About Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice that includes physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects. The word yoga is Sanskrit and means union or yoke. Yoga aims to bring together the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of ourselves.

When people think of yoga, they often think of the physical aspect, but yoga is so much more than physical postures!

The 8 Limbs of Yoga

Yoga consists of 8 limbs. The 8 limbs are the philosophies of yoga. Each limb builds upon the others.

Limb One: Yamas. The yamas are the codes of conduct. There are 5 yamas in yoga.

  • Ahimsa: Non-violence/Non-judgement
  • Satya: Truthfulness
  • Asteya: Non-stealing
  • Brahmacharya: Moderation
  • Aparigraha: Non-hording

Limb Two: Niyamas. The niyamas are observances. There are 5 niyamas in yoga.

  • Saucha: Cleanliness
  • Santosha: Gratitude
  • Tapas: Self-discipline
  • Svadhyaya: Self-reflection
  • Isvara-pranidhana: Devotion

Limb Three: Asana. Asana is the physical practice of yoga.

Limb Four: Pranayama. Pranayama is the breathing practice of yoga.

Limb Five: Pratyahara. Pratyahara is to withdraw from the senses. It is all about tuning inward.

Limb Six: Dharana. To practice Dharana is to focus on one single point, to focus the mind.

Limb Seven: Dhyana. Dhyana is to meditate.

Limb Eight: Samadhi. Samadhi is a state of equilibrium of the mind. It is to attain a state of oneness.

Styles of Yoga

There are many different styles of yoga. Each style of yoga has aspects of the above philosophies, but all of them differ in their own unique way. Some examples of styles of yoga are:

  • Ashtanga: Typically high energy and physically challenging. Follows the same sequence every class.
  • Hatha: Mainly focuses on postures and breathing.
  • Kundalini: Postures, breathing, sounds and meditation.
  • Iyengar: Focuses on proper alignment and precise cues. Props are often used.
  • Vinyasa: Typically faster paced with flows between postures.
  • Restorative: Slow-paced, props are often used and poses are held for longer periods.
  • Yin: Slower-paced and meditative, poses are often held for longer periods.