The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Patanjali's Path Beyond the Mat

28. november 2025

BY NICOLE LAU

You go to yoga class. You move through sun salutations. You hold warrior pose. You breathe. You rest in savasana.

This is yoga, right?

Yes. But it's only one limb of yoga. One-eighth of the complete path.

The physical postures—the asanas—are just the beginning. They are the gateway, the entry point, the foundation. But yoga is so much more.

Yoga is a complete spiritual path—a systematic method for transformation, liberation, union with the divine.

This path was codified by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras (written around 400 CE, though the teachings are much older). Patanjali outlined eight limbs (ashtanga)—eight interconnected practices that lead from ethical living to physical mastery to mental control to spiritual liberation.

These are the 8 Limbs of Yoga:

Yama - Ethical restraints (how you relate to the world)
Niyama - Personal observances (how you relate to yourself)
Asana - Physical postures (preparing the body)
Pranayama - Breath control (mastering life force)
Pratyahara - Sense withdrawal (turning inward)
Dharana - Concentration (focusing the mind)
Dhyana - Meditation (sustained awareness)
Samadhi - Union (absorption in the divine)

This is yoga beyond the mat. This is the complete path. This is how you move from physical practice to spiritual liberation.

What Is Yoga?

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning "to yoke" or "to unite."

Yoga is union:

Union of body, mind, and spirit
Union of the individual soul (atman) with the universal consciousness (Brahman)
Union of the self with the divine

Patanjali defines yoga in the second sutra of the Yoga Sutras:

"Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah"
"Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind."

Yoga is not about touching your toes. It's about stilling the mind, transcending the ego, realizing your true nature.

The 8 Limbs: An Overview

The eight limbs are not a ladder—you don't complete one and move to the next. They are interconnected, practiced simultaneously, supporting each other.

They are organized in three groups:

The Outer Limbs (Bahiranga)

Yama (ethical restraints)
Niyama (personal observances)
Asana (physical postures)

These prepare you—ethically, personally, physically.

The Inner Limbs (Antaranga)

Pranayama (breath control)
Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)
Dharana (concentration)
Dhyana (meditation)

These refine you—energetically, mentally, spiritually.

The Ultimate Limb (Samadhi)

Samadhi (union, absorption)

This is the goal—liberation, enlightenment, union with the divine.

Limb 1: Yama (Ethical Restraints)

The yamas are ethical guidelines—how you relate to the world, to others, to life itself.

There are five yamas:

1. Ahimsa (Non-Violence)

Non-harming in thought, word, and deed. This includes:

Not harming others (physically, emotionally, mentally)
Not harming yourself (self-criticism, self-sabotage)
Not harming animals or the environment
Cultivating compassion, kindness, love

2. Satya (Truthfulness)

Speaking and living truth. This includes:

Not lying
Being authentic, genuine
Aligning your actions with your values
But: truth must be filtered through ahimsa (don't use truth to harm)

3. Asteya (Non-Stealing)

Not taking what is not freely given. This includes:

Not stealing material things
Not stealing time, energy, attention
Not stealing credit or ideas
Cultivating generosity, abundance mindset

4. Brahmacharya (Continence/Right Use of Energy)

Traditionally: celibacy. Modern interpretation: right use of sexual energy. This includes:

Not wasting vital energy
Using sexual energy consciously, sacredly
Moderation, self-control
Directing energy toward spiritual growth

5. Aparigraha (Non-Possessiveness)

Non-attachment, non-greed. This includes:

Not hoarding
Not clinging to people, things, outcomes
Living simply
Trusting that you have enough, you are enough

Limb 2: Niyama (Personal Observances)

The niyamas are personal practices—how you relate to yourself, how you cultivate inner discipline.

There are five niyamas:

1. Saucha (Purity)

Cleanliness, purity of body and mind. This includes:

Physical cleanliness (bathing, clean environment)
Dietary purity (eating clean, sattvic foods)
Mental purity (clean thoughts, releasing negativity)
Energetic purity (clearing the chakras, the aura)

2. Santosha (Contentment)

Contentment, acceptance of what is. This includes:

Gratitude for what you have
Acceptance of the present moment
Not constantly seeking more
Finding peace within, regardless of external circumstances

3. Tapas (Discipline/Austerity)

Self-discipline, burning away impurities. This includes:

Consistent practice (even when you don't feel like it)
Willpower, determination
Facing challenges, discomfort
The fire that transforms

4. Svadhyaya (Self-Study)

Self-study, study of sacred texts. This includes:

Self-reflection, introspection
Studying sacred texts (Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads)
Understanding yourself—your patterns, your conditioning
The examined life

5. Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to the Divine)

Surrender to a higher power, devotion. This includes:

Letting go of ego control
Trusting the universe, the divine
Offering your actions to the divine
Recognizing something greater than yourself

Limb 3: Asana (Physical Postures)

Asana is what most people think of as "yoga"—the physical postures.

But in Patanjali's system, asana has a specific purpose: to prepare the body for meditation.

Patanjali's Definition

Patanjali defines asana in Sutra 2.46:

"Sthira sukham asanam"
"Asana is a steady, comfortable posture."

That's it. Not flexible, not strong, not Instagram-worthy. Steady and comfortable.

The Purpose of Asana

Asana serves to:

Strengthen and purify the body
Release tension and blockages
Prepare the body to sit comfortably in meditation
Balance the energy (prana) in the body
Cultivate body awareness, presence

Asana as Meditation

When practiced with awareness, asana becomes moving meditation:

You are present in your body
You observe sensations without judgment
You breathe consciously
You practice non-attachment (to the pose, to the outcome)

Limb 4: Pranayama (Breath Control)

Pranayama is the control and expansion of prana (life force) through breath.

What Is Prana?

Prana is:

Life force, vital energy
The energy that animates all living things
Similar to chi (Chinese), ki (Japanese), pneuma (Greek)

Prana flows through the body in channels called nadis. When prana flows freely, you are healthy, vital, alive. When it's blocked, you experience disease, fatigue, imbalance.

The Power of Pranayama

Through pranayama, you:

Increase and direct prana
Clear the nadis (energy channels)
Balance the nervous system
Calm or energize the mind
Prepare for meditation

Basic Pranayama Techniques

Ujjayi (victorious breath): Slow, deep breathing with slight constriction in the throat
Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing): Balances left and right energy channels
Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath): Rapid exhalations to energize and purify
Bhramari (bee breath): Humming to calm the mind

Limb 5: Pratyahara (Sense Withdrawal)

Pratyahara is the withdrawal of the senses from external objects—turning inward.

The Metaphor of the Turtle

Pratyahara is often compared to a turtle withdrawing its limbs into its shell. The senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell) withdraw from the external world and turn inward.

Why Pratyahara?

Normally, your senses are constantly reaching outward—seeking stimulation, distraction, pleasure. This scatters your energy and attention.

Pratyahara:

Conserves energy
Reduces distraction
Allows you to observe the mind without external interference
Prepares you for concentration and meditation

Practicing Pratyahara

Meditation with eyes closed
Sensory deprivation (darkness, silence)
Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep)
Fasting (withdrawing from taste)
Observing the senses without reacting

Limb 6: Dharana (Concentration)

Dharana is concentration—focusing the mind on a single point.

The Scattered Mind

Normally, the mind jumps from thought to thought, object to object. This is called chitta vritti—the fluctuations of the mind.

Dharana is the practice of single-pointed focus—holding the mind steady on one object.

Objects of Concentration

You can focus on:

The breath
A mantra
A visual object (candle flame, yantra, deity image)
A chakra or point in the body
A concept or quality (love, peace, truth)

The Practice

Choose an object. Focus on it. When the mind wanders (and it will), gently bring it back. Again and again.

This is training the mind—building the muscle of attention.

Limb 7: Dhyana (Meditation)

Dhyana is meditation—sustained, uninterrupted flow of awareness toward the object of concentration.

The Difference Between Dharana and Dhyana

Dharana is concentration—you are holding the mind on the object with effort
Dhyana is meditation—the mind flows naturally toward the object without effort

Dharana is like drops of water falling one by one. Dhyana is like a continuous stream.

The State of Dhyana

In dhyana:

There is no effort
The observer, the observed, and the act of observing begin to merge
Time disappears
You are absorbed, but still aware

Limb 8: Samadhi (Union/Absorption)

Samadhi is the ultimate goal—union, absorption, enlightenment.

What Is Samadhi?

In samadhi:

The observer and the observed become one
The sense of separate self dissolves
You experience union with the object of meditation, with the divine, with all that is
This is liberation (moksha), enlightenment, the cessation of suffering