attitudes and practices that purify the mind and body
• Asana:          Physical posture
• Pranayama: Breath consciousness or Breath Control
• Pratyahara:  Withdrawing the senses 
• Dharana:      One-pointed concentration
• Dhyana:        Meditation
• Samadhi:      Enlightenment – the ultimate goal of the  Limbs mentioned above

Wich limb do you practice the most?

Yoga is NOT just a physical practice

It all started thousands years ago. The ancient Hindus believed that the key for a good health, strength and happiness is to have a clear consciousness.
The tendency of human is to be distracted by the movements of the Ego, Intelligence and Mind. These three are the components of the consciousness. Their fluctuations prevent it from being pure and can cause to mental and physical diseases.

In order to fulfilled their purpose , the ancients have explored ways to quietening these disturbances. They called this path Yoga.
"Yoga Citta Vrtti Nirodhah" yoga is the cession of the fluctuation of the consciousness.the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Yoga was already mentioned in ancient scriptures dating back to around 5000 BCE.But Patanjali (lived around 200 A.D.) was the first one to create a manual scripture that is all about how to practice yoga: "The Yoga Sutras".
It is written as a teaching text in a very simple and presice way. No stories and sagas. No criticism or comparison. Just universal application and recommendations.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali was written in Sanskrit language and has been commented and translated during the centuries by hundreds of yogis, philosophers and yoga teachers.

My two favourite translations to the Yoga Sutras are:
1. Light on the yoga sutras of Patanjali by B.K.S Iyengar.
I love the creative explanations and the clear tables and diagrams.
This translation is a beginners-friendly.
2. The yoga sutas of Patanjali by Edwin F Bryant
I enjoy the huge knowledge of other commentators opinions and the history of yoga.