8 Limbs of Yoga | Online Yoga Guide | Learn Yoga at Home
Home > Self Care > Yoga > Types of Yoga > Raja Yoga > 8 Limbs of Yoga
8 Limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga)
A part of Raja Yoga, or Royal Yoga, the 8-fold path laid out by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras are designed to enlighten, liberate and unify the mind, body and soul. If you’ve joined yoga classes, you’ll surely hear students talking about the ‘8-limbed yoga’. If your quest is to follow the path to becoming a yogi, this is the way to go.
Niyama is the idea of self-restraint, consisting of the 5 practices of contentment, austerity, purity, self-study, and devotion to a higher power or principle.
Pranayama is the practice of breath control, which in yoga, is important for raising and balancing mental energy, thus helping boost physical health, focus and concentration.
Samadhi is the idea of ecstasy, or an experience in which one looks inward for seeking the truth. It is the final stage of yoga, in which the practitioner attains true enlightenment and spiritual liberation through the union of the mind, body and soul.
How to Easily Memorize the 8 Limbs of Yoga
You can use the following mnemonic to easily memorize the 8 limbs of yoga: You Need an APP for Digital Data Storage; Y for Yama, N for Niyama, A for Asana, P for Pranayama, P for Pratyahara, D for Dharana, D for Dhyana and S for Samadhi.