What is Yoga Sutra?

In the West, yoga is often thought of as a series of poses. In reality, yoga poses only make up only one of the rules of yoga, or yoga sutras. Written by the Indian sage Patanjali, yoga sutras are not laws. Rather they are guidelines for living. And while it is not required to follow every limb, doing so brings us closer to enlightenment. There are eight sutras in total: yamas, niyamas, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

Yamas are abstinences designed to teach self discipline and purify the body and mind. They are the "dont's" in yoga philosophy and are split into five subcategories: Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. Ahimsa is abstinence from violence in all its forms and, for many practitioners, this includes abstinence from eating meat. Satya is abstinence from lying, including lies of omission, embellishing the truth and the lies we tell ourselves. Asteya is abstinence from theft be it actual theft of property or "stealing" someone's thunder. Loosely translated, Brahmacharya means "virtue" and some interpret this to mean celibacy. While abstinence from sex can be a part of one's practice, Brahmacharya really refers to virtue in all areas. In the sexual context Brahmacharya means not letting sex be a consuming factor and ensuring that sexual interactions come from a place of mutual respect and spiritual connection, not blind lust. Aparigraha is abstinence from greed which means living simply and having only what is necessary. But, beyond personal possessions, greed can also mean taking more than your share in relationships and human interactions.

The Niyamas are observances and personal disciplines. They are the "do's" in yoga philosophy and, like the yamas, there are five categories: Saucha, Santosha, Tapas, Svadhyaya and Ishvara-Pranidhana. Saucha is the observance of purity and is the direct result of practicing the yamas. Saucha also covers cleanliness in all aspects of life including the body, home and diet. Santosha is the observance of contentment, or finding happiness in what you have in the moment. Tapas is the observance of self discipline. Not so much deprivation but dedication to self care. Svadhyaya is the observance of self awareness and introspection. This includes awareness of the body, feelings, thoughts and beliefs. It's about being aware of what blocks and feeds happiness. Ishvara-Pranidhana is the observance of devotion. Yoga is not a religion, but spirituality is an important part of reaching enlightenment. Ishvara-Pranidhana is about opening the door to your spiritual self, whatever form that may take.

The asana branch is the most well known, and often practiced, branch of yoga. Asana means "posture" and the intent of Asana is to learn and practice body control. Yoga poses were originally intended to prepare the body for long periods stillness in meditation. The two important components of asana are Sthira (steadiness) and Sukha (the ability to remain comfortable).

Prana is the life force energy and Ayama means "to stretch or extend." The focus of Pranayama is to direct the flow of life-force energy, through the breath. There are several different Pranayama breathing techniques, all designed to direct the flow of energy throughout the body.

Pratyahara, dharana and dyana are detachment, concentration and meditation, respectively. These three branches work together and support each other. Detachment is the removal of sensory distractions and is usually achieved through asanas and breathing. Concentration is narrowing the focus to one thing and existing in the now. Meditation is usually the result of the preparation done in detachment and concentration. It is a state where the mind is completely focused with heightened awareness.

Samadhi is the final goal of all the other sutras. It is transcendence, pure bliss and oneness with universal consciousness.