Aṣṭāṅga Yoga

Ashtanga Yoga or the Eight limbs of Patanjali Yoga. These are eight different techniques that harmonize the mind and gradually induce more subtle perception. The first five stages are the bahiranga (external) practices of yoga. These five prepare the body-mind for the last three stages, which are called antaranga (internal) practices of yoga. Also the first five stages help removing external distractions, and later three stages eradicate the disturbing thoughts and psychic manifestations, so that one can put an end to the state of the mind.

These eight stages are covered in Chapter 2, i.e. Sadhana Pada, and chapter 3, i.e. Vibhooti Pada of the Yoga Sūtras of Patanjali. First 5 stages are covered in Sadhana Pada; from verse 29 to 55. And the last 3 stages are covered in Vibhooti Pada from verse 1 to 3.

Eight Stages

1. Yama (social code)
2. Niyama (personal code)
3. Asana (sitting pose)
4. Pranayama (control of prana)
5. Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)
6. Dharana (concentration)
7. Dhyana (meditation)
8. Samadhi (superconsciousness)

Yama (social code) is again has five stages.

1. Satya (truthfulness)
2. Ahimsa (Non-violence)
3. Asteya (honesty)
4. Brahmacharya (abstinence)
5. Aparigraha (non-possessiveness)

Niyama (personal code) also has five stages.

1. Shaucha (cleanliness)
2. Santosha (contentment)
3. Tapah (austerity)
4. Swadhyaya (self-study)
5. Ishwara pranidhana (surrender to the cosmic will)

The Yamas help to harmonize social interactions and the Niyamas help to harmonize inner feelings. Yamas and Niyamas are made to reduce friction between outer actions and inner attitudes. There is a two way relationship between mind and actions. The mind stimulates our outer actions and those actions stimulate the mind. If one is disturbed, the other gets disturbed automatically. So these ten stages of Yama and Niyama can calm the mind and body by sensible actions and attitudes towards everything; own life and the surroundings.

Asana as per Patanjali is a steady and comfortable sitting position. Asana in Ashtanga Yoga includes only the meditative postures, such as Padmasana, Siddhasana, Vajrasana, etc, unlike various Asanas in Hatha Yoga. Here the purpose is to balance the different nerve impulses, feelings of pain and pleasure, heat and cold and all other opposite sensations which distracts the mind, body and soul.

Pranayama: As per Patanjali Yoga Sutra 34, to control the Prana and its energies, we need to control our mind, also the mind needs to be pure and steady. Human Mental Structures can be divided into four kinds, such as dynamic, emotional, mystic and rational. For the dynamic person, Karma Yoga is best suited. The Emotional ones should prefer Bhakti Yoga who can surrender to God; and most people belong to this category. The mystic people are in favour of practicing Raja Yoga and the allied practices of Hatha Yoga, Swara Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Nada Yoga, and trataka, etc. And the Rational people are Jnana Yogis, who read the Upanishads, the Gita, and other philosophies to know the deeper aspects of life, the universe, the Supreme Being and meditation. Also many have the mixture of these four tendencies, and they can practice a variety of sadhanas or which are best suited for them recommended by Patanjali. So in Pranayama, one should first practice full exhalation (rechaka) and retention of the breath outside (kumbhaka) which also constitutes the maha bandha, which includes performing the three bandhas together; jalandhara, uddiyana and moola bandha while doing kumbhaka. But a beginner should start with repeated exhalation, upto 100 times and more, after daily prolonged practise for several years, one may start practicing Maha bandha. Just by practicing rechaka, kumbhaka and the three bandhas, the mind can be brought to a state of stillness.

As per Yoga Sutra 2.49, Prana means breath, ayama is lengthening or widening through control. When breathing is controlled so as to retain the breath, it is pranayama. Puraka, Rechaka and Kumbhaka, are also known as three types of Pranayama. The fourth type is called kevala kumbhaka, is of two types: antaranga and bahiranga. Pranayama influences the nervous system and thereby the brain. After a prolonged practice, the ayama; length of prana is increased but the number of respirations per minute is decreased. Thus, if a normal person breathes 14 times per minute, a sadhaka who practices pranayama breathes only once or twice per minute.

References

• Four Chapters on Freedom by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, published in 1976.