Most of us have certainly been observing the rise in popularity of the ancient old practice of YOGA in the past few years. More than 4000 years ago YOGA was the lifestyle practice, tradition and philosophy of the residents in India and as the practice has passed through hundreds of generations it has landed almost as a social trend in our Western existence today. Unfortunately in the rave of YOGA offering us an incredibly efficient fitness practice, its much deeper and more internal benefits often go unexplored in our Western experience. It is this exploration that is truly the most magnificent experience of YOGA which leaves its practitioners and teachers grounded with a solid foundation of who they are, what they mean and how they fit into this beautiful world.

The philosophy of YOGA transcribes an eight limb path from the ancient Sanskrit document of Patanjali's Sutras (threads). As you read through a basic introduction of what each of these limbs represents in our culture, stay aware that each of the limbs are as connected as a thread holding the gems of a pearl necklace together. Another mental image would be to picture a spider - the body of the spider being YOGA and each of the eight legs representing the eight-fold path to YOGA.

The word YOGA translates from Sanskrit to English as "yolk" or "union" - representing the union of the body, mind and spirit. Simply summarized, YOGA is a lifestyle practice of integrating exercise for the body, which relieves physiological tensions and stresses, thereby increasing our capacity to find stillness of the mind, finally allowing us to focus and concentrate on our inner spirituality.

EIGHT-FOLD PATH TO YOGA

1. YAMAS

Yamas translates into restraints or abstentions and there are 5 Yamas in this limb. The Yamas are practices which demonstrate our moral integrity. These combined with the Nyamas of the next limb are ethical precepts that allow us to be at peace with ourselves, our family and our community. The Yamas are practices that increase our self-awareness and how we use our energy in relationship to others and to ourselves.

Ahimsa - non-violence

The practice of Ahimsa is a practice we can all benefit from. It is about opening our hearts to ourselves, the people we love, the people we work with, the strangers we encounter and the world we live in. Ahimsa is the practice of exercising compassion for all living things by living in a manner that is non-violent in efforts of achieving the wellness of all beings. It is trying to be 'not cutting' towards yourself and others. Examples may be observed in our habits of communication, for example, judging ourselves or others or snapping at others is a form of subtle violence we can likely all become more aware of. The concept of Ahimsa stems from the law of karma, which says "as you put out, so it will come back to you". This is the basis of the yogic philosophy of a vegetarian diet - if you kill animals to eat them, you cause pain and it will in turn cause suffering for you somewhere down life's path. Ahimsa is the first step in the eight-fold path to yoga because if we hurt ourselves or others we cause pain - causing pain takes your energy away which reduces the energy you have for your YOGA practice.

You can practice your ahimsa on yourself, others, animals and the environment. Notice and observe your pattern of negative self-talk or criticizing yourself and others. Notice how you speak to others, particularly the times in which you feel frustrated or angry. Be aware of how you impact on the other living organisms on our earth - notice how you treat animals and our environment. Remember to be gentle with yourself always - notice all of these things but do not judge yourself in a negative way when you observe. Rather, notice it and make a decision about what you would like to change about your practice of Ahimsa. The perfect practice of Ahimsa is living your life in a way that causes as little harm as possible to yourself and others.

Satya - not-lying

We always need to maintain the practice of Ahimsa while moving into the realm of Satya which is essentially the journey to finding our inner truth. The first step of Satya is to practice our commitment to truth - not just what our inner truth might be but also ensuring truth through our expression to others. It is a practice of speaking your own truth with kindness and compassion for others. The most important element of your personal character is keeping your word; so everything you speak should be the truth. The practice of expressing only the truth will lead us to finding our own inner truths and eventual liberation. The challenge is that the truth is not always what people want to hear. We must practice our ability to speak your truth without any fear, yet gently enough for others to hear. Be truthful not only with your thoughts, your action and your love but be true to your own heart and inner destiny. Once you find your inner truth - follow it.

Whenever you speak, practice asking yourself, "Is it kind? Is it true? Is it appropriate? Is it an improvement on silence? Then decide whether what you have to say is worth saying within the realm of your Satya. This may lead to sacrifices and gains along the way but it is inevitably going to bring you to your liberation. Recognize the practice of your "right speech" - speak only your truth to yourself and to others.

Asteya - not-stealing

The obvious practice of Asteya or non-stealing is to not steal from others. But when you look a little deeper at this philosophy, it becomes about cultivating a sense of abundance within yourself that results in self-satisfaction. Not-stealing is simply not taking any more than we actually need. It is a practice of taking only what is being freely given to you and it includes things other than inanimate objects, such as time, energy and emotions. An excellent practice is to start asking people if they have time for you before interjecting your own needs on them. Ask them "do you have a moment to talk?" before you start talking on the phone. Be aware also that it is possible to steal another person's energy by imposing your expectations and guilt on them. The practice of Asteya is about cultivating a certain level of self-sufficiency so that we do not demand more than we need from others; our family, friends and community. It is about creating a freedom from craving and desiring what others have. The goal is to develop a discriminating mind to determine how much you really need and whether what you need is available for you.

A daily practice of expressing gratitude can develop to your internalization of Asteya. Take a moment before going to sleep each night to dwell on at least one gift in your life - mentally recognize and consciously express gratitude for this gift before drifting off to dreamland. This will set your perspective to a place of abundance and self-sufficiency for the start of your next day.

Bramacharya - not overindulging

Bramacharya is about enjoying life in moderation and not over indulging yourself in the sensual delights of life. This practice of living in moderation is actually about conserving our energy to apply it to a higher purpose. It is about enjoying the sensual delights of life but not to the extent that it weakens your body from reaching its higher purpose spiritual development. Bramacharya applies to all our senses and includes lust, anger, greed, sexuality, taste, drugs and entertainment. By applying moderation to our enjoyment of these sensual pleasures in life we contain the unused energy which becomes self-nourishing and vitalizing. We can then access that unused energy to move it up the Chakra system - which are the energetic centers of the body according to the yogic traditions. Bramacharya is indeed about regenerating a connection with our spiritual self and it is the practice of applying conserved energy towards your path. But the caution of bramacharya is that total abstinence from all the sensual delights can also be a distraction from your path. Moderation is different for everyone - the practice is finding out what is right for you. Balancing indulgence in the pleasures to reach a point required to fulfill your happiness, but not overindulging in the sensual elements to the point that it distracts you from your inner truth.

Be aware of the "small stuff" of Bramacharya as much as possible. Ask yourself - have you taken only as many napkins as you need from the restaurant - only to throw the extras in the garbage? Have you taken only as much food as you need on your dinner plate? Do you have the television on when you are not actually watching it? Do you have the lights on when you are not using them? Start examining your patterns of overindulging - recognize them and then decide what you want to change.

Aparigraha - non-grasping

This single element of the yogic philosophy can truly be life-changing. Accepting the concept of Aparigraha can lead to a personal path of transformation and change in the way you perceive your life and the world we live in. Aparigraha is the practice of surrendering to impermanence. It translates into non-graspiness and non-possessiveness and it refers to holding on to things inappropriately. Possessiveness is primal and innate in all of us but a deeper understanding of it shows that it comes from a place of scarcity and lacking. The philosophy informs that not free to accept or pick anything else up in our lives if we are holding on to something too tightly. Essentially we must learn to let go to become free. It is important to differentiate between commitment and graspiness to fully understand Aparigraha. Maintaining commitments to things and people is certainly part of the practice of Aparigraha but we need to recognize graspiness as something different. Graspiness is when you know something is finished but you still hang on to it anyway. When we recognize graspiness we need to examine how we use external things - relationships, people, associations, objects - to reinforce our sense of identity. In our practice of Aparigraha we need to consciously withdraw from reaching out for external things to make us happy. There is also a difference between being unattached and detached. We need to be unattached to things and people to identify the self as it truly is and to be able to stand alone in the world unreliant on others - but we do not want to "detach" ourselves from the world we live in either. The goal is to have a balance of commitment AND un-attachment and to use the daily practice of yoga to unify the body, mind and spirit.

A great practice is to examine your life and define yourself - then reevaluate who you are without the objects - including your house, car, clothes and job as your descriptors. Then ask yourself, is there anything in your closet that you are finished with but grasping to? Let the shirt you haven't worn for a year go. Then take the same critical eye to your relationships - are you grasping there? Resistance to change and holding on to things causes suffering and prevents us from growing and living life in a vital pleasurable way. We need to learn to live with the knowledge of impermanence as the only constant in life. Living life with the belief that change is your only constant will foster adaptability and eliminate suffering for you.

2. NYAMAS

The Nyamas are observances that we use to demonstrate your state of consciousness. Combined with the Yamas above - they complete ten ethical precepts that allow us to be at peace with ourselves, our family and our community. The Nyamas constitute a code for living in a way that fosters the soulfulness of the individual and has to do with the choices we make in life. The Nyamas come from a place of understanding that our fundamental nature is compassionate, generous, honest and peaceful.

Shauca - purity

Purifying your existence in the world is the practice of Shauca. It relates to your physical and emotional being and includes all aspects of your environment. The philosophical intention of Shauca is about maintaining cleanliness in body, mind and environment so we can expand the spirit and experience ourselves at a higher resolution. Shauca involves making choices about what you want and what you don't want in your life. It is a theory of "that and nothing else" and living life through Shauca allows us to experience life more vividly. A clean palate enjoys the taste of water or an apple far more than a palate full of residual taste. A clear mind can appreciate the beauty of poetry, a story or the beauty around us without the unnecessary clutter. By eliminating clutter, we contribute to the stillness of the mind and free up energy to apply towards following our true paths.

Practicing Shauca is about creating purity in your environments which in turn will bring purity within you. Practice Shauca by cleaning out your closet, your home and your car. Keep things in your life clean and tidy and eliminate the purposeless clutter. Simplicity is the secret and maintaining it is the challenge. Then utilize this newfound energy and apply it to purify your place and role in the world for the greater good.

Santosha - contentment

Moving into the practice of Santosha is about finding contentment with the moment; contentment with what is. It is not always an easy practice to allow the present moment to be only what it is, whether it is pleasurable or painful. Finding Santosha is the ability to feel satisfied within the container of one's immediate experience. It is being at peace with whatever stage of growth you are at and the circumstances you find yourself in. It is about acceptance of the present - the NOW - but yet generates the capacity for hopefulness. Santosha does not mean complacency, rather a balance of contentment with what is and desire for change.

Accept everything as if you had chosen it yourself; it is all part of your journey and your path. Make the NOW your friend...not your enemy. Let go of attachment to how it "should be". Rather recognize what it is at the moment, let it be what it is and find a place for it. Then explore your Tapas.

Tapas - burning enthusiasm

The practice about Tapas is where we shift our energy into higher gears. Tapas is the burning enthusiasm within us; our psychic fire and heat that make things happen. The practice of Tapas is about stoking your inner fire finding the fuel, drive, discipline, determination and passion within us and directing our energy towards a goal. It is the disciplined use of our energy and the application of will. Tapas is about self-discipline - it is making a conscious commitment and then taking action to your aim. It is expressing the passion in your heart and soul and respecting yourself by making choices that truly nourish your well-being and provide opportunities for expansive growth.

Don't waste time and energy on trivial matters...life is too short. When energy is strong, so is the process of transmutation and metamorphism. Once activated, the heat of Tapas generates more heat and momentum and makes subsequent efforts towards the goal less difficult. Eventually it brings us to a place of effortless effort.

Swadyaya - self-observation

Swadyaya is about the study of your higher self. It is about the self-observation of your conscious self; a state of self-reflective consciousness. The practice of Swadyaya is moving concept into experience. It involves utilizing everything you can as a study of your self: who you are and how you fit into the greater world. It requires reading, studying and interpretation of the Yoga Sutras. It is an effort to understand them intellectually and then move the concept into experience by figuring out how to apply the sutras to living your life. It is a practice that will develop more skill in handling, containing and redirecting self-destructive tendencies into a greater good for all.

Take everything you experience in life as an opportunity to learn about yourself - maintain the intention to know yourself through everything you do. Live consciously.

Ishvara-Pranidhana - omnipresence

The last of the Nyamas requires a recognition that there is some omnipresent force larger than ourselves that is guiding and directing the course of our lives. The practice of Ishvara-Pranidhana is about surrendering the ego-sense to the divine within; surrendering our personal will to our higher power so we can fulfill our destiny. This devotional surrender requires putting aside some time each day to avail ourselves to an intelligence larger than our own. It is about exercising austerity, study and dedicating our existence to the omnipresent. It is about serving something beyond ourselves; devoting work to others - public service. Ishvara-Pranidhana is internalizing that service is the most fundamental reason for our existence.

Try to witness your personal successes in the context of common good. Ask yourself daily, "is the world a better place because I'm here?"

3. ASANAS

Entering the third limb of the Yoga philosophy is the physical postures of YOGA - Asanas. The Asanas are dynamic internal dances in the form of postures, which help to keep the body strong, flexible and relaxed. The Asanas do not exist without the breath. Asanas practice strengthens the central nervous system and refines our process of inner perception with an aim to reach a harmony between the body, the mind and the spirit. By healing our bodies and releasing nervous tension we gain the ability to focus and concentrate. The goal is to find a place of "steady and comfortable" within each posture we practice. The body becomes firm and strong and energy levels increase. All of our physiological systems start to work towards optimum and our daily stresses no longer seem so overcoming. Once we have reached a place where the body is strong we can realize that the mind becomes still and we can apply focus and concentration. Overtime, we learn to apply this focus to a positive center and we enter the practice of meditation.

In your practice of Asanas, apply Ahimsa (compassion) and Santosha (contentment) to yourself. Be OK with the way your postures are at the moment; then apply your Tapas and stir your inner fire to work towards moving forward. Every posture is perfect in the moment you are in it. Regular practice over time is the only way to progress.

4. PRANAYAMA

The fourth limb of YOGA is our life force - our breath. Pranayama is roughly defined as breathing practices and more specifically defined as practices that help us to develop constancy in the movement of "prana", or life force. Pranayama is the most fundamental aspect of the YOGA practice. The breath can be used to stimulate and to relax. With every inhale we bring a positive force of action and with every exhale, a negative force of relaxation. Pranayama is the connecting force between the body and the mind. The practice of Pranayama returns us to our primordial / natural state - the first breath. A solid Pranayama practice will lead to good postures and will allow you to go deeper into your physical and mental practices. The Pranayama practice releases carbon monoxide and toxins from your body, removing the old breath and replenishing the system with fresh oxygen.

Practice yogic breathing by inhaling through the nose for 4 seconds and out through the nose for 4 seconds - sitting or standing. Do this for 5 minutes and take a moment to recognize the profound effect of relaxation over you. Try the diaphragmatic breath. As you inhale through the nose, expand your abdomen by pushing your navel out, noticing the breath moving up through your respiratory system into your ribs and chest. As you exhale slowly through the nose, notice the movement of the breath down from your chest to your belly and pull the navel tautly into the spine. Do this for 5 minutes and AHHH.

5. PRATYAHARA

The fifth limb: Pratyahara is the introversion of attention. It is the drawing of one's attention toward silence rather than toward external objects and forces. It is turning your focus, senses and awareness inward and stilling the mind. It is a practice of synchronization - using your senses with your higher self. It is the avoidance of aligning your senses with your ego (your lower self), which inevitable leads to mistruths, chaos and struggle. Rather, it is a practice of uplifting your ego to raise it to its higher purpose and align it with your higher self. The practice of Pratyahara leads to psychological freedom and harmony.

Being aware of yourself; asking yourself "how do I feel right now in this posture? How does my breath feel? Turn your senses inward to yourself and find the silence we brought into this world with us.

6. DHARANA

Concentration. Focusing our attention and cultivating an inner perceptual awareness. Direct your mind to a chosen field without dissipation and concentrate on one single thing. Utilize the muscle of the mind - the more you use it, the stronger it gets.

Practice. Select a point of focus - try your breath; choose to focus; notice when your mind wanders; consciously bring it back to your point of focus. Stay with the breath.

7. DHYANA

The seventh limb of YOGA is Meditation. Sustaining awareness under all conditions. Being entirely concentrated on your chosen point of focus. Dhyana is an unbroken stream of thought to one single, solitary thing. The sequence is Pratyahara - pick your internal point of focus, Dharana - practice your concentration on that point of focus and Dhyana - achieve the unbroken stream of concentration on that point of focus.

Sit still. Breathe. Regular practice over time.

8. SAMADHI

Finally, when we reach the eight limb of our YOGA, we have reached oneness with the Divine. Samadhi occurs with the return of the mind into original silence. It is a mystic union where we are all one. It a communication with the Creator; a becoming one with your internal point of focus. When the field of observation and the observer merge to one, we have achieved Samadhi. In the uncommon taste of Samadhi, it can be described as illumination with symptoms of joy, bliss and ecstasy. It can be compared to the Buddhist experience of Nirvana and the Zen experience of Zattori.

Explore each of the eight limbs of YOGA. Take any piece of it that resonates with you. Sit still. Breathe. Regular practice over time.