How the Eight Limbs of Yoga Apply to my Life
We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are - ANAIS NIN
I started meditating when I was in deep suffering with chronic anxiety & panic attacks and thank goodness I received this amazing gift wrapped up as a dark night of the soul package, otherwise I may have never started meditating, doing regular asana practice and being led to the life changing magic that is Creature Yoga Teacher Training!
Whilst in the time of DUKKAH - suffering, I came to the realisation that when you are not living in connection with your truth, you are turning against yourself, creating knots, breaking down your immune system and physical or mental disease may manifest, for me this was anxiety and panic attacks.
During this time I was in the prison of my own mind and I realised I had to take responsibility for my own peace & happiness - no-one could do it for me! I had to hop in the driver’s seat and drive my vehicle out of DUKKAH - suffering, I had to go into battle with all that I knew was me….I symbolically had to kill myself, let it all go, and allow the transformation to unfold. I turned completely inward and went into a process of self enquiry. The 8 limbs were the steps on the ladder that lead me out of my mind prison. The 8 limbs of yoga was the map to my liberation/freedom and an anxiety free life.
As my soul awakened I realised how attached I was to outside influences; relationships, food, habits, beliefs, judgement from others, outcomes.
The daily practice of dhyana (meditation) has helped me have a clearer mind, I feel calmer & more loving, my sleep is deeper and more restorative, I am now so comfortable in my own skin, I feel less stressed and reactive, more centered, and grounded, I feel happier and more fulfilled and connected to my inner knowing and intuition, it has allowed me to be more aware of the bigger picture and not get caught up in things that don’t really matter and feel more in flow with life, to have a deep trust and knowing that all is unfolding according to a higher divine plan and to live my life fully and completely without being attached to the outcome.
The 8 Limbs of Yoga are:
YAMA - Things not to do; restraints, moral disciplines or moral vows, personal ethics, spiritual study, do no harm to yourself, others or the environment, how we interact with the external world.
NIYAMA - Things to do; positive duties or observances.
ASANA - Posture.
PRANAYAMA - Breathing techniques, breathe well, live well.
PRATYAHARA - Sense withdrawal; turning the senses inward, your eyes aren’t addicted with what is happening outside of you, the inward reality keeps you grounded/centred, internal time, nurture yourself to know yourself, to get in touch with the essence of you.
DHARANA - Focused concentration.
DHYANA - Meditative absorption.
SAMADHI - Bliss or enlightenment.
I began with a struggle in the mud & through my own work & sincere effort I found contentment, joy & turned my inner light on, I got my SHRI (sparkle) back! This experience gifted me substance and a huge perspective shift as I rose from the mud and from this experience I can now share what I have learnt and help others move towards their SUKKAH - sweet space.
Meditation helped to clean my dirty window so I could see with real clarity and not clouded vision/judgement. The glass needed to be cleaned (meditation) so I could see more clearly. Everything that has ever happened in my life was the dirt on the window. Yoga/meditation is the sponge to clean the window. I had the epiphany that if I was always somewhere else then here, now, I couldn’t live a fulfilled, happy life.
Practicing yoga is like kneading the dough, working out the hidden seeds (the vasanas) through the process of kneading, twisting, sweating, my seeds (issues) come up to the surface to be acknowledged & released.
You become what you worship, by focusing on your vasanas - limited, fearful, negative thinking this is what you become, don’t give any focus/energy to the vasanas (bad thoughts) instead be in the moment and focus on the breath.
It’s so important to empty out the chitta, all the vasanas (deep tendencies) they are energetic in nature, if you don’t eradicate the vasana (tendency) you will carry them into the next life. You are what your deep driving desire is!
Through self regulation & self control I began to be non-reactive, instead, I changed my patterns through asana, breathing, meditation, through these daily practices I began to empty my mind and was then able to recognise the patterns (vasanas) and develop the clarity to see & make different choices.
By having an awareness around what not to do - YAMA, being the witness - NIYAMA, practicing yoga - ASANA, using my breath to still my mind and calm the chitta - PRANAYAMA, doing the work, turning inward, self enquiry - PRATYAHARA, being focused - DHARANA and meditating daily - DHYANA, I started moving towards bliss - SAMADHI, I got my sparkle SHRI back!
And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom - ANAIS NIN
Inspired by the lectures from Rose Baudin and Dena Kinsberg, The Bhagavad Gita, and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Words by Heidi Lampard